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Eythor Arnason/INPHO

Dundalk can look forward to €1 million windfall after memorable Champions League night

Stephen Kenny’s side came from behind to conjure a 2-2 away draw against Icelandic side FH and progress to third qualifying round.

FH 2 (3)

Dundalk 2 (3)*

*Dundalk win on away goals

TWO GOALS FROM David McMillan saw Dundalk conjure a European result that will live long in the memory.

The League of Ireland side came from behind against Icelandic side FH to secure a 2-2 draw on the night and advance on away goals to a third qualifying round clash with BATE Borisov.

The win also ensures over €1 million in prize money.

With the tie delicately poised at 1-1 after the first leg at Oriel Park, Stephen Kenny’s side were dominated for the majority of the opening period.

They were very nearly behind as early as the 6th minute when Sam Hewson crossed to the far post but Emil Palsson just couldn’t stretch far enough to tuck it away.

Despite Patrick Barrett going close from a corner, Dundalk were behind on 19 minutes.

It was a superbly-worked goal too as Hewson kept his cool to expertly side-foot to the net after a glorious passing move from the home side.

But the Lilywhites responded well and really should’ve been level before the break.

Daryl Horgan’s rampaging run took him clear of two challenges but as he raced through on goal, he narrowed the angle for himself and his near-post strike was blocked by Gunnar Nielsen.

Ronan Finn with Bjarni Þór Viðarsson Eythor Arnason / INPHO Eythor Arnason / INPHO / INPHO

Ten minutes later, Patrick McEleney did the hard part and made space in the right channel of the area but the final pass was lacking and he couldn’t find McMillan at the far post.

Kenny would’ve been pleased with how his team finished the first half but still changed things at the break by introducing Robbie Benson into midfield.

It certainly dovetailed with an upsurge in energy from Dundalk and they were awarded a penalty just four minutes after the restart when Barrett was adjudged to have been fouled in the area.

But, Ronan Finn saw his effort saved by Nielsen, who threw himself to his right.

Still, they didn’t dwell on the setback and finally got their equaliser within three minutes as McMillan took a loose ball in his stride outside the area and sent a low strike to the net via the inside of the near post.

Dundalk fans at the game Eythor Arnason / INPHO Eythor Arnason / INPHO / INPHO

Ten minutes later, he had a second.

Horgan, ever-willing and always dangerous, caused mayhem on the left before getting his head up, keeping his cool and superbly teeing up McMillan to calmly tuck the ball to the net from close-range.

It was a crucial moment as it meant FH needed to score twice to win the tie and even though substitute Finnbogason made it interesting on 78 minutes, Dundalk survived the inevitable late siege and saw the game out.

It’s now a showdown with a familiar opponent in Belarus next week.

Last year, BATE eliminated Dundalk at the same stage so there will be plenty of motivation for Kenny’s side to right the wrongs they experienced twelve months ago.

But for now, it’s about savouring another special night for Irish football.

FH: Nielsen, Olafsson, Hewson (Bjornsson, 77′), Lennon, Palsson (P.Vidarsson, 66′), Valdimarsson, D. Vidarsson (c), B. Vidarsson (Finnbogason, 66′), Doumbia, Bodvarsson, Hendrickx

Dundalk: Rogers, Gannon, Boyle, O’Donnell (c), Horgan, Mountney (Benson, 46′), McMillan (Kilduff, 82′), Finn, P. McEleney (Shields, 79′), Massey, Barrett

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Dundalk confident of Champions League progression and €1.2m windfall

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76 Comments
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    Mute conny k
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:42 PM

    Hopefully they can master bate over the two legs!!

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    Mute Yeah Ok
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:11 PM

    Take a bow. You’re the real winner here tonight

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    Mute Ger
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:27 PM

    If thats not comment of the week i give up!! Well done dundalk

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    Mute Keaneland
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    Jul 21st 2016, 12:13 AM

    Brilliant!

