MANAGER’S OFFICE: JON DALY

Dundalk FC manager Jon Daly looks ahead to our ‘Last Chance Saloon’ clash with Derry City at Oriel Park on Friday night.

The Lilywhites are eight points behind County Louth rivals Drogheda United with just three games remaining, but Daly has insisted that there is belief within the camp that we can pull off a miracle.

Listen to Jon’s interview below.

We need YOUR support. This is our last Friday night at Oriel in 2024! Tickets available HERE!

On the mood in the camp…

“The boys are positive. We have to remain positive and go into the game with the belief that we can get three points from it, hope other results go our way, and keep it alive for as long as possible. Obviously, we’re very well aware it’s not in our hands, we require results elsewhere but we also need to do our own business.

“We need to make sure that we pick up three points to give ourselves any chance of taking it to the following week, and hopefully then taking it to the last game of the season where there’s still something to play for.”

On last Friday’s games…

“I had both (Derry and Drogheda) on. I had one on my laptop and one on the TV. Obviously, we get a chance to watch Derry on Monday against Sligo. I had the Drogheda game on as well in the background.

“I think the Derry game is the more relevant one in terms of we’re facing them next, making sure that we’re well prepared and ready for that game when it comes. It’ll be a tough game, there’s no doubt about it.

“We’re playing a team that are challenging at the top of the league to try to win a title and also in a Cup final, so they’re potentially looking to do the double. Everybody on their side will be giving everything that they possibly can to make sure they’re in the team for the remaining games.

“They’ll be trying to get points on the board to get themselves over the line. It’s our job to try to stop that, look after ourselves and make sure we get the points that we require.”

On both sides taking risks this Friday…

“It’s going to be a little bit different because it is a win or bust game, probably more so for us than them I suppose. I think they’ll still have opportunities potentially, results pending elsewhere.

“But we know exactly what we need to do. We know that a draw is not good enough. We’ll have to be mindful of that as we come to the latter stages, we’ll have to prepare for that and be ready for that should we require to go all out to try to get the three points.”

On one win in 13 since the break, now needing three wins on the spin…

“We’re obviously very disappointed with the results. Some of the performances have been good and warranted more. But ultimately, we’ve not come away with anything. It has been really disappointing.

“From our point of view when we look at it, there’s been some things that have gone against you and there are other times where we’ve made errors that we’ve been punished for. I think the story of the season, all season, is that we haven’t been clinical enough in the final third.

“That hasn’t changed; it’s something that we’re going to need to remedy, to make sure if we score one that we don’t concede at the other end, and try to get over the line any which way possible – and give ourselves the best opportunity to try to take it to the next week.

“We’ve got two games before we play Drogheda and it’s trying to get back in touch with them if we possibly can. Obviously, their results will dictate that also. To give ourselves the best chance, we clearly need to win the next two games.

“We’ve had one win in 13 which is really poor form and it’s disappointing, but football has a funny way of throwing up some funny results and strange things. Hopefully, this is one of those situations that people are talking about in years to come, us surviving the drop, eight points behind with nine points to play for.

“As you said, it would be a miracle, it would be, but it’s definitely not beyond the realms of possibility that it could happen. I believe in the group. I believe that we can go and beat Derry, I believe that we can go and beat Shamrock Rovers.

“But you’re relying on Shamrock Rovers to beat Drogheda and you’re relying on Shelbourne to beat Drogheda as well, which are two tough games. They’re looking and probably thinking two points guarantees them a playoff spot.

“They’ll be looking at things a little bit differently than we are. We’re in a situation where we need to win. But we don’t need to win it in the first 45 minutes. We need to make sure that at 90 minutes, we’re ahead in the game, and then we’ll look at results elsewhere potentially going our way.”

On playing better away from Oriel Park recently…

“I don’t necessarily agree (that we’ve been flat at home recently). The three games you’ve mentioned (Waterford, Sligo, Galway), we’ve come away with one point. We’re at the stage of the season now where it’s about getting points on the board.

“I think some of the performances have been relatively good. I thought Bohs at home, the first 45 we were very good. The goal is a sickener, it’s a punch in the gut and we don’t respond well to that.

“We had a couple of opportunities after going 1-0 down against Bohs that we don’t take, and then ultimately suffer that second goal, which is the one then that puts the nail in the coffin for that game.

“I think there have been margins, a lot of games have ebbed and flowed and it’s momentum. There have been a lot of situations where we have chances, if we take them, the game flips on its head.

“Decisions, too, the game against St Pat’s at home, we had a stonewall penalty in injury-time to give us the opportunity to draw the game 2-2. So, I don’t agree with your comment that we’ve been flat at home, I don’t think we have.

“I think there are certain moments in games that have cost us, and other moments that if we take our chances, as I said, it gives you momentum. Unfortunately, we haven’t.”

On this being our last game at Oriel on a Friday for four months…

“It’s a huge game and we need the crowd right behind us from the start, right from the start to the very end, getting right behind the boys and giving them the support that they need to try to get the three points. Then, what will be, will be elsewhere.

“We can’t control that. We can try to control what happens here. If we have a big crowd here getting right behind the boys, I’m sure it will help. The fans have been brilliant since I’ve come in, they’ve never stopped singing. They appreciate the effort the boys put in.

“I don’t think you could ever criticise them for lack of effort or lack of hard work. I think there are moments of quality and situations where we’ve not had that, and that’s probably the criticism, if we’re going to have any, that would be justified.

“The work-rate, the effort, everything that goes with that, has been there in abundance. It’s just about trying to convert chances when they come. I don’t think there’s been a game since I’ve come in where we’ve been dominated, I don’t think there’s a game where we’ve been massively outplayed.

“We’ve always been in matches. Most of the games that we have lost, we’ve lost by the odd goal. It’s fine margins and, unfortunately for us, we’ve come out the wrong side of close games too often than not.

“That’s where we find ourselves at the moment going into the last three games. We’re in a situation where we need to make sure that we come out the right side of these games.”

Thanks to Lincoln Smyth for designing our Match Poster; photo by Gerry Scully.

Match Poster: Design by Lincoln Smyth, photo by Gerry Scully.