Captain Fantastic Johnny Breen hit a hat-trick and bagged an early birthday present on his return to Sandy Lane as Dundalk completed their pre-season programme with a comfortable 4-1 win over Rock Celtic in Blackrock on Sunday afternoon, on a day when manager Ian Foster made his Lilywhites debut. The friendly was arranged as part of the deal which saw Breen turn professional with Dundalk in December, and he returned to haunt his former club as, after Stephen Maher’s fine strike was cancelled out by Rock captain Gerry Breen, the 19-year-old netted three unanswered goals, including a magnificent 35-yard strike to seal his hat-trick.
Maher strike
For the second game running Foster made four changes to his starting lineup, with Nathan Murphy, Ross Gaynor, Marc Griffin and Jason Byrne being replaced by Eoghan Osborne, Keith Ward, Daniel Kearns and Breen, who was handed the captain’s armband five days ahead of his 20th birthday. But it was Maher, who started his second game in four days having also lined out in the 1-0 defeat by Limerick, that gave the visitors the lead. Ward did well down the left and cut inside before rolling the ball into the path of Maher who, from the edge of the area, hit a superb right-footed shot to the top corner. Past the quarter-hour and Dundalk put together a neat passage of play involving Osborne, Kearns and Mark Quigley, with the latter returning the ball to Kearns but the Belfast-born star saw his shot blocked.
Trading blows
Midway through the half, Kearns and Quigley combined again, this time the young winger delivering a corner to the near post which Quigley connected with well, but a row of Rock bodies prevented the effort from finding the net. And the home side were back on level terms just two minutes later when their captain Breen got in behind the Dundalk defence and remained calm to shoot beyond goalkeeper Paul Murphy. The Lilywhites, however, restored their lead on 27 minutes, with a magnificent sweeping move. Quigley was the instigator on halfway as his neat flick infield sent Simon Madden on his way and he fed Kearns who in turn put Breen in on goal and, from 15-yards, the youngster slotted coolly under Gary Lennon. Madden was then clearly taken down in the area but somehow the officials failed to award a spot-kick, to the bemusement of Dundalk.
Rock chances
On the 38-minute mark, three chances fell the way of the hosts within a 90-second spell. Firstly, Brian Kilboy was put through but he shot straight at Murphy, before Seamus McCabe – one of eight ex-Dundalk players to make an appearance for Rock on the day – saw his 25-yard effort held by the Lilywhites stopper. Another opening fell the way of Kilboy moments later but again Murphy proved equal to the task. And those misses proved costly when Dundalk and Breen made it 3-1 on 40 minutes. Kearns slipped Madden, who as usual was impressive in attack, in down the right and his cross from close to the by-line was met at the back post by Ward but his shot was saved, only for the rebound to fall to Breen who had the easiest of tasks to fire in from ten-yards. Before the break, Rock’s captain Breen tried his luck from range, a shot which produced a spectacular flying save from Murphy, who did well to hold the ball.
Breen cracker
Dundalk made two half-time changes as Shane Guthrie and Foster both made their club debuts, with ‘The Gaffer’ slotting in at right-back. On 50 minutes, Greg Bolger supplied Quigley with a neat pass, and after shaping the 25-year-old curled a 20-yard effort which Lennon saved. At the other end, Derek Delaney tested Murphy. Dundalk then made six changes in a ten-minute spell as Nathan Murphy, Gaynor and Griffin were introduced along with Youths captain Glen Trainor (midfielder), ex-Youths star Stephen Hutchinson (defender) and ex-Drogheda United midfielder Chris Kerr. On 71 minutes, Griffin beat his man down the left and cut inside before hitting a powerful low effort to the near corner which was pushed behind by Lennon. Two minutes later, Breen completed his hat-trick with an incredible 35-yard effort.
Foster close
Griffin then fired wildly over with just Lennon to beat, before Rock almost grabbed a second on 77 minutes but the crossbar intervened. Late on, Breen fed Griffin and his shot was narrowly deflected wide of Lennon’s right-hand post. Foster then almost got in on the act when he raided into the box from the right but his shot was blocked behind. The resulting corner was initially cleared but Ward delivered a cross back into the box, to the far post where Griffin should have done better from close range, as Dundalk chased a fifth goal. And they almost got it on the stroke of full-time when Foster delivered a pinpoint cross from the right onto the head of Griffin, and the young Australia-born striker was unlucky to see his header from 12-yards crash off the bar.
ROCK CELTIC FC (4-4-2): Gary Lennon; John Sharkey, Gareth Papworth, Seán Watters (Des McKeown 74), Jason Mok; Derek Delaney, Seamus McCabe (Shane Reddish 90), Gerry Breen ©, Paddy Quinn; Chris Connolly (Alan Breen 85), Brian Kilboy.
Goal: G Breen (24).
Unused Subs: David McGeough, Chris Ward, David Hoey.
DUNDALK FC (4-4-1-1): Paul Murphy; Simon Madden (Ian Foster HT), Michael Hector (Shane Guthrie HT), Colin Hawkins (Stephen Hutchinson 65), Eoghan Osborne (Nathan Murphy 56); Daniel Kearns (Ross Gaynor 60), Greg Bolger (Glen Trainor 56), Stephen Maher (Chris Kerr 60), Keith Ward; Mark Quigley (Marc Griffin 65); Johnny Breen ©.
Goals: S Maher (8), J Breen (27, 40, 73).
Booked: C Hawkins (29).
Unused Subs: Peter Cherrie (GK).
Referee: Phil Cashera (Dublin).
