1978–79 Dundalk F.C. season

Dundalk entered the 1978–79 season, having won the previous season's League Cup and Leinster Senior Cup. But they had finished in a disappointing 11th place in the League, which meant there would be no European football in the new season. 1978–79 was Jim McLaughlin's fifth season as manager, and was Dundalk's 53rd consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football.

Dundalk
1978–79 season
ManagerJim McLaughlin
League of Ireland1st (Champions)
FAI CupWinners
League CupFirst round
Leinster Senior CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Hilary Carlyle (16)
All:
Hilary Carlyle (18)

Season summary

The previous season had been dogged by an early season row over player expenses, which had seen two players depart acrimoniously;[1] while the death of club stalwart Brian McConville after returning home from a match in January 1978 had further affected the club.[2] There were rumours that McLaughlin would be let go,[3] despite retaining the Leinster Cup,[4] and winning their first League Cup in a penalty shoot-out over Cork Alberts.[5] Instead, the club supported the "reorganisation" he demanded, and used funds from the sale of three players (Synan Braddish, Derek Carroll and Brian Duff) to Liverpool, for a combined £55,000, to rebuild the squad and make ground improvements at Oriel.[6]

The new season opened inauspiciously, with both the League Cup and the Leinster Cup being surrendered in their respective first rounds in early September. The League schedule commenced on 10 September 1978 and Dundalk continued their slow start, dropping points in eight of the first 15 matches to lie in fourth position. But, starting with a win over Shamrock Rovers on Christmas Eve, they only dropped three points from the next 14 matches to surge to the title with a game to spare. It was confirmed in slightly surreal fashion – with a win away to Cork Celtic (who were about to be expelled from the League) in front of 200 people;[7] while the trophy was presented in Oriel Park 48 hours later after a final-day defeat to FAI Cup final opponents Waterford.[8] Having made light work of reaching the 1979 FAI Cup Final, they defeated Waterford 2–0, thereby completing the club's first League and Cup Double.[9]

First-Team Squad (1978–79)

Sources:[10]

No. Name Years League FAI Cup League Cup Leinster Senior Cup Total Goals
1 Richie Blackmore 1974–1985 27 4 0 0 31 0
2 Martin Lawlor 1977–1995 18 3 1 1 23 1
3 Paddy Dunning 1977–1983 29 4 0 0 33 4
4 Tommy McConville 1967–1986 30 4 1 1 36 1
5 Dermot Keely 1978–1981 28 3 0 1 32 0
6 Sean Byrne 1977–1983 23 4 1 0 28 9
7 Jimmy Dainty 1973–1980 29 3 1 1 34 7
8 Leo Flanagan 1978–1983 30 4 1 1 36 5
9 Cathal Muckian 1978–1980 27 4 1 1 33 13
10 Mick Lawlor 1976–1981 18 3 1 1 23 1
11 Hilary Carlyle 1978–1984 26 4 0 0 30 18
12 Kevin Mahon 1978–1979 12 0 0 0 12 1
13 Willie Crawley 1977–1995 12 0 1 1 14 2
14 Vincent McKenna 1978–1981 12 3 0 0 15 1
15 Liam Devine 1978–1980 8 1 0 0 9 0
16 Frank O'Neill 1977–1980 5 1 1 0 7 1

Competitions

League Cup

Source:[11]

First round
3 September 1978 Dundalk2–4Home FarmDundalk
Stadium: Oriel Park

Leinster Senior Cup

Source:[11]

First Round
14 September 1978 Dundalk0–1Aer LingusDundalk
Stadium: Oriel Park

FAI Cup

Source:[11]

First Round
11 February 1979 Dundalk1–0St Patrick's AthleticDundalk
Stadium: Oriel Park
Quarter Final
11 March 1979 Dundalk2–0Finn HarpsDundalk
Stadium: Oriel Park
Semi Final
1 April 1979 Dundalk2–1Cork AlbertsDublin
Stadium: Dalymount Park
Final
Main article: 1979 FAI Cup Final
22 April 1979 Dundalk2–0[12]WaterfordDublin
15:30 Sean Byrne  4'
Hilary Carlyle  90 + 1'		 Report Stadium: Dalymount Park
Attendance: 14,000[13]
Referee: Paddy Daly

League

Source:[11]

