The prize at the end of the season is not quite as glamourous as that but the three precious points that are up for grabs on Friday night will go a long way to determining who will finish bottom, and drop through the relegation trapdoor, come the end of a campaign that ends with the 180th Louth Derby at Weaver’s Park on November 1st.
For the record, a Denis Cunningham goal secured Dundalk a 1-0 win in that derby 41 years ago. It was a victory that moved Jim McLaughlin’s side seven points clear of the Boynesiders with just three games to play but a return of just one point from the final nine saw Drogheda United pip the Lilywhites to second place to bank European football and a subsequent glamour tie with Tottenham Hotspur.
The moral of the story, perhaps? Nothing conclusive will be decided on Friday night, whatever the result.
For Lilywhites manager Jon Daly, the clash with Kevin Doherty’s side will be the first time he has been involved in a Louth Derby and despite the magnitude of the fixture, he said it was something he was relishing.
“I’ve seen Louth Derby games on LOITV before and I’m very much looking forward to experiencing one,” said Daly. “There’s a lot on the line and both teams will be pushing for the win.
“It’s a huge game, one that we’re fully prepared for and fully focused on and really excited for. It’s not going to determine what happens at the end of the season, but it could really help if we go and get three points. ”
A Dundalk win would not only see them move five points clear of the Drogs, but also bring them closer to the likes of Bohemians, who the Lilywhites face on July 26th, and St Patrick’s Athletic, who don’t play a league game again until August 2nd.
1 April 2024; Zishim Bawa of Drogheda United in action against Mayowa Animasahun of Dundalk during the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Dundalk and Drogheda United at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
“I have a really positive mindset,” said Daly. “I’ve always been a glass-half-full type of guy and I always have belief in what we’re trying to do and where we can go.
“We’re obviously not looking at the top of the table thinking we’re going to try and catch the teams that are fighting for the title but we very much believe that we can close the gap on the teams above us and go past them. We have to believe that.
“If we get three points on Friday night, which will be very difficult to do against a tough opponent, then we’re looking up at other teams. We play Bohs in a fortnight and we have games in hand on Pat’s and if we can win them, it drags them right back into it.
“If you’re a pessimist, things can look bleak at the minute but from an optimist’s point of view, it’s very much all to play for and I’m looking at this as an opportunity to close the gap.
“Friday night’s going to be a great occasion and it’ll be played in a great atmosphere but our lads need to just focus on the job at hand and have clarity in what they’re doing.
“We’ve looked at Drogheda extensively and looked at areas we feel we can hurt them and areas that, if we’re not at it, where they can hurt us, so it’s about managing that and trying to drown out the noise and trying to focus on what’s ahead.
6 May 2024; Daryl Horgan of Dundalk reacts at the final whistle of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Drogheda United and Dundalk at Weavers Park in Drogheda, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
“There’s the old saying ‘play the game, not the occasion’ and I think that’s very much the case on Friday night. The only way we can enjoy the occasion is by winning the game and sending the fans home happy with three points.”
A lot has changed since the last meeting between the clubs at Weaver’s Park in May.
Noel King’s short tenure as Dundalk manager came to an end just nine days after the late 2-1 defeat while six of the Lilywhites squad that day have since departed.
Seven new faces have come in the opposite door since the transfer window opened 10 days ago and although Daly acknowledged it wasn’t ideal, he said it was imperative that Dundalk were entering the run-in with players who were fully committed to the cause.
“The players that are in the building, want to be in the building,” said Daly. “The ones that are here are fully invested in what we’re trying to do and I think that’s key. I think anyone that has left – or will leave – are players that have intimated that they want to go elsewhere.
“From my point of view, I think it’s about trying to get people that are invested in the club, in the town, and everything we’re trying to do, and making sure that we’re all pulling in the same direction.
“It’s obviously not ideal. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that it’s great to have all these new players coming in mid-season. You’ve got training loads for lads that have played a lot of games and you’re having to manage all that and still try and get your message across.
6 May 2024; Jamie Gullan of Dundalk has a shot on goal despite the attentions of Evan Weir and Hayden Cann of Drogheda United during the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Drogheda United and Dundalk at Weavers Park in Drogheda, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
“It’s very difficult but the biggest thing for me, as I said, is having lads in the building that are fully behind what you’re trying to do.”
One name that Dundalk supporters would love to see on the teamsheet on Friday night is Jamie Gullan. The striker has missed the last three games after going off injured in the 1-0 defeat against Shelbourne at Tolka Park and Daly said the Scot is expected to be involved in some capacity.
“Jamie should be back in contention,” he said. “He has trained this week and he looks good. I don’t think he’d be fit to start but he should be there to give us a part of the game later on and it would be great to see him back.
“He got injured a bad time, just when he was just coming into form so it’s great to see him back and it gives us another option off the bench that we can call on if needs be.“
Both of this season’s derbies were played at 1pm on a Bank Holiday but tomorrow night’s game, and the FAI Cup tie at Weaver’s Park seven days later, will take place in the traditional League of Ireland Friday evening slot and Daly has called on anyone with even a passing interest in Dundalk to get up the Carrick Road and get behind his team.
“The fans have been great since I came to the club and I think the atmosphere they’ve generated has been very good. In Tallaght last week they got right behind the boys and I think you could see the players responding to that, especially late on.
“We need that level of support to continue and I’ve no doubt it will but it’s also important that we go and give the fans something to get behind and put in a performance and a level of effort that warrants what a Dundalk team should be all about.”
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