David McMillan brace keeps Dundalk in control

Dundalk 2 Galway United 1: Dundalk ensured they will take at least a five-point lead into the second round of matches after David McMillan’s late double finally broke Galway United’s resolve at Oriel Park last night.

Cork City can close the gap to four if they win away to Bray tonight but on the evidence of the first third of the season the Lilywhites will take some stopping.

For a long stage of last night’s encounter they were frustrated by Tommy Dunne’s visitors but persistence eventually paid off as McMillan notched up his fourth and fifth goals of the season.

The crucial breakthrough arrived in the 69th minute with Daryl Horgan releasing Robbie Benson on the left to pull back for the striker to finish. McMillan then ensured the win by lobbing Conor Winn nine minutes later.

Prior to that the netminder had looked like holding Dundalk to their first scoreless draw in nine months with a string of top saves, pushing efforts from Benson and John Mountney over in the first half before denying both McMillan and Finn with his legs on the restart.

Galway did pull a goal back through Eric Foley four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game but it was a case of too little, too late for the visitors.

DUNDALK:

Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; Mountney, Shields, Benson (Poynton 91), Horgan; Finn (Barrett 87), McMillan (Meenan 85). Subs not used: Grimes, Reilly, Dalton, Sava.

GALWAY UNITED:

Winn; C Horgan, Cantwell, Sinnott, Walsh; Ludden, Sullivan, Byrne (Foley 80), Shanahan (Devaney 78); Faherty, Curran (Keating 70). Subs not used: Melody, Aganovic, Devers, K Horgan.

Referee:

R Matthews (Longford).