Dundalk's Patrick Hoban admitted he 'could have scored 34 goals' with the number of scoreable chances Dundalk created against Sligo Rovers on the night of their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division coronation.
It was an historic night for both Hoban and the club. Hoban equalled Brendan Bradley's 42-year old record of 29 goals this season, scoring a brace against Rovers in a 5-0 demolition at Oriel Park. That result means that Dundalk are now on 86 points and have surpassed Bohemians' record points haul in 2008.
It could have been three goals for Hoban after he missed the first of two penalty attempts and speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game, he said that it could have been even more throughout the 90 minutes.
"I probably could have had 34 goals with all the chances I had. I thought we were excellent tonight and put on a show for the crowd. We want to keep going with a winning mentality coming in to the cup final on 4 November.
"You don't want to drop any momentum whatsoever and we re getting better and better. As long as everyone stays injury-free we'll be fine."
Patrick Hoban receives the man of the match award after equalling Brendan Bradley's long-standing record of 29 goals in Dundalk's 5-0 win over Sligo Rovers. pic.twitter.com/yR8HNPQwRD
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) October 19, 2018
Reflecting on his penalty, Hoban criticised himself for changing his mind about the shot but also praised his teammates for their performance before lifting the cup to a chorus of applause.
"I changed my mind at the last second and that's something you should probably never do. It was a great save but I thought everyone was excellent tonight. We wanted to put on a show tonight and I thought we did."
"We moved the ball with a very high intensity and that was from the keeper to the front, we were excellent. I know I missed a penalty and all but we responded really well and I thought we were top class tonight.
Meanwhile, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny spoke of the pride he felt watching on as his side produced a comprehensive display, while also conceding that Sligo Rovers 'weren't at their strongest.'
He also pointed out that setting a new points record was an important goal to aim for and is a reflection of the kind of standards the players set out at the start of the season.
"It's been a terrific season but it hasn't been all plain sailing," Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny reflects on his side's season after lifting the Premier Division trophy. pic.twitter.com/f1m3kGUVR2
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) October 19, 2018
"That was important. The players have set really high standard this year and we want to continue to improve as a team. The supporters really enjoyed tonight, I felt there was a real edge to it. We'll enjoy tonight."
"It's been a terrific season, it hasn't been all plain sailing. We didn't start as well as we could have but the run we've been on of late, you can see the players growing and getting better and improving all the time. We want to keep it going right up to the FAI Cup final.
"Dundalk is a great football town and they love their players. The players are heroes in this town, it's great to see that. They played tremendously well all season and they deserve everything they get."
Kenny's side will now turn their attentions to that FAI Cup final against their rivals - and defending champions - Cork City next month, where a potential cup double is on the cards for this Dundalk team.
"We can look forward to that and that's a great occasion but the players can enjoy getting their league medal, it's very difficult to win one. For several of the players it's their first league medal and for the elite few it's their fourth, they can really enjoy it.
"They're a credit to manage. There's a huge work ethic in the group and they have a desire to get better. That's what you want as a coach."
