A hat-trick from 16-year-old midfielder Conor ‘Chippy’ McDonald helped Dundalk Youths to an impressive 7-0 win over Saint Kevin’s Boys in the Leinster Youths Cup Third Round in Dublin on Sunday afternoon as they bounced back from last week’s cup disappointment, Stephen Kilcoyne, Daniel Hand, Aidan Sheehy and Michael Gray also getting in on the scoring act. The young Lilywhites exited the FAI Cup just seven days earlier after falling to an unlucky defeat by Saint Patrick’s Athletic, but they secured victory here by half-time as they led by three goals, with four more added in a 23-minute spell after the break.
Quick goals
McDonald, who recently became one of the club’s youngest first-team debutants, was the star of the show, and it was the Blackrock native who had his side in front by the quarter-hour mark. Following a scramble in the area, Kurt Murphy showed strength on the ball and laid it off to McDonald who coolly slotted home. On 20 minutes, Dundalk and McDonald doubled their tally. Ben McLoughlin this time did well and found Hand who flicked the ball around a defender, with McDonald running onto it before again firing to the bottom corner.
Dominant
The dominant visitors then put the game to bed on 35 minutes when McLaughlin’s free-kick from the left found Kilcoyne unmarked at the back post and he volleyed in. Kilcoyne almost set up another before the break but Hand saw his header come back off the crossbar. The woodwork again denied Dundalk on 50 minutes as Murphy’s shot was tipped onto the post by the home No1. However, shortly after, it was 4-0, as a ball over the top from Scott Craven was latched onto by Hand who powered a shot past the ‘keeper.
Hat-trick
Dundalk added further misery on their opponents with three more goals. Firstly, a corner was headed clear but fell invitingly to Sheehy who met it perfectly as he struck a 35-yard rocket to the bottom corner. McDonald then completed his hat-trick on 72 minutes, the youngster getting on the end of Gray’s pass and finishing clinically. There was still time for another, Gray this time profiting from good work by Craven to get on the scoresheet, as Alan Browne’s side bounced back to winning ways in the most impressive of fashion.
DUNDALK FC: Johnny Connolly, Rian Hand, Brian Bird, Aidan Sheehy, Jack Clancy, Ben McLaughlin, Conor McDonald, Stephen Kilcoyne (Seanie Crosbie 55), Scott Craven, Kurt Murphy (Michael Gray 55), Daniel Hand.
Goals: C McDonald (15, 20, 72), S Kilcoyne (35), D Hand (55), A Sheehy (65), M Gray (78).
