DUNDALK HAVE BEEN left sickened by conceding two late goals already this season and now they have one to savour.
At the home of champions Shamrock Rovers the newly-promoted side ensured their unbeaten run continues thanks to Danny Mullen’s 90th minute equaliser which cancelled out Roberto Lopes’ first-half opener.
Two set pieces that tell the tale of the night.
Only three games in, perhaps, but this will feel like a victory for Lilywhites boss Ciaran Kilduff after Derry City and Drogheda United snatched the same results from them in the opening weeks weeks of the season.
It was testament to Dundalk’s resolve and perseverance that they remained in the game, especially when they were reduced to 10 men with a quarter of an hour to go after 17-year-old centre back Vinnie Leonard was shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Aaron Greene.
Even before a ball was kicked here both clubs were in the news.
Rovers released a statement on the morning of the game confirming they were “engaging with Fifa in review of two agency agreements” following a story in relation striker Michael Noonan.
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Their 17-year-old prodigy started here but other than one attempt at rounding goalkeeper Conor Kearns he was kept quiet.
Dundalk also released a statement, in conjuction with Drogheda United, after supporters of their bitter rivals damaged the new pitch at Oriel Park by throwing scores of flares onto the astro turf surface both before and during last Friday’s Louth derby.
There were no fireworks here, just the type of late madness that didn’t look likely when Leonard was dimissed.
It was around the 40 minute mark that the Rovers fans packed behind the goal in the south stand began a chant of ‘Stand up for the champions’. Their team was already 1-0 up by this point, but such was the feeling of drift in the game they wanted something to rouse the spirits.
It didn’t really catch on.
A few joined in out of courtesy, dragging themselves from their seats and stretching their creaking limbs to show appreciation for the manager and players who claimed a fifth Premier Division title in six seasons.
Other than that, it seemed as if apathy reigned and had spread, despite some nice moments of intricate skill from Jack Byrne and Graham Burke, not to mention the deft glancing header from Lopes that gave Rovers the lead from Byrne’s pin-point free kick on 19 minutes.
The 600 or so travelling supporters in the far corner maintained the strong, raucous backing.
And maybe that is just to be expected on a low key night like this that still drew an attendance of 4,352 – Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson and former international Richard Dunne among them.
There would surely have been another couple of thousand on that figure had the original fixture gone ahead as planned on the opening night of this new season.
Instead, the weather conspired to have it pushed back until tonight. Rovers had another game postponed away to Shelbourne after that and eventually got their campaign underway on Friday with a 2-0 win here over St Patrick’s Athletic.
Dundalk conceded a late equaliser at home to Drogheda at the start of last weekend and both managers responded by making significant changes to their starting XI here.
Stephen Bradley showed the strength in depth at his disposal by bringing in eight new faces while Ciaran Kilduff attempted to freshen things up with five,
Rather than infuse the game with energy things seemed more disjoined, although those flashes between Burke and Byrne were a highlight.
Dundalk were game, at least, and until the concession of that opener Kilduff would have been happy.
But when JR Wilson brought down Trevor Clarke on the left and Byrne whipped in a free kick, it was Lopes there to run across the front of Tyreke Wilson to make it a family affair to forget for the Wilson brothers.
The Rovers captain connected perfectly with his glancing header and Conor Kearns had no chance as it arrowed towards the far corner.
Rovers were comfortable for the rest of the half but after the break they looked less so. Dundalk were growing in confidence in the final third and 10 minutes after the restart could so easily have been level when Gbemi Arubi controlled a cross brilliantly on his chest but then flashed his shot under pressure wide from around eight yards out.
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Both managers turned to their benches from this point but Kilduff’s task was made all the more difficult when Leonard was dismissed.
Their spirit endured, though, and it was two of those subs who combined to earn the point as Bobby Burns whipped the corner, Ed McGinty dropped the ball and Mullen was there to make it two goals in two games from close range.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Adam Mathews, Roberto Lopes (captain), Lee Grace; Tunmise Sobowale, Matt Healy, Connor Malley (Dylan Watts 66), Jack Byrne (Jake Mulraney 75), Graham Burke (Victor Ozhianvuna 75), Trevor Clarke (Adam Brennan 66); Michael Noonan (Aaron Greene 75).
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Dundalk finally have a late late show to savour with draw at Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers 1
Dundalk 1
DUNDALK HAVE BEEN left sickened by conceding two late goals already this season and now they have one to savour.
