Dundalk FC :: Match Reports

LONGFORD TOWN 1-2 DUNDALK FC // 22 March 2008 // Flancare Park

TREVEZ MAGIC LIGHTS UP THE FLANSIRO

Aidan Lynch and Trevor Vaughan ended a turbulent week on a high as the pair hit two superb second-half strikes to inflict a 2-1 defeat on Longford Town at Flancare Park on Saturday night, a victory which was enough to see the Lilywhites soar to the top of the eircom League of Ireland First Division standings. The win sees the Louth club move one point clear at the summit, as they took full advantage of both Shelbourne and Waterford United dropping points 24 hours earlier.

After a poor first-half where both sides cancelled each other out, it was the hosts who came to life following the restart. However, once Dundalk hit the front just shy of the hour-mark, they never looked in danger. Captain Fantastic Lynch was the unlikely deadlock breaker as he smashed the ball home from close-range after a well worked move, before Vaughan added to Dundalk’s lead and his collection of cracking goals with a moment of magic. A Darren McKenna consolation for Longford late on ensured a nervous finish for the Lilywhites, however, they comfortably held out for all three points.

For the trip to the midlands, manager John Gill made two changes to the side which comfortably defeated Monaghan United by 3-0 at Oriel Park the previous week. Recalled to the starting XI was the defensive duo of goalkeeper Chris Bennion and centre-half Aidan Lynch - who both returned having missed last week’s win through one-match bans - as they replaced the dropped Aaron Shanahan and the suspended John Flanagan respectively. Longford, meanwhile, lined-out with Colin Murray at the centre of defence, a son of ex-Lilywhite midfielder and manager, Martin Murray.

A quiet opening to the match saw little action in the final third, with a Longford penalty claim on eleven minutes the only noteworthy moment. Midfielder Damien Rushe fell inside the area, however, the home side’s calls for a spot-kick were promptly and rightly waved away by referee Graham Kelly. Indeed, it wasn’t until just before the half-hour that either ‘keeper was forced into a save. Iarfhlaith Davoren was set free on the Dundalk goal, however, his effort was thwarted brilliantly by Bennion, who rushed from his line to block behind the former Galway winger’s strike.

An unfruitful opening period for the visitors saw their only opportunity come from a David Crawley set-piece six minutes before the interval as Lynch headed over from a good position - that chance coming just moments after star player David Cassidy was replaced by Paul Crowley due to a hamstring strain. Longford hitman McKenna - who scored a hat-trick in their 5-1 demolition of Sporting Fingal at the ground a fortnight ago - was then forced to retire momentarily with what appeared to be a dislocated finger, before the hosts ended the half on the attack as captain Daire Doyle whizzed a 35-yard free wide of Bennion’s left-hand post.

Both half-time team-talks failed to ignite either side into immediate action, though it was Longford who held most of the possession following the resumption. Their failure to make that count, however, was to cost them dear, as Trevor Vaughan changed the game upon his introduction on 58 minutes. Allowing the substitution to happen before a Crawley free-kick was taken proved a good decision, as Dundalk scored within 60 seconds of the veteran’s appearance.

Crawley’s delivery was headed away only as far as Vaughan, who controlled well and passed to Davie O’Connor on the left wing. The 23-year-old’s subsequent cross was flicked-on inside the area by Robbie Martin, whose touch found Lynch free on the six-yard line, with the defender taking his chance well as he smashed the ball past the despairing dive of Shay Kelly.

Goals change games, and that again proved to be the case here as Dundalk took over. On 65 minutes, substitute Crowley saw his dipping shot from the edge of the box go agonisingly wide of the top corner, before the ex-UCD midfielder again tried his luck from 25-yards soon after, with Longford ‘keeper Kelly fumbling the ball. Martin was waiting to tap home the rebound, however, he was correctly flagged offside. Dundalk were not to be denied a second, though, as they doubled their advantage just a minute later.

The highly impressive Vaughan turned on the style to score an incredible solo effort, as he flicked the ball over one defender, before taking the ball through another’s legs. The 34-year-old then held off the attentions of more Longford players to drill the ball superbly past the netminder to the far bottom corner, for a simply magical goal. The strike also sees Trevor move on to number 98 in his quest for 100 league goals.

That meant Dundalk could breathe a little easier for the final ten minutes, however, with just over two minutes left on the clock, the Lilywhites conceded their first goal of the season, after over four-and-a-half hours of action. Gary Murphy did well for Longford on the right, before delivering an inch-perfect cross for the unmarked McKenna to head past Bennion from close-range. That fired the natives into life as they went in search of an equaliser. However, it was the visitors who went closest to scoring again as sub Paul Smyth saw his attempted lob gathered by Kelly, before - after four minutes of injury-time - the referee blew up to confirm Dundalk as league leaders, for a week at least.

dundalkfc.com Man of the Match: AIDAN LYNCH (Dundalk)…A hero in the scoreless draw at Shels on the opening day of the season, Lynch missed last week’s win over Monaghan due to a suspension carried-over from last year. However, Captain Fantastic returned to the starting XI here and proved a colossus once more. His calmness under pressure, composure on the ball and organisational skills sets him apart from any other defender in this division, and his performance here was once again the key one in Dundalk securing maximum points. Superb in defence as he kept the Longford strikers quiet, Lynch even ventured forward to ghost in behind the Longford backline to net Dundalk’s first. Another excellent all-round performance, Lynch keeping fit will be key to Dundalk’s strong defensive displays continuing.