Ian Foster is hoping to land his 13th close-season signing before Dundalk kick-off against Derry City on Saturday afternoon, but he was keeping his cards close to his chest about who could be the latest addition. “Hopefully, we can get one in, maybe on Saturday before the Derry game,” Foster told dundalkfc.com in an exclusive interview on Thursday night. “We’ll have to wait and see. It will probably be someone from outside who has not put on a Dundalk shirt yet. But I’ll leave that one until Saturday.”

Youth chance
Dundalk currently have a squad of 12 but Foster is counting some players from the A-Championship and underage teams, such as Nathan Murphy, Ciarán McGuigan, Billy Smith and Johnny Breen, in his panel, and says that they will get a fair chance this year. “The numbers aren’t what I’d like them to be, but we’re getting there, slowly but surely. Johnny and Billy have come in and trained with us. There’s a lot of work to be done on those two players, but the longer they train with the quality that’s in the squad they’ll improve. Martin Connolly has done a fantastic job with them, and they’ll continue to play under Martin for the A-Championship. And one thing they will get this season is that they’ll have an opportunity to play first-team football, and hopefully they’ll grab it.”

Foster ‘enthused’
The Lilywhites made it three wins on the spin on Thursday when they captured the Jim Malone Cup for the first time since 2000. It was Foster’s first taste of the Louth Derby, and despite being a friendly (in name only), he says he wasn’t surprised by the crowd and atmosphere at the game. “I’ve played in many local derbies myself, and I know what it means to people for local pride,” he said. “I wasn’t surprised by it, I was actually enthused by it. It was a decent spectacle tonight for the crowd that turned up, and I’m sure they’ll get a decent game again against Derry as well.” And after watching the game, Foster also knows that Drogheda will be extremely competitive this season. “Absolutely, I wouldn’t rule Drogheda out,” he said. “I know Alan (Mathews) has had one or two problems in pre-season, but they’ll be competitive. That’s one thing that Alan Mathews’ teams will be. They’ll be well organised and they’ll compete, and tonight was no different.

Flood impression
“I was pleased with certain aspects of our performance,” he added speaking on his own side’s display. “I thought we got the ball down and played decent stuff, particularly in the first half, and late on second half. I’m pleased with the attitude of the players and the work-rate and commitment, which is what you’re after in pre-season. If you do that, and if you’re fortunate enough, results go your way as well.” John Flood made his debut with Dundalk in the game and scored both goals in an overall impressive performance, and Foster was understandably pleased with his contribution. “I thought he made a decent impression,” he said. “His work-rate was good, and his energy and movement was good, and he took both goals well. I’m pleased for him - it was a decent night’s work for him.”

Striker required
With just Neale Fenn, Ross Gaynor and Tiarnán Mulvenna as recognised strikers in the squad, a frontman is on the top of Foster’s wish list, but he admits that he is finding it “difficult”. “I’d like to get bodies in but I’m finding it difficult,” he said, “because strikers always cost you a little bit more money. But we’re working hard to get players in, and that’s what I’m looking to do.” As well as Flood, another forward to have played for Dundalk in pre-season is Sam Malsom, who has returned to the UK after spending a five-day trial at Oriel Park, and he has since been offfered a contract. And Foster revealed that that deal is not yet dead in the water. “Not at all, no, Sam is still a possibility,” he said. “Speaking to his agent, he has got one or two offers from Scandinavia, so we’ll see if we can do something there."