At the home of champions Shamrock Rovers the newly-promoted side ensured their unbeaten run continues thanks to Danny Mullen’s 90th minute equaliser which cancelled out Roberto Lopes’ first-half opener.
Two set pieces that tell the tale of the night.
Only three games in, perhaps, but this will feel like a victory for Lilywhites boss Ciaran Kilduff after Derry City and Drogheda United snatched the same results from them in the opening weeks weeks of the season.
It was testament to Dundalk’s resolve and perseverance that they remained in the game, especially when they were reduced to 10 men with a quarter of an hour to go after 17-year-old centre back Vinnie Leonard was shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Aaron Greene.
Even before a ball was kicked here both clubs were in the news.
Rovers released a statement on the morning of the game confirming they were “engaging with Fifa in review of two agency agreements” following a story in relation striker Michael Noonan.
Their 17-year-old prodigy started here but other than one attempt at rounding goalkeeper Conor Kearns he was kept quiet.
Dundalk also released a statement, in conjuction with Drogheda United, after supporters of their bitter rivals damaged the new pitch at Oriel Park by throwing scores of flares onto the astro turf surface both before and during last Friday’s Louth derby.
There were no fireworks here, just the type of late madness that didn’t look likely when Leonard was dimissed.
It was around the 40 minute mark that the Rovers fans packed behind the goal in the south stand began a chant of ‘Stand up for the champions’. Their team was already 1-0 up by this point, but such was the feeling of drift in the game they wanted something to rouse the spirits.
It didn’t really catch on.
A few joined in out of courtesy, dragging themselves from their seats and stretching their creaking limbs to show appreciation for the manager and players who claimed a fifth Premier Division title in six seasons.
Other than that, it seemed as if apathy reigned and had spread, despite some nice moments of intricate skill from Jack Byrne and Graham Burke, not to mention the deft glancing header from Lopes that gave Rovers the lead from Byrne’s pin-point free kick on 19 minutes.
The 600 or so travelling supporters in the far corner maintained the strong, raucous backing.
And maybe that is just to be expected on a low key night like this that still drew an attendance of 4,352 – Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson and former international Richard Dunne among them.
There would surely have been another couple of thousand on that figure had the original fixture gone ahead as planned on the opening night of this new season.
Instead, the weather conspired to have it pushed back until tonight. Rovers had another game postponed away to Shelbourne after that and eventually got their campaign underway on Friday with a 2-0 win here over St Patrick’s Athletic.
Dundalk conceded a late equaliser at home to Drogheda at the start of last weekend and both managers responded by making significant changes to their starting XI here.
Stephen Bradley showed the strength in depth at his disposal by bringing in eight new faces while Ciaran Kilduff attempted to freshen things up with five,
Rather than infuse the game with energy things seemed more disjoined, although those flashes between Burke and Byrne were a highlight.
Dundalk were game, at least, and until the concession of that opener Kilduff would have been happy.
But when JR Wilson brought down Trevor Clarke on the left and Byrne whipped in a free kick, it was Lopes there to run across the front of Tyreke Wilson to make it a family affair to forget for the Wilson brothers.
The Rovers captain connected perfectly with his glancing header and Conor Kearns had no chance as it arrowed towards the far corner.
Rovers were comfortable for the rest of the half but after the break they looked less so. Dundalk were growing in confidence in the final third and 10 minutes after the restart could so easily have been level when Gbemi Arubi controlled a cross brilliantly on his chest but then flashed his shot under pressure wide from around eight yards out.
Both managers turned to their benches from this point but Kilduff’s task was made all the more difficult when Leonard was dismissed.
Their spirit endured, though, and it was two of those subs who combined to earn the point as Bobby Burns whipped the corner, Ed McGinty dropped the ball and Mullen was there to make it two goals in two games from close range.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Adam Mathews, Roberto Lopes (captain), Lee Grace; Tunmise Sobowale, Matt Healy, Connor Malley (Dylan Watts 66), Jack Byrne (Jake Mulraney 75), Graham Burke (Victor Ozhianvuna 75), Trevor Clarke (Adam Brennan 66); Michael Noonan (Aaron Greene 75).
Dundalk: Conor Kearns; J.R. Wilson, Harvey Warren, Vinnie Leonard, Tyreke Wilson; Declan McDaid (Eoin Kenny 69), Aodh Dervin (Rob Cornwall 78), Harry Groome (Keith Buckley 58), Ronan Teahan (Bobby Burns 69), Daryl Horgan (captain); Gbemi Arubi (Danny Mullen 58).
Attendance: 4,352.
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