AFTER STRUGGLING UNDER the summer sunshine on the training ground, Sean Hoare is hoping to thrive in the heat of another “feisty” battle with Shamrock Rovers.
“For someone like myself who’s fair-skinned, I’m melting a bit,” the 24-year-old defender laughed, with Chris Shields — the other ginger-haired member of Dundalk’s first-team squad — joking on Twitter that he and Hoare resembled Steve Staunton at USA ’94 as they attempted to cope with this week’s soaring temperatures.
Dundalk and Rovers may be separated by 19 points and five places in the table ahead of tomorrow night’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division game at Tallaght Stadium, but the Hoops have managed to achieve some big results against the current leaders in their recent league meetings.
Stephen Bradley’s side were victorious in two of the three Premier Division games between the clubs in 2017. They also held the Lilywhites to a draw in Tallaght earlier this season, before Stephen Kenny’s side got the better of the most recent fixture last month.
“It’ll be a feisty game,” said Hoare, who missed Dundalk’s two games against Rovers this year due to injury. “No matter where the two teams are in the league, it’s always a close game.
Meself and @seanhoare5 tomorrow in training if this heat keeps up ☀️😰🔥 pic.twitter.com/6R2EsjKaDf
— Chris Shields (@Big_Shields6) May 30, 2018
“It has almost become a derby at this stage. There’s a lot of hype around it, especially in Tallaght. The rivalry there has been massive in the last few years. Rovers always seem to raise their game against us so it should be a good one.”
When Dundalk’s dependable full-back Sean Gannon was ruled out for approximately six weeks after picking up an injury in their defeat to Cork City, it was understandably billed as a massive setback the Louth club.
However, that blow has been cushioned by the form of Sean Hoare, who has reverted from his more familiar role at centre-back to deputise successfully on the right.
As well as helping Dundalk to keep three consecutive clean sheets, Hoare has provided a significant attacking threat, as evidenced by his man-of-the-match display against Bohemians in which he doubled the visitors’ lead at Dalymount Park.
“It’s a new challenge and a new perspective on the game for me,” he said. “I’ve played there a couple of times before but not regularly. I’m getting used to it a bit more and it’s becoming a bit more natural to me. I’m starting to enjoy it.”
Dundalk are currently two points clear of Cork City — who have a game in hand — at the summit of the table, with Hoare of the opinion that the strength of Stephen Kenny’s squad has been a significant factor.
For last weekend’s 5-0 hammering of Bray Wanderers, Krisztian Adorjan, Ronan Murray and Marco Tagbajumi came off the bench, while the likes of Dane Massey, Stephen Folan and Lithuanian international Karolis Chvedukas were unused substitutes.
“We nearly have two players for every position, which is rare,” Hoare said. “We have so much strength in depth that even in training when we do 11 versus 11, the intensity of it is insane.
“It’s nearly higher than what a league game would be, which is great, because you come into league games really prepared then. The competition is great for keeping you on top of your game as well, because if you’re not then you won’t be playing.”
Following his move from St Patrick’s Athletic ahead of the 2017 season, the early stages of Hoare’s time at Dundalk were hampered by injury. However, having played every minute of their last 10 league games, the Dubliner is beginning to deliver on the potential that earned him a first-team debut for St Pat’s not long after his 18th birthday.
At the age of 20, Hoare managed to keep experienced campaigners like Ken Oman and Derek Foran out of the Saints’ side for the 2014 FAI Cup final, in which he partnered Kenny Browne in defence for the 2-0 win over Derry City at the Aviva Stadium.
“It’s been a great season,” he said. “The team has been picking up good results and I’ve played in every game when I’ve been fit. This year I feel like I’m getting more of a run in the team, so I can’t have any complaints. Hopefully that continues.”
