Doyle’s Double Dundalk Delight!

[Magicme]

Two goals from Mons marksman Willie Doyle was the undoing of top of the table Dundalk last night in the FAI eircom League of Ireland First Division game at Kingspan Century Park. A shaky Dundalk were unable to net a single goal as their stikers made mistake after mistake, possibly costing them the League title.

In a game that had all the drama of a cup final, impassioned arguing, “handbags” posturing and the underdog coming out on top, this was a game not suited to the faint of heart. Local derbies are often the thrillers of the season and Monaghan United and Dundalk did not disappoint.

The first half was an even enough affair with a dogged United preventing Dundalk from getting a foothold in the game. Within minutes of the start Dundalk had a few opportunities to stamp their authority on the match. Shane Grimes took the ball up the pitch winning a throw but despite targeting Robbie Dunne, Monaghan’s Luke Fitzpatrick intercepted. The lilywhites sent in another optimistic ball from the wing but it sailed over the bar missing Philly Hughes by miles. Dundalk then won a corner as they sustained the pressure but whilst they were unable to do anything from the set piece they promptly won a free. David Crawley sent in a thundering shot and Alvin Rouse had to act fast but unfortunately brought the ball over the line to give Dundalk another corner.

Kevin Williamson was on his toes and cleared the incoming corner but was not able to get it far enough out and some messy football ensued in the box until Aaron Mooney was able to clear it up the pitch. Robbie Farrell was ready and ran on to the ball but Dundalk goalie Niall Gallagher got there first.

United started their fight back when Kevin Williamson skinned Philly Hughes and made off up the pitch. Dundalk’s defence were up to the job however and held Williamson off. United continued to threaten and Farrell looked on for goal with only 10 minutes on the clock but once more Gallagher had it covered. Within seconds the ball was back at the edge of the United box with Robbie Doyle in a 1-on-1 position with United’s ‘keeper Alvin Rouse. Rouse was keeping cool and looked like he had it covered when Doyle spectacularly mis-kicked leaving Rouse with nothing to do.

With United having been handed an early “get out of jail free” card, Meenan took up the wing like a bullet having being served a perfect ball from Brian Gannon. Meenan had beaten Shane Grimes to the ball and was heading goal bound but was unable to finish this time. Robbie Doyle seemed to wish to make amends for his early slip up but his weak shot on goal in the 18th minute didn’t come close. Moments later a free kick was tipped over the bar by Rouse as he began to show shades of the top class goalkeeper he is.

As Dundalk tried to build up for another assault on the United goals, Dunne tried to send the ball forward for the on-running Hughes but Gannon was faster and got to it allowing it to run out for a United goal kick. United then began to get into the stride and Don Tierney set up a string of passes when he dispossessed Cathal O’Connor before sending the ball to Peter D’arcy. D’arcy sent the ball to Meenan who fed it to Barry Burke. This time captain Burke was unable to get any further with it and the attack died off.

In the 24th minute Robbie Doyle again tried a long ball in for Philly Hughes but once more Hughes was unable to chase it and it went out for a goal kick. As United tried to get back on the attack, Tierney and Gannon teamed up but were held off by Dundalk before Hughes was to get his first real chance of the half. Hughes sent a fine shot in but Rouse was well capable and caught it at the far post. Finding a chink in the United defence, Dundalk again tried to hit the target but once more the 6’5” Barbados International goalie had the measure of them and easily caught the ball.

The Mons continued to battle on and Farrell had the right idea when he sent forward the ball through a steely Dundalk defence trying to find Willie Doyle. Doyle just couldn’t get to the ball in time and the attack petered out.

Hughes, having won a throw far up the pitch, picked out Monaghan native and ex-Mons & Huddersfield Town player James Hand, but Hand’s fluffed shot gave United’s defence a chance to clear. They didn’t manage to get the ball out very far and Dundalk got another throw as a result of the slip up. As United’s defence cleared the ball out though, the Mons found themselves racing back up the pitch.

United were almost gifted a goal by Grimes in the 29th minute as he tried to head the ball sent in for Farrell, clear of goal. Gallagher had come too far out and Farrell hadn’t quite made it in but Grimes was lucky that his header went just wide saving his blushes. At this stage United looked their most threatening and Dundalk must have been worried as they piled into the box in force. United came close to opening the scoring as 3 to 4 shots were blasted goalward in the crowded box but luckily for the Louth team their defenders managed to keep each threat at bay.

Dundalk still had some of their spark left and only for Luke Fitzpatrick’s fast backtracking, Gill’s men would have had a perfect goalscoring opportunity. Things started to get tense between the teams as neither were able to break the deadlock and Barry Bourke was yellow carded for a tackle on Philly Hughes. An on-pitch scuffle broke out as players got involved in the debating with the referee but things soon settled down again and play resumed.

It was not to be Robbie Doyle’s night as once more he fluffed a perfect chance in front of goal in what was to be the last major chance of the first half. Just before the half time whistle was due to be blown, a nasty clash of heads left Monaghan United’s Burke and Dundalk’s Doyle lying on the ground just in front of the United dugout. The Monaghan United Doctor was called to the pitch to tend to the injured players and while the game resumed for 3 minutes of added time, there was little left in either team and the half ended 0-0.

