Dundalk 8-1 Bray Wanderers
Dundalk produced a ruthless display of attacking football to demolish Bray Wanderers 8-1 at Oriel Park on Monday afternoon.
The football on display was scintillating at times with four of Dundalk’s goals coming from Darren Meenan corners - all scored by defenders - with Richie Towell, Daryl Horgan and Ronan Finn getting the others.
It took Dundalk just two minutes to make the breakthrough and what a goal it was. The only unfortunate thing about Richie Towell’s wonder goal was its timing, coming as early as it did it meant that some sections of the 3,249 in attendance missed it due to crowd congestion on the way in.
Horgan’s delightful diagonal ball found Towell lurking with intent, wide on the right of the Bray penalty area and despite the angle being against him, he found the corner with a fantastic first-time volley - a sign of the absolute confidence he is playing with just now.
As are his teammates. Before the 10 minute mark, Stephen Kenny’s slick side doubled their advantage from another reliable source. Meenan was on delivery duty after Sean Gannon forced a corner on the right and his cross was perfect for Brian Gartland who nodded in his second of the season.
The champions were in full flight and cruising, the only thing that could halt them was Derek Tomney and the official’s decision to award the Seagulls a soft penalty just past the 20 minute mark.
There looked to be little in Massey and Michael Barker’s collision in the penalty box but Tomney saw otherwise and David Cassidy calmly stroked home the first league goal that Dundalk have conceded at Oriel Park since Dinny Corcoran’s strike for Bohemians last August.
It did not take long for the champions to restore their two goal cushion however, as another Meenan corner was headed in by a centre-back - this time Andy Boyle was the beneficiary of the winger’s pinpoint passes.
Thereafter, it was exhibition stuff at times from the league leaders with David McMillan and Towell twice missing by inches in their attempts.
After a number of close calls, they did add a fourth on the stroke of half time. Stephen Kenny recently lamented the fact that his side have not been making the most of chances from corner kicks.
That is one complaint he won’t have after this one. Stephen McGuinness did well to tip Horgan’s bouncing 30-yarder around the post but from the resulting delivery, Gartland climbed high above him to head home at the back post.
It was natural that the second half would not have the same intensity but it tells you all about how ruthless this Dundalk side is, that they still managed to equal their first half tally - making it five on 57 minutes when Finn slipped in Horgan and the winger coolly slid past substitute goalkeeper Brian Kane.
The stand-in was beaten for a second time when a third member of the defence got in on the goals. Dane Massey met Meenan’s corner with a sweet header that clipped the crossbar on its way in and Finn added a magnificent seventh by rounding Kane to prod in.
Dundalk ended the game as they started it - with an absolute screamer, this time Horgan curling in a sublime shot from 25 yards to compound Bray’s misery and inflict upon them their worst ever league defeat.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Chris Shields (Stephen O’Donnell 54), Richie Towell (Kurtis Byrne 67); Darren Meenan, Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan; David McMillan (John Mountney 61).
Unused subs: Paddy Barrett, Shane Grimes, Jake Kelly, Gabriel Sava (GK).
Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness (Brian Kane 47); Michael Barker, Adam Mitchell, Hugh Douglas, Peter McGylnn; Emika Onwubiko (David Scully 79), Alan McNally, David Cassidy, Ryan McEvoy, Gareth McDonagh (Daniel O’Reilly HT); Chris Lyons.
Unused subs: Luke Gallagher, Daniel Blackbyrne, James O’Donnell, Peter Durrad.
