Thursday, March 27, 2008

Dundalk 2 Wexford 1, eL Series 4


Dundalk's opposition this week proved tougher than expected by a lot of lilywhites. Wexford Youths are growing up, and it shows. This is a good team, going places and getting there in the right way. They provided tough opposition and kept the home team on their toes throughout the game. The whites looked solid, however, and fully deserved the 3 points - perhaps deserving to win it by more than a single goal, but you have to take your chances!

Neil Doyle took the whistle (and, some might say, the biscuit!) again tonight in a performance summarised in his reaction to a tangle between Vaughan and Wexford's Garett Larkin. He awarded Vaughan a free, which was followed by Larkin digging Vaughan in the chest with his shoulder. The two "boys" then proceeded to chat as they walked away, no grudges held, and were actually laughing together by the time Doyle blew his whistle to call them back and give them a talking to! Barmy, that the pedantic official felt the need to eliminate bad feeling that evidently didn't exist!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Dundalk 3 Monaghan 0, eircom LOI Cup



Dundalk put three past repeat visitors Monaghan in a replay of the league game just 12 days earlier. A foggy night didn't do much to disguise that the "second string" was not noticeably different in performance or in terms of team relations. Crowley scored the first with Tiernan Mulvenna putting away two more to add insult to Monaghan's injury. T's second has to be a contender for goal of the season, a great lob of the unfortunate 'keeper!

Thursday sees the first visit this season of last season's addition to the eircom League - Mick Wallace's youths of Wexford. It is to be hoped that this match will be of a standard to at least equal the same fixture last season. The home side will also be looking to consolidate position at the top of the table with another league win. A suspension will see Shane Grimes sit this one out.