Dundalk fell to their second straight defeat at Oriel Park on Thursday night as John Gill’s Shamrock Rovers hoodoo continued (no win against Rovers now in seven attempts since taking over as Dundalk manager) with a 2-1 defeat. Despite losing, however, the Lilywhites put in a much improved performance from that which saw them lose to Bray a week ago, as they dominated for long periods against a defensively minded Rovers side.
 
Despite being on the front foot for much of the game, however, Dundalk found themselves behind within three minutes as new signing Alan Murphy, who passed a medical at the club just hours earlier, fired the visitors in front with a superb 25-yard free-kick. Eoin Doyle then doubled Rovers’ lead shortly after the break as he planted a header beyond Chris Bennion from six-yards, with Aidan Lynch’s 80th minute consolation the hosts’ only reply despite plenty of pressure.
 
In a much changed side to the one which lost 2-0 the previous Thursday, John Gill made five alterations in his starting XI as goalkeeper Chris Bennion, defenders David Crawley and John Flanagan, midfielder Paul Shiels and winger Davie O’Connor were all recalled to the team in place of Aaron Shanahan, Stefan McKevitt, Shane Grimes, Paul Marney and Robbie Farrell. Rovers, meanwhile, gave Murphy his first start, as he lined-up alongside Eoin Doyle in attack.
 
And, it was the new arrival who made an instant impact as he netted with his first touch in a Hoops jersey. A needless and questionable foul just outside the area handed the former Galway United man the chance, and he didn’t pass it up, as he unleashed a terrific, unstoppable curling shot past the despairing dive of Bennion. Dundalk then, in their first attack, almost replied with an equaliser immediately as Robbie Martin broke free down the right, however, his perfect cross to the back post was well put behind by Corey Tracey as Davie O’Connor was arriving.
 
On 22 minutes, a quickly-taken, well worked free between David Cassidy and Shiels created a good opening, with the latter getting in behind the defence. However, the midfielder’s squared ball across the face of goal was missed only by inches by the in-rushing forwards. Shortly after, Crawley’s cross was headed over by Jamie Duffy from a good position, before Crawley himself tried his luck, however, the experienced left-back’s 25-yard free-kick was easily gathered by Rovers ‘keeper, Barry Murphy.
 
Into the second-half, Dundalk continued to dominate, however, their lack of cutting edge up front was again to cost them as Rovers hit the hosts with a sucker punch on 55 minutes. In their first attack of the second period, winger John Martin broke down the right, and after avoiding the challenge of O’Connor, he swung a beautiful cross into the six-yard box for Doyle to easily head beyond the helpless Bennion from close-range.
 
Rocked by that setback, Dundalk tried to build again, though it wasn’t until the 79th minute that they forced an opening. Tiarnàn Mulvenna, only brought on as a substitute minutes earlier, found himself in behind the backline, however, his attempted chip over replacement netminder John Perkins from the edge of the area went over the open goal.
 
Just moments later, however, the Lilywhites were to get the goal they deserved, as captain Aidan Lynch powered a header to the bottom left-hand corner following another superb delivery from Crawley. Dundalk continued to pressure in search of what would have been a deserved equaliser, and they could well have got it as Flanagan headed a Crawley free-kick wide in the dying seconds. However, despite another defeat, manager John Gill was understandably more than pleased with his side’s performance, with another positive step taken on the road to Tolka.