LAST UPDATE | 11 May 2021
DUNDALK HAVE CANCELLED today’s training session and ordered a round of Covid-19 testing following a team bonding trip to Belfast last Saturday.
Members of the squad were photographed in Belfast over the weekend, in contravention of national Covid restrictions on inter-county travel which have since been eased.
It’s understood the vast majority of the squad made the trip, and did so without the knowledge of Sporting Director Jim Magilton, who is currently serving as the club’s caretaker manager following the exits of Shane Keegan and Filippo Giovagnoli.
As first reported yesterday by the Irish Sun, the FAI contacted Dundalk for further information about the trip when the photos first surfaced.
Dundalk yesterday made the decision to cancel today’s planned training session and order a round of Covid-19 tests for the squad, with results anticipated tomorrow.
It remains to be seen if Friday’s Premier Division game away to Finn Harps will be affected.
Separately, Waterford were forced to field their U19 team for last Friday’s league game with Drogheda United following a positive case of Covid-19, and lost 7-0.
Dundalk have endured a difficult start to the season, and are seventh in the league with 10 points after 10 games, fully 16 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers and nine points from Sligo in the European places.
Frustrations among supporters came to a head three weeks ago in what proved to be Giovagnoli’s final game at the club, with fans gathering outside Oriel Park to display banners reading Ran Like a Circus’ and ‘Tempo di Andare (Time to Go).
The club have declined to comment.