[Magicme]

It looked like United might steal a quick goal on the resumption of the game after the break as sloppy Dundalk defending presented United with a corner from the kick off. Mons were incapable to make the chance work for them and suffered as Dundalk came full charge at them. There were some heartstopping moments for the home fans as Dundalk squeezed United well back into their own half but no matter what they threw at them, United’s defence always got in the way. Rouse got caught up in the melee at one point as he came out to catch the ball and Paul Marney could have been the hero as he took his shot, but D’arcy got a head to it to keep the Mons out of danger.

A Robbie Dunne throw landed sweetly for Hughes but Fitzpatrick was wise to the impending danger and got the ball our for a corner. United cleared the corner but not well enough and Stephen Quigley was able to send the ball back in. Unfortunately he set Robbie Doyle up, who was having a nightmare of a game, and Doyle disappointed again.

An offside call put a halt to a promising looking Mons push and Dundalk were straight back up the pitch. The lilywhites were awarded a free on the edge of the box but again Doyle’s shot was mopped up by United in the form of Williamson.

The ineffectual Hughes teamed up with Quigley moments later when Quigley took a throw but between them they sent the ball out giving United a throw. Smelling the weakening of the Dundalk side, Meenan scurried up the wing past 2 defenders before sending a blistering cross in for Farrell. This time Farrell was unable to connect with the ball.

Brian Gannon continued to highlight what an asset he is to the United squad as he managed to get back to help protect his team’s net. Hughes showed his first flare of the game when he chested the ball down feeding it to Doyle. The number 9 did well and sent the ball to Dunne, who in turn located Quigley. As Quigley closed in on the United box he passed to Marney who set Doyle up on goal. Rouse earned his wages well as he got a hand to the speeding Doyle ball sending it out for the corner.

Dundalk’s lack of control of the set piece cost them a valuable chance to punish the United defence and the battle moved back to the midfield with Williamson & Dunne squaring up well to each other. As Dundalk scampered goalbound, Rouse was once more on hand to scoop up the ball without too much trouble.

Despite Dundalk managing to close down almost every route for United out of their own half, they underestimated the nippy Meenan moves. Meenan skipped around them and headed up the pitch. He won a free which led to a corner & put the Dundalk side under pressure. The corner was unimpressive and Gallagher caught it well.

Once more Dundalk were on the offensive and used United’s back four’s mistakes to hunt for the elusive goal. During an unrelenting few minutes of Dundalk pressure, United were thankful for Rouse’s talent at rising above the crowds of players to pluck the ball from the sky. Within a minute Hughes finally looked like he would score as he closed in on goal but the determined Williamson and Fitzpatrick had other ideas and shut him off and dispossessed him in the box.

The resolve of the United team was evident when Farrell & D’arcy prepared another assault on the visitors goal. D’arcy managed to stay on the ball despite being jostled by the defence but the referee gave a free to Dundalk. As they tried to make this chance count, Hughes was knocked off the ball on the edge of the box and they were given an even better opportunity. They didn’t reckon on Rouse’s talent however as the Mons goalie made a terrific save of Crawley’s free as the ball came through the wall.

At this point United seemed to be happy to settle for the point as they were pushed by the resolute Dundalk. The defence stood up to each test however and the closest they came to taking the lead was with a well taken Dunne free. Once more Fitzpatrick turned iceman as he coolly cleared the danger.

Just when it looked like United’s luck would run out, up popped Willie Doyle with a goal to give hope. In the 80th minute Doyle’s calculated shot rendered Dundalk speechless as it bounded over the line following confusion from the back four and goal keeper. Spurred on by the inspiring goal, United kept Dundalk on their toes and pushed forward again. However, Dundalk were not ready to roll over and play dead just yet but they showed they were rattled when another peach of an opportunity passed them by. O’Connor was caught in the offside trap as they tried to find the equaliser and it was on the break that United nailed the coffin shut.

Following a fine, hard working performance from Farrell, he had the pleasure of setting his team mate Doyle up for his brace. Farrell and Doyle made it look easy as they glided into the box and Doyle tucked the ball neatly in the net. An ecstatic home crowd were to their feet, as were the flabbergasted away fans who decided with 5 minutes to go there was no reason to stick around for the final whistle and United battled on proving their recent run of form was not a fluke.

The game finished 2-0 to United and a deflated looking Dundalk exited Kingspan Century Park like pretenders to the First Division throne.

Monaghan United: Rouse; Gannon, Fitzpatrick, Mooney, Williamson; Meenan, Tierney, Burke, D'Arcy; Farrell, Doyle.

Dundalk: Gallagher; Quigley (Perth 72), Lynch, Crawley, Grimes; Marney, O'Connor, Dunne, Hand (Doran 77), Doyle (Vaughan 64), Hughes.

[Magicme]

Dammit....should have called it "Doyle's double bursts Dundalk's bubble"

[Battery Rover]

Great result Magicme they will have to sedate you by the end of the week if you don't calm down.

Looking forward to going to CHP in three weeks time for the match against The Mons and hopefully we will be playing like a senior soccer team by then and not like a bunch of schoolboys

[Magicme]

I hope that you stay as schoolboys........

Am calmed down now. The effects had worn off by about lunchtime yesterday!