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    Mute Anonymous Man
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    Jul 21st 2016, 5:29 AM

    *applause*

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    Mute Jimmyjoe Wallace
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    Jul 21st 2016, 7:32 AM

    Brilliant Conny, just choked on my coffee.

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    Mute patrick o keeffe
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    Jul 21st 2016, 1:40 PM

    Best comment ever

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Jul 22nd 2016, 4:10 AM

    League of Ireland is abs. crap – I know cas I’ve never been to a LOI match – so I know what I’m talkin bout. Pure S*ite

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    Mute Gavin Gray
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:37 PM

    No more than we deserved over the two legs, absolutely delighted, bring on BATE, COME ON THE TOWN!!!!!

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    Mute Marc Wynne
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:41 PM

    Biggest result in domestic football since Rovers Euro success. Improves coefficient for all Irish clubs and lifts the profile of the league. Let’s hope we can build on this!

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    Mute Liam Kennedy
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:47 PM

    Didn’t Dundalk win at the same stage last year before going out to BATE?

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    Mute Declan Burke
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    Jul 21st 2016, 10:52 AM

    No. They enter second round. Last year they went out to Bate in the second round. Big deal here is that because they are in 3rd round of CL qualifiers even if they lose to Bate, they will enter the Europa League playoff, and if they overcome Bate, they will be guaranteed Europa League and have a shot at a CL playoff.

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    Mute Liam Dee
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:38 PM

    Great result could make group stages of the Europa league

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    Mute Boris Defender
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:43 PM

    This was in the Champions League!!!

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    Mute Tom Sheerin
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:22 PM

    Yes but if lose to Bate, then Dundalk will play in qualifying round in Europa. Minimum four games to come.

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    Mute Sean MacC
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:43 PM

    Great result. Fair play Dundalk. They’ll give Bate a good run this year again also.

    Hope they get the ownership of Oriel Park sorted and invest to turn it into a decent stadium (they might even be able to afford a grass pitch now also!)

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    Mute Malachi
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:13 PM

    Ah Oriel isn’t that bad. The shed is good craic, they’d have to keep that intact if they were going to expand.

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    Mute Peter O'Toole
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:54 PM

    Dundalk really did the LOI proud. Hopefully the bare stoolers realise what € 1.2m really can mean to the development of football in Ireland. In NI there league champions went out 9-0 on aggregate last night. We all need to get behind the Irish teams still in Europe ( Pats and Cork tomorrow) , be realistic as to far we can be progress but be proud of our achievements to date. It’s easy to choose your non Irish team to support. Please trolls give some recognition to Irish men with passion and not a little skill trying to progress football in this country.

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    Mute David R Howe
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    Jul 21st 2016, 12:02 AM

    With you there Peter. Great result for Dundalk, made hard work of it, but deserved the result! Huge deal for the club and the future development. Wish them all the best against Bate.

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    Mute William Motley
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:26 PM

    You guys slipped up big time not having a live report

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    Mute Paul Ó'Mórdha
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:41 PM

    Horgan is quality . Reckon he will be the next big LoI export

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    Mute Shane O Reilly
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    Jul 22nd 2016, 6:21 AM

    Was class for city when we went up. Big future ahead

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    Mute Eamonn Duggan
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:45 PM

    Fantastic performance from Dundalk, despite going behind early on, then missing a penalty, they kept playing football and deservedly progress. City and Pats tomorrow night are both at home in Europe after securing 1 all draws away, packed passionate stands could make it a very special week for Irish football

    114
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    Mute joey mccarthy
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:55 PM

    also, one of rte, tv3, 3e have to show the next round surely!!..they have shown english teams at this stage years gone by

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    Mute Cornelius Talmadge
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:08 PM

    I fully agree with your sentiment, but as far as I know, Liverpool are the only English club that have ever played at this stage of the CL qualifiers, and that was when they were reigning champions but didn’t qualify through the league. The sad reality is that way more Irish people are interested in watching Liverpool than any Irish team.

