I have been following the League Of Ireland, on and off, for many years. My first game was Dundalk v Derry in 1988 in Dalymount Park, the FAI Cup Final, Dundalk won that game 1-0 from a John Cleary penalty. I still remember it like it was yesterday, it ignited my passion for Dundalk FC.
Growing up in Glenwood in the 1980’s and 1990’s, we had a field behind the housing estate, it was derelict, overgrown and nobody seemed to own it. Until one summer we decided it belonged to us.
So, the word went out, all the children around our ages and parents alike were roped into helping out, old paint cans from the neighbourhood were gathered, any bits of wood and metal not being used were donated along with lawnmowers, plenty of lawnmowers.
After long days over many weekends the once derelict patch of grass behind the housing estate was transformed into Anfield, Old Trafford, Oriel Park, whatever floated your boat, it was amazing, it was ours.
We made goals out of wood, patched together with nails and glue, we made netting out of old wire fencing (a health hazard that could seriously mame any child, but we didnt care).
We painted lines using all kinds of paint, emulsion, undercoat, just dont slide tackle or you will end up like a clown from a circus!.
During our Summer holidays, for many years, we would hold football tournaments with all the other housing estates around the area, Muirhevna, Priorland etc, They were great times and great memories, I believe that this time help to encourage our love of the game.
On Friday Night, April 22nd 2022, Dundalk FC took on Shelbourne FC in Oriel Park, it was the start of a three match series that potentially could see Dundalk FC claim nine points and boost our position in the league, what unfolded on the pitch was nothing short of disgraceful but not from a Dundalk FC standpoint.
Damien Duff took his Shelbourne side to Oriel Park with one tactic and one tactic only, to cheat, to stop the game were possible and to stop Dundalk from playing football. And it nearly worked.
The first half of the game was so poor because of those tactics that the official Dundalk match highlight reel started at 45 minutes and 47 seconds!
Throughout the first half of the game Damien Duff thought it was a good idea to have a constant “chat” with the fourth official, the linesman and ultimately the referee, the latter had enough and ran over to the sideline to book him.
Preceeding this slightly was a harsh challenge by Shelbourne player Shane Griffen on one of the Dundalk players, the referee gave him his second yellow and he was given his marching orders to the dressing room to have an early shower, but Damien Duff had enough.
The referee had already just booked Duff and after Damien decided to throw a water bottle in frustration, the referee issued his second yellow to send Duff to the stands.
The half time whistle blew after a Dundalk set piece and both teams went to their dressing rooms.
A very dull first half but an eventful end to it.
The second half began and from the beginning it was evident that the tactics had changed by Shelbourne, it was clear they had the instruction to even up the “score” by getting a Dundalk player sent off, they also were instructed from the stands to interrupt the game were possible, it seemed we were in for another 45 minutes of time wasting and play acting.
In the 56th minute, Stephen Bradley was man handled, fouled about six times and finally taken down, all in the same moment of play, as he got up from the ground his boot “grazed” off the shelbourne player and the neymar-esque rolling on the ground began by the shels player, at this stage it was comical, but the referee fell for the act and sent off Stephen Bradley for “kicking out”.
Looking back at those days in the field as a child, this wasnt the game I fell in love with, this was just pure and utter cheating at its finest. Disgraceful.
In the 64th minute, “Dickie” Kelly stepped up at the back post to slot in a Paul Martin cross and Oriel Park erupted, for all the playing acting and diving by Shelbourne justice was surely about to happen, there is no place in football for these tactics, surely this was going to be the right result.
But Shelbourne werent finished, for all their diving and time-wasting up to this point, they needed to step it up. In the 81st minute Shebourne were given a penalty, look, you dont need me to explain how they got it, they dived in the box. That’s pretty much exactly what happened.
It was one all at this point, the game looked to be heading for a draw, two points dropped by Dundalk, but a masterful substituion by Stephen O’Donnell saw Keith Ward and John Martin take to the field to orchestrate what was to be the perfect ending to this villiainous tale, a Keith Ward cross from the right flank into the box, John Martin rose and headed the ball passed the Shels keeper into the top left corner, it was John Martin’s first touch of the ball and his first goal for Dundalk FC, and it couldnt have come at a better time, Oriel Park erupted, surely justice would prevail.
As i write this article and recite the events of that night, I keep thinking back to the memories I had of playing football in our pitch behind Glenwood, there was none of this time-wasting, no diving or play acting, if anyone tried that they were told to “Get the fuck up.”, or “Cut that messing out”, it wasnt tolerated by a group of 10 to 16 year olds, so why is it being tolerated by our professional leagues around the world?
And look, this has been going on for years, I get that, Im not expecting my rantings to change anything, but as a child, falling in love with the game at such an early age, we didnt tolerate this, it wasnt tolerated on the pitch, it wasnt tolerated in the street, it wasnt tolerated in the back gardens or in our school boy leagues, so why do we tolerate it in our professional game?
Any coach, manager or player who thinks that play acting, diving or time wasting adds to the game shouldnt be in the sport, they should leave it and pursue something else, because we dont want you or this type of cheating in our game.
End.