DUNDALK ARE NOW one step away from reaching the group stages of the Champions League but they have no intention of stopping there.
That’s according to striker David McMillan, who scored twice in tonight’s incredible 3-0 win against BATE Borisov, which has secured a place in the Champions League play-offs — and, at worst, a spot in the group stages of the Europa League.
McMillan headed home for the Lilywhites in each half before Robbie Benson added a third late on to seal a memorable night for Irish football at the expense of the champions of Belarus at Tallaght Stadium.
Speaking on eir Sport 1 after the game, McMillan admitted that it’s sweet revenge for Dundalk, who were eliminated from the Champions League qualifiers by BATE last season.
“Yeah it is,” said McMillan. “Look, they’re a fantastic team, their pedigree is unbelievable, they’ve done so well in the last few years. To knock them out just shows how good this team is and now we want to go even further, so we look forward to the next round.”
McMillan added: “It’s an unbelievable feeling. We knew we were going to have to put in an unbelievable effort tonight but we never thought we’d win 3-0. It’s an unbelievable night. Unforgettable, really.”
Another one of Dundalk’s heroes was Patrick McEleney, who delivered a superb performance after coming off the bench to replace the injured Ronan Finn in the first half.
“It’s unbelievable,” McEleney said. “The best moment of my life in football. Just look around, it’s unbelievable. Nobody really gave us a chance but we believed in ourselves.
“We knew we had to score, and with David, as we’ve seen over recent weeks, we know we have a chance. He’s absolutely on fire. He’s invaluable. He doesn’t stop scoring. It’s the hardest part of the game and he’s absolutely priceless for us.”
