After a season beset by injury, Robbie Benson was particularly pleased to play a crucial part in Dundalk's win over Shamrock Rovers on Monday night, with the 3-2 victory securing the Oriel Park side a fifth SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title in six seasons.
Benson’s campaign got off to the worst possible start as he suffered a fractured fibula against Sligo Rovers on the opening day of the season.
Having returned to the fray in June, the 27-year-old then picked up a rib injury in the first leg of the Champions League tie against Qarabag less than a month later.
However, Benson’s fine headed goal provided the midfielder with a rare personal highlight in a season dominated by recovery and rehab.
Speaking on RTÉ 2FM's Game On, Benson told listeners: "It’s been an incredibly tough year for myself - I suffered two impact injuries and broken bones.
"It was a very tough time and I had a lot of setbacks, but that idea of getting a goal that would help us win the league was the thing that was keeping me going through those times.
"Thankfully, that’s what happened, and scoring a goal to get us over the line meant a lot to me."
The Dundalk squad have already celebrated landing another league title, but in a restrained way, with a FAI Cup semi-final against Sligo Rovers just days away.
"The celebrations went on into the night and there were a few sore heads this morning, but nobody got too carried away with a big game ahead on Sunday against Sligo"
"I’m feeling great," Benson added.
"Obviously, the celebrations went on into the night and there were a few sore heads this morning, but nobody got too carried away with a big game ahead on Sunday against Sligo.
"It’s important that we celebrate these things when they come around."
A common theme in interviews with member of the victorious Dundalk squad since Monday night has been a shared ethos that all the players have bought into, one that emphasises the need for a winning mentality and a steely resolve.
Benson expanded on that, telling listeners: It’s especially impressive for the lads who have been there for all those league titles to have the drive to keep going and to keep winning.
"It’s easy to get complacent, but we’ve a great core of a group, and I think the lads who have come in and won their first title have had that drive and mentality instilled into them.
"No matter who goes, the crop that are there will carry that on."
Dundalk fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst when their side trailed Shamrock Rovers by 13 points in April, but the players never panicked.
"We were honestly just disappointed with our own form and before we started worrying about closing the gap, we just needed to get our own form right and win games week to week, then see what happened as time went on," Benson revealed.
"We were in a similar situation to this in 2017 and Cork ran away with the league in the early part and won 17 or 18 games at the start of the season and we just weren’t able to reel them in, but we did give them a scare towards the end.
"But there’s no trophies given out in April or May."
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Current manager Vinny Perth had huge shoes to fill when Stephen Kenny moved on to the Ireland international stage at the end of last season, and Benson was keen to pay tribute to Perth and his able deputies, Ruaidhrí Higgins and John Gill.
"It’s always difficult going from an assistant role," Benson admitted.
"It’s completely different to being the main man in charge and he’s done incredibly well and deserves a lot of credit for the job he’s done, but he’s surrounded himself with great staff in Ruaidhrí, who has taken over his role as assistant, and he’s brought in John, whose been invaluable to us this year with the experience he has had in his time in the league."
Follow Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers (7.45pm Friday) and Sligo Rovers v Dundalk (5pm Sunday) with our FAI Cup semi-final live blogs on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News Now App, watch live on RTÉ2 and listen live on RTÉ Radio 1
