'Three huge games' give Dundalk the chance to finish season on a high

Dundalk's Shane Keegan: 'I don’t think we were that bad against Rapid. We were a bit disappointed with our first-half performance.' Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

It might have been a disappointing season by Dundalk’s lofty standards but first-team coach Shane Keegan believes they are getting better and better with each passing game and is backing them to finish the year on a high.

A third-place finish in the league was the Louth men’s lowest in eight years with not even a run to the Europa League group stages masking over problems on and off the field.

However, 2020 could yet be memorable for the Lilywhites.

A win or point against either Molde tonight or Arsenal in a week’s time would add six-figure sums to the €4m already banked from Europe.

There is also the prospect of silverware in between, as they will travel back from Norway to face Shamrock Rovers in Sunday’s FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium.

While the club’s form has been up and down at times this season, Keegan feels they are entering the final week of their season in good form on the back of impressive Cup wins away to Bohemians and Athlone Town.

“I think we’ve got better and one of the key parts to that is the lads getting more and more used to what is wanted from them from the management,” said the Laois man.

“Coming into this final stretch of the season we had the Rapid game in between two cup games. I don’t think we were that bad against Rapid. We were a bit disappointed with our first-half performance but I thought in the second half that we were very, very good.

"We probably got 45 minutes of a performance there and we certainly got two 90 minute performances either side of it in the two Cup games so I think it’s really, really starting to click for us.

There’s three huge games left for us to finish our season with and whatever about points or results, I absolutely think we’re capable of giving three really, really big performances.

With interim head coach Filippo Giovagnoli banned for a charge of "shadow coaching" that has cost the club a €50,000 fine, Keegan said it was important the club were as prepared as possible for what he feels will be a tough game against Molde.

“We’ll have a team meeting before we come to the venue but once we’re over there he’s not allowed to make any communication with us up until an hour after the final whistle,” said Keegan of Giovagnoli’s ban.

“We need to make sure we get all the various different scenarios tied down so that hopefully it runs as smoothly as possible.”