DFC | McMillan hits a double as Dundalk FC spoil McDonald’s welcoming party
SSE Airtricity League | Limerick 0–3 Dundalk FC
David McMillan put a dampener on Neil McDonald’s first game in charge of Limerick, bagging a first half brace as Dundalk cruised to victory at the Markets Field.
The new Blues boss will consider himself somewhat unlucky that his maiden game came against the reigning league champions and even more so that Stephen Kenny’s side displayed more signs that they could be clicking into top gear.
Limerick’s cause wasn’t helped by the loss of goalkeeper Brendan Clarke in the 18th minute, the experienced netminder giving referee Paul McLaughlin no option but to produce a red card after handling a Michael Duffy shot a long way from home.
The Lilywhites arrived in Munster looking to improve on a poor away record that saw them pick up just six points from their previous 21 on the road and they were full value for a win that keeps them 13 points behind league leaders Cork City.
The talk beforehand was that McDonald would have a watching brief from the dugout while interim boss Willie Boland would direct operations but the former Carlisle United chief was prominent on the touchline throughout.
The Limerick fans were singing the 51-year-old’s name before a ball had even been kicked and the hosts, showing three changes to the side that snatched an injury time draw against Derry City six nights earlier, made a decent start by pressing in advanced areas of the pitch.
Dundalk, who were able to field an unchanged line-up for just the second time this season, eventually found their groove and 16 minutes were on the clock when Patrick McEleney cut in from the left only to see his curling attempt easily dealt with by Clarke.
Clarke received his marching orders two minutes later after raising a hand to block Duffy’s effort outside his penalty area and the visitors took complete control of the half after that with McEleney and Duffy revelling in the open spaces.
Lee J Lynch was sacrificed by McDonald to get Freddy Hall onto the pitch and the replacement goalkeeper made a fine stop to keep McEleney’s free-kick out in the 28th minute.
Limerick had no answer to the Dundalk number 10 just a minute later, however, McEleney bewitching Robbie Williams and the youthful Barry Cotter with a deft piece of footwork on the left.
Referee McLaughlin was quick to point to the spot when Williams upended the Derryman and McMillan stepped up to casually send Hall the wrong way from 12 yards.
McDonald’s half-time team talk was made even more difficult as Dundalk increased their advantage eight minutes later, the result of a well-worked move.
The eye-catching Duffy found himself in behind the Blues backline on the right and his cross to the near post was buried in emphatic fashion by the head of McMillan, the striker’s eighth goal in just eight starts this season.
Dundalk continued in the same vein after the break with McMillan’s looping header from Dane Massey’s delivery kissing the top of the top of the crossbar in the 51st minute.
Duffy continued to puncture holes in the Limerick back four and Hall got down low to his right to deny him a well-deserved goal after a forceful run from Jamie McGrath had the Limerick defence back peddling.
Dundalk continued to press for a third and Chris Shields was thwarted twice by Hall while McMillan was also denied the match ball by the Limerick ‘keeper before substitute Sean Gannon rounded off a stylish win with a cool finish from Duffy’s pass.
LIMERICK: Brendan Clarke; Barry Cotter (Ian Turner 79), Paul O’Conor, Robbie Williams, Tommy Robson; Bastien Hery, Shane Duggan, Lee J Lynch (Freddy Hall 20); Chiedozie Ogbene, Chris Mulhall (Rodrigo Tosi 68), Dean Clarke. Subs not used: Dave O’Connor, Tony Whitehead, Stephen Kenny, Tobias Kainz.
DUNDALK FC: Gary Rogers; Niclas Vemmelund (Sean Gannon 68), Paddy Barrett, Sean Hoare, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson (Stephen O’Donnell 60); Michael Duffy, Patrick McEleney, Jamie McGrath; David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 85). Subs not used: Gabriel Sava (GK), Conor Clifford, Keith Dalton, Thomas Stewart.
REFEREE: Paul McLaughlin.
