Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny expects his team to bounce back from their shock defeat to Sligo Rovers ahead of Tuesday’s nights mouth watering clash with Cork City.
Their surprise 3-0 reversal at Oriel Park, coupled with John Caulfield’s side five-goal demolition of Galway means City travel to Dundalk just a point adrift of the league leaders with only six games remaining.
The pair will also clash in next month’s FAI Cup final and with Dundalk’s fixture list mounting as a result of their highly successful European campaign, observers are expecting an enthralling encounter.
Kenny admitted that the Sligo defeat was a “bad day at the office”, but says the experience of his team as they bid for three titles in a row and a double-double, will stand to his side.
When asked if it was advantage Cork City after the latest results, the former Shamrock Rovers manager said the league table would suggest otherwise.
“It would be if we weren’t already in the lead,” he told RTÉ Sport.
“We’re at home. Cork come here and they are playing well
“What we’ve got to do now is dig deep and absolutely get a victory on Tuesday night which would really put us in the driving seat.
“That has to be our ambition.”
Reflecting on the Sligo loss, he lamented the concession of a goal in the first minute, but paid tribute to two “outstanding” strikes after his side squandered opportunities to equalise.
While the momentum appears to be with the Leesiders in a game that could have a huge influence on the destination of the SSE Airtricity title, he is backing his charges to respond to the loss.
“Over the last three years they have answered every question, we’ve never been found wanting,” he said.
“When they big games have come, we have always found a way of winning.”