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    Mute joey mccarthy
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:20 PM

    yes i see i was wrong after reading up a bit more..i got confused between this round and the play off round.. however, i remember the days of bohs and shels getting all their rounds shown on tv..the extra tv cash would help and allow more people become informed and supportive..

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    Mute Cornelius Talmadge
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:36 PM

    RTE’s coverage was always haphazard. When Bohs and Shels were doing well they showed some games but not others. Anyway, I agree that they should be showing at least one game a week involving Irish teams while they are in Europe.

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    Mute joey mccarthy
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    Jul 21st 2016, 12:02 AM

    certainly!!!

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    Mute Joe Counihan
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    Jul 21st 2016, 12:24 AM

    I watched the game online witl no commentary. Great result !!

    26
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    Mute laurence stokes
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    Jul 21st 2016, 12:38 AM

    It was on eir sport 1 or as it was know satanta Sports 1 I watched it there

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    Mute GOH
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:42 PM

    Great for the town! What a result!

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    Mute Aimoo
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:47 PM

    Hope they bate borisov now!

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    Mute John Mc Glynn
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:38 PM

    Great stuff Dundalk. Could of won both legs no problem. These Harmarsuperstar lads were nothin special.
    Forza Shels.

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    Mute Professional Chef
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:48 PM

    Richie should have never thrown in the Towell!!

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    Mute Paul
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:09 PM

    The national broadcasters and the FAI need to wake up and realise these games need to be marketed better. Great advert for the league as is Corks and St Pats run. F*ck Pogba to united this is the Irish football story of the summer

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    Mute Eamon
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:39 PM

    Well done dundalk doing the league of ireland proud. FAI must wake up now and invest in the league

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    Mute Cannijuana Seeds
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:06 PM

    I didn’t quiet get that the first four times ya wrote it. Any chance ya could write it again?

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    Mute Harry Martin
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:32 PM

    Icelandic football got a massive boost two weeks ago when they beat England at the Euros, and rightly so, maybe now it’s time for our association to realise we have a League .Our representatives in the champions league Dundalk have just put out the Icelandic Champs. Maybe John Delaney should be showing a little more interest in our league. It’s not all about the national team John.Well done Dundalk ,I’m very proud tonight .

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    Mute David Browne
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:06 PM

    Good to see the journal actually bothered to write an article in the end about the game. You seemed far more interested in the Celtic game.

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    Mute Gavin Gray
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:45 PM

    He is quality alright but we need to keep players like Horgan in the LOI to build our league

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    Mute Sean @114
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:37 PM

    Well done Dundalk. That games secures about 10 times the amount of winnings they would have received as premier division champions last year I think. That win is also the equivalent of about two and a half times John Delaney’s basic salary. Just sickening!! He probably isn’t even aware of the result.

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    Mute Colm O'Sullivan
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:42 PM

    Dundalk thoroughly deserve to go through. Better team from the off in both ties. This will do wonders for Ireland’s co-efficient in Europe. David McMillan has done more for Irish football in 15 minutes tonight than the whole national team did in two weeks last month.

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    Mute Colm O'Sullivan
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:41 PM

    Cab I just add that RTE failing to show either leg was a national disgrace. They’ll be all over Celtic if they make it through to the group stages, but they wouldn’t bother their ar$e covering the champions of our own domestic league in Europe.

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    Mute glenn kilfeather
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    Jul 21st 2016, 12:14 AM

    Whats with the constant celtic bashing?theres more man u,pool,chelsea,arsenal jerseys paraded around every irish town every day which is sadder!!!

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    Mute Colm O'Sullivan
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    Jul 21st 2016, 9:17 AM

    Celtic has as much relevance to our own domestic league as United or Pool. My point is RTE will be fawning over these teams in the group stages, yet they totally ignore our own representatives.

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    Mute Eamon
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:47 PM

    Well done dundalk doing the league of ireland proud, FAI must wake up now and invest in the league it needs a revamp

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    Mute joey mccarthy
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:43 PM

    just looking to confirm this? if they lose are they put into the europa league groups?

