STEPHEN KENNY INSISTS Dundalk still have some way to go as they close in on a third consecutive league title.
The Lilywhites boss watched his side get the better of nearest rivals Cork City with a 2-1 victory at Oriel Park on Tuesday night thanks to Daryl Horgan’s double, which sees the Louth club regain a four-point advantage at the top of the Premier Division table with five games remaining.
Dundalk’s hectic schedule has taken its toll on the squad and Kenny was impressed with how his side performed despite a number of absentees.
With goalkeeper Gary Rogers left out and Sean Gannon injured along with Ciaran Kilduff and Robbie Benson, stand-in stopper Gabriel Sava and experienced full-back Alan Keane were singled out for praise after playing in their first league matches of the season.
“Our sense of team was superb,” said Kenny, after the final whistle. ”Everyone gave everything and we were deserved winners, but Daryl Horgan’s individual magic won it for us — he was the difference.”
As he has been all season, Horgan was Dundalk’s star man and his manager joked that he wouldn’t be out of place at the home of Real Madrid.
“When I was doing the post-match talk, Daryl wasn’t there as he was being interviewed for the TV,” he said of the winger.
I was talking to the players about getting ready for Shamrock Rovers on Friday when it was asked ‘where’s Daryl?’, and someone said ‘he’s at the Bernabeu!’.
“He was brilliant tonight. See those free-kicks that he has worked on, he must have hit a thousand of them from that position in training this season — not always with the greatest of success.
“To visualise that and then for it to come off in a big match, that’s special.”
With little or no time to sit and reflect on results these days, attention quickly turns to their next league outing against Shamrock Rovers on Friday, before an another away trip on Monday when Longford Town are the opposition.
Then it’s back to Tallaght Stadium to face Group D leaders Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League next Thursday and Kenny admitted he may have to consider putting out a weakened team against the Russians due to the fixture congestion.
The league is the priority and I want that third league title so we’re not relenting or backing down,” he added.
“There’s nothing achieved yet. We have to go again against Shamrock Rovers on Friday and we’ve two big games with that and Monday.
“It’ll be tough but that can give us the impetus to push on again.”
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