10 September 1978 Round 1Shamrock Rovers1–2Dundalk
17 September 1978 Round 2Dundalk2–0Limerick
24 September 1978 Round 3Athlone Town2–2Dundalk
1 October 1978 Round 4Dundalk2–0Home Farm
8 October 1978 Round 5St Patrick's Athletic2–2Dundalk
15 October 1978 Round 6Dundalk1–1Sligo Rovers
22 October 1978 Round 7Cork Alberts1–1Dundalk
29 October 1978 Round 8Dundalk1–0Drogheda United
5 November 1978 Round 9Bohemians0–0Dundalk
12 November 1978 Round 10Dundalk4–1Thurles Town
19 November 1978 Round 11Dundalk2–2Galway Rovers
26 November 1978 Round 12Dundalk3–1Shelbourne
3 December 1978 Round 13Finn Harps2–1Dundalk
10 December 1978 Round 14Dundalk2–0Cork Celtic
17 December 1978 Round 15Waterford1–0Dundalk
24 December 1978 Round 16Dundalk3–2Shamrock Rovers
27 December 1978 Round 17Limerick0–2Dundalk
7 January 1979 Round 18Home Farm0–1Dundalk
14 January 1979 Round 19Dundalk5–1St Patrick's Athletic
21 January 1979 Round 20Sligo Rovers1–2Dundalk
25 January 1979 Round 21Dundalk3–0Athlone Town
28 January 1979 Round 22Dundalk3–0Cork Alberts
4 February 1979 Round 23Drogheda United0–1Dundalk
18 February 1979 Round 24Dundalk1–0Bohemians
25 February 1979 Round 25Thurles Town1–3Dundalk
4 March 1979 Round 26Dundalk2–1Galway Rovers
18 March 1979 Round 27Shelbourne0–3Dundalk
25 March 1979 Round 28Dundalk1–1Finn Harps
7 April 1979 Round 29Cork Celtic0–3Dundalk
10 April 1979 Round 30Dundalk0–3Waterford

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Dundalk 30 19 7 4 57 25 +32 45
2 Bohemians 30 18 7 5 53 21 +32 43
3 Drogheda United 30 17 6 7 60 40 +20 42[lower-alpha 1]
4 Waterford 30 17 8 5 48 32 +16 42
5 Shamrock Rovers 30 17 3 10 45 25 +20 37
6 Limerick 30 13 9 8 39 25 +14 36[lower-alpha 1]
7 Athlone Town 30 14 7 9 56 41 +15 35
8 Finn Harps 30 15 6 9 56 41 +15 34[lower-alpha 1]
9 Home Farm 30 13 7 10 47 33 +14 33
10 Sligo Rovers 30 9 7 14 35 40 −5 25
11 Cork Alberts 30 7 9 14 35 49 −14 23
12 Thurles Town 30 8 5 17 35 62 −27 23[lower-alpha 1]
13 Shelbourne 30 6 9 15 41 58 −17 21
14 St Patrick's Athletic 30 7 6 17 36 62 −26 20
15 Galway Rovers 30 4 5 21 41 79 −38 13
16 Cork Celtic 30 3 5 22 16 67 −51 8[lower-alpha 1]
Source: www.rsssf.com
Notes:
  1. After the matches Cork Celtic 0-0 Limerick, Drogheda United 0-1 Finn Harps and Thurles Town 0-1 Cork Celtic, the league awarded 1 point to Limerick from Cork Celtic, 2 points to Drogheda United from Finn Harps and 2 points to Thurles Town from Cork Celtic.

Awards

Player of the Month
Month Player References
September Dermot Keely [14]
March Paddy Dunning [15]
April Sean Byrne [16]

References
Bibliography
  • Murphy, Jim (2003). The History of Dundalk F.C.: The First 100 Years. Dundalgan Press. ASIN B0042SO3R2.
  • Graham, Alex. Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921–2005. Soccer Books Limited. ISBN 1-86223-135-4.
  • MacSweeney, Niall (1985). A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921/2 - 1984/5. Association of Football Statisticians. ASIN B008H2CBJQ.
Citations
  1. Meagan, Jimmy (28 September 1977). "Dundalk Turns Down McConville's Offer". Irish Press. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  2. Ryan, Liam (30 January 1978). "Sudden Death of Soccer Captain". Irish Independent. Retrieved 9 May 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  3. Kelly, Liam (15 April 1978). "McLaughlin's Future At Oriel In Balance". Irish Press. Retrieved 9 May 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  4. Meagan, Jimmy (30 December 1977). "Nixon Nips In For Clincher". The Irish Press. Retrieved 24 May 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  5. Faiers, David (13 April 1978). "Dundalk's League Cup – on 'pens'". Evening Herald. Retrieved 23 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  6. MacGinty, Karl (24 April 1978). "Godfather Liam". Evening Herald. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  7. "Dundalk Plan To Celebrate". The Irish Press. 9 April 1979. Retrieved 23 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  8. Moffat, Mel (11 April 1979). "'Blues' Ruin The Champs Big Night". The Irish Press. Retrieved 23 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  9. Moffat, Mel (23 April 1979). "Dundalk Double". The Irish Press. Retrieved 23 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  10. Murphy, Jim (2013). A Dundalk FC Miscellany. Ireland: Self-published. p. 259.
  11. Murphy, Jim (2003). History of Dundalk FC - the First 100 Years. Dundalk: Jim Murphy. p. 470.
  12. "Ireland FAI Cup (1921-1994)". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  13. "Soccer Facts". Irish Independent. 23 April 1979. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  14. "Dermot Keely". Irish Press. 5 May 1978. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  15. "Award goes to Dunning". Irish Independent. 5 April 1979. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  16. Spillane, Noel (26 April 1979). "Byrne is 'player of the month'". Cork Examiner. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
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