This was Dundalk’s first game back in Europe since the Liverpool disaster of 1969 and after the draw was made a similar scoreline was predicted in many quarters. PSV were a formidable outfit. They ran away with the Dutch championship, won the Dutch Cup, reached the European Cup semi-final in 1975 and contained 8 internationals including the legendary Van Der Kerkhof brothers. However, Dundalk were on a high after winning their first league championship in 9 years. Dundalk had also made special preparations for the match and used their friendly with Torino, which ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat, as a dry run for their big night. The town and people of Dundalk were genuinely buzzing before the big event. A plane was chartered to bring Dundalk fans to the game from London and the Dublin Branch of the Dundalk Supporter’s Club ran several buses from the capital. Philips Electronics also ran three buses to the game for their employees.
10,000 people turned up for the match and played their part in a wonderful occasion. Dundalk attacked right from the start. In the first minute Dainty made a dazzling run along the right and fired a fierce shot that hit the post. Dundalk kept up the pace and after 7 minutes went into the lead to send the home crowd wild. Mick Lawlor chipped the ball into the PSV half towards Devlin who was in an offside position. The linesman raised his flag. The referee waved play on as the ball had broken to the PSV defence. But they wasted possession and Seamus McDowall stole the ball and from 20 yards hit a terrific drive past the keeper.
There were chances at both ends after that with Van Kuijlen heading wide and Devlin wasting two good opportunities. In the second half Dundalk did not try to sit on their lead. Tony Cavanagh was having a great game and was causing PSV a lot of problems. As the game went into it’s late stages Dundalk began to tire and PSV became more dangerous. Blackmore saved well from Van Kuijlen and Brian McConville cleared off the line. Dundalk suffered a blow when Cavanagh injured his ankle and was substituted by Sheehy.
With Dundalk fans sensing a remarkable win, PSV equalised with a goal out of nothing in the 80th minute. Rene Van Der Kirkhof pulled in a cross from the byline that was cleared as far as Van Kuijlen who shot low into the corner from 12 yards past a crowd of players and an unsighted Blackmore.
To their credit, Dundalk managed to hold out to earn a draw. Every player was a hero for Dundalk that night but player manager Jim McLaughlin stood out. Even at 36 years of age he ran himself into the ground a lead by example never letting the Dutchmen settle on the ball for a second.
The team for that match was: Blackmore, McManus, O’Brien, McLaughlin, Brian McConville, Lawlor, McDowell, Dainty, Cavanagh, Tommy McConville, Devlin.
PSV: Van Beveren, Deijkers, Dablquist, Stevens, Toortvilet, Deacy, R Van Der Kerhof, W Van Der Kerhof, Van Krajil, Postuma, Van Der Kuijlen.
150 Dundalk fans travelled over to Eindhoven in the hope of seeing Dundalk pull off a shock win. Although it was a remote possibility Dundalk had done so well in the first leg that many people fancied their chances. It was not to be however as the star studded Dutch team came to life and won comfortably by 6 goals to nil.
Dundalk were 3-0 down at half time from goals by Van Der Kuylen, Postuma and Rene Van Der Kerkhof. The closest Dundalk came was from a shot from McDowell that struck the crossbar. By 60 minutes Rene Van Der Kerkhof had completed his hat trick and he scored his fourth in the dying seconds of the match. Tommy McConville was forced to go into goal after Ritchie Blackmore was forced to retire with a thigh injury.
Jim McLaughlin (Speaking in 1976)
“It was not so much the result itself as the quality of our performance which excited me. I had promised that we would take the game to PSV and this is exactly what we did. It was, of course, a terrible disappointment to have victory snatched from us in the closing ten minutes.
Jim McLaughlin on PSV (Speaking in 2010)
The most important thing was to get through to the PSV Eindhoven game by winning that first league title. They were a great team.
I played in the PSV game. I didn’t do that much! They were great times. Keely finished me as a player. I never forgave him! Dermot and Paddy Dunning had a meeting to have see who would be the one to tell me that I needed to retire!
We were blessed. Those times may never come back. The format of the European competition has changed and times change. The memories of those times are very important. They will never be forgotten.
Mickey Duffy (Dundalk fan)
My abiding memory is towards the end of the game when one of the Van Der Kerchof brothers crossed the halfway line. The defence was cruelly exposed. Jim McLaughlin tried to get back and he threw his body in front of him. He trampled over Jim like a bull over a Matador!
Tommy McConville
All of these European games were fantastic. They were great occasions. There was a great buzz around town in the lead up to the games. People would come up to watch the opposition team train. It’s great to be back in Europe this season.
