Our opening pre-season friendly of 2023 ended in a scoreless draw against Finn Harps at Oriel Park on Friday night.
Two of our new arrivals, Hayden Muller and Connor Malley both started the game with Muller – who hit the post with a second-half header – showing his versatility by playing at centre-back and right-back across the 90 minutes.
Paul Doyle and Patrick Hoban, who both missed a large chunk of the second half of the 2022 campaign with injuries – were also named in a starting XI that included youngster Senan Mullen, who acquitted himself very well at left-back.
Hoban glanced a header just off target with the best opening of the first half and Muller almost marked his first appearance at Oriel Park with a goal but his second-half effort crashed off the woodwork from close range.
New signing Connor Malley has a shot at goal during the pre-season friendly against Finn Harps at Oriel Park. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Harps, who are now under the stewardship of former Lilywhites full-back Dave Rogers, provided Dundalk with a good workout and they almost went in front late on only for half-time substitute Cameron Elliott to pop up and clear a goal bound effort off the line.
Malley went close with a late drive and our fourth new arrival, Louie Annesley, thought he had won the game in the final minute when he hooked a free-kick past Tim-Oliver Hiemer but the goal was ruled out for offside.
DUNDALK FC: Nathan Shepperd (Mark Byrne, HT), Trialist, Hayden Muller, Andy Boyle (Callum Bonner 67), Senan Mullen (Anthony Mayo HT); Paul Doyle (Louie Annesley HT), Alfie Lewis (Eoin Kenny 67); Ryan O’Kane (Jake Hough 67), Connor Malley (Oisin Coleman 76), Keith Ward; Patrick Hoban (Cameron Elliott HT). Sub not used: Luke Mulligan.
[…] All four of O’Donnell’s new signings – Hayden Muller, Connor Malley, Cameron Elliott and Louie Annesley – made their home debut for the club while a number of the club’s academy players also featured in the scoreless draw against Dave Rogers’ Harps side. […]