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    Mute Declan McCabe
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:47 PM

    No. They have to get through the next round

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    Mute Just Some Guy
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:47 PM

    If they beat Bate Borisov over two legs they will. Celtic lost in the play off round last season and got into the Europa League group stages

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    Mute Colm O'Sullivan
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:47 PM

    Not the groups, the qualifying stages I think.

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    Mute ARZE BANDITO
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:52 PM

    yes

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    Mute Andrew Heaney
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:54 PM

    Basically they’ll have two ties no matter what. Win both and they’re in champions league. Win one and they’re in Europa league

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    Mute Cornelius Talmadge
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:00 PM

    The losers in the 3rd round of the Champions League qualifiers go into the final round of the Europa League qualifiers.

    The losers in the 4th round of the Champions League qualifiers go directly into the Europa League group stages.

    In other words, if Dundalk lose to Bate over 2 legs, they’d go into the Europa League qualifiers. If they get past Bate, they would be guaranteed to reach the group stages of one of the 2 competitions.

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    Mute Stephen McEvoy
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:01 PM

    No they go to the play off round (before groups) If they beat BATE then they will be guaranteed minimum Europa league qualification for the groups

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    Mute Eamon
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:44 PM

    Well done dundalk doing the league of ireland proud. FAI must wake up now and invest in the league it needs a revamp

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    Mute Darren Sheils
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:09 PM

    Eamon, calm down man

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    Mute Eamon
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:53 PM

    Well done dundalk doing the league of ireland proud, FAI must wake up now and invest in the league and fund the clubs better. Success is there to be made

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    Mute henry2014
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    Jul 20th 2016, 10:48 PM

    Done very well

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    Mute Harry Martin
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:41 PM

    I’m currently locked up in a mental institution, for being a League of Ireland fan.Ah f**k it come on the TOWN !!

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    Mute D'unredactable
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    Jul 21st 2016, 4:27 AM

    Could be worse, could be banged up in Solitude, above!!

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    Mute Trevor Beacom
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:28 PM

    Are nick allen and chlorines72 on here giving their useless football sjite talk tonight? Well done dundalk.

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    Mute Maureen Boulger VanBoxtel
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    Jul 21st 2016, 1:11 AM

    Before i write my comment pls don’t tar me with that brush cos of my surname!! Well done Dundalk I have great memories of wen my “ex” husband , divorced now!played for that team..fond memories of great men and their wives and this was before wags lol

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    Mute Bottleneck
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    Jul 21st 2016, 8:00 AM

    Delaney has already asked for 20%

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    Mute martin o connor
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    Jul 21st 2016, 3:36 AM

    Fantastic result. We’ll done boys

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    Mute Maureen Boulger VanBoxtel
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    Jul 21st 2016, 1:26 AM

    Phew just seen only my single name came up on my comment lol Anyhow well done Dundalk :-)

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    Mute Tony
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:27 PM

    Maych stats tonight gave dundalk only 19% possession. They did well to get the result.

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    Mute Darren Sheils
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:35 PM

    Where did that stat come from? Last 10 minutes yes but we dominated second half

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    Mute Tony
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    Jul 20th 2016, 11:39 PM

    I was looking at the42 throughout. Still there, read for yourself

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    Mute Ryan Hardy
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    Jul 21st 2016, 12:32 PM

    A 6 figure sum is handy as the locals can count it on one hand

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    Mute hugh coghlan
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    Jul 21st 2016, 2:28 PM

    Can someone explain the away goals ? Dundalk scored one away and th other team scored two in Dundalk ?

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    Mute The Big Feen
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    Jul 21st 2016, 4:00 PM

    Other way round – Home team always first in scoreline

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    Mute thomas scott
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    Jul 21st 2016, 1:29 PM

    Well done to my home town Dundalk. Pride of ireland.
    Hon the town

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