A Scott Craven double and goals from Seanie Crosbie, Rowan Quinn and Daniel Hand saw Dundalk Youths coast into the next round of the Leinster Youths Cup as they annihilated Raheny United 5-0 at Oriel Park on Sunday morning. The young Lilywhites were strong favourites to progress, and the game was over as a contest at half-time as they went in with a three-goal cushion, with two more added after the break, the fifth set up by Conor McDonald, who made his first-team debut just 38 hours earlier.
Early lead
Alan Browne was missing several players through injury, with Brian Bird, Kurt Murphy and Ryan Duffy all absent. Goalkeeper Johnny Connolly was then forced to withdraw in the warm-up, with defender Jude Carroll his replacement. After controlling the early exchanges, Dundalk hit the front on 19 minutes when Crosbie picked up possession outside the box and his powerful left-foot shot curled away from the ‘keeper and into the right-hand corner. Raheny almost equalised on 26 minutes but Carroll did well to save, before, at the other end, Hand should have increased his side’s advantage but his shot went off target.
Three and easy
On 33 minutes, a great ball over the top by Crosbie found Cian Doyle, but he saw his effort well saved. Dundalk eventually made it 2-0 four minutes later. Good work from Quinn saw him beat two players before slipping the ball through to Craven who coolly finished past the visiting No1. And before the break, the home side put the game beyond doubt when Hand did well in the area, finding Quinn who smashed to the roof of the net. In the second half, Dundalk continued to create good chances with Ben McLaughlin – grandson of the legendary Jim – Doyle and Quinn all going close with efforts from range. On 55 minutes, ‘Chippy’ McDonald entered in place of McLaughlin.
Chippy close
Before the midway point of the half, Dundalk made it 4-0 when Rian Hand supplied a superb ball over the top for his namesake Daniel to latch onto and he made no mistake as he fired to the bottom left corner. On 72 minutes, the scoring was complete when McDonald, in control of the midfield, spread a pass out to Craven, who cut in and shot to the bottom right corner, as he added a double to last week’s strike against Malahide United in the Ferrari Cup. Chippy then could have got himself on the scoresheet when he picked up the ball on the edge of the box, but his sweet strike was well saved, Dundalk having to be content with five as they now look ahead to next Sunday’s FAI Youths Cup tie at home to Wayside Celtic.
DUNDALK FC: Jude Carroll, Rian Hand, Stephen Kilcoyne, Aidan Sheehy, Jack Clancy, Ben McLaughlin (Conor McDonald 55), Cian Doyle (Michael Gray 60), Seanie Crosbie (Robbie Curran 55), Scott Craven, Rowan Quinn, Daniel Hand.
Goals: S Crosbie (19), S Craven (37, 72), R Quinn (40), D Hand (66).
