Sean Hoare rose to the challenge once against as Dundalk edged out a well earned victory over rivals Cork City in dramatic fashion on Friday night. The defender put in another fine performance as the Lilywhites snatched the win in the dying embers
Sean Hoare rose to the challenge once against as Dundalk edged out a well earned victory over rivals Cork City in dramatic fashion on Friday night.
The defender put in another fine performance as the Lilywhites snatched the win in the dying embers of the game. However, this win, has been part of challenge set by manager Stephen Kenny in pre-season.
During their pre-season training camp, the Lilywhites boss called out certain players to step up to the mark and rise to the Oriel Park challenge, one of those players was Sean Hoare, a challenge he seems to be relishing.
“A man like Stephen Kenny saying that about you gives you great confidence and if he believes in me than I should believe in myself,” reflected Sean following the win last night.
“I have been playing the ‘young lad’ card for the last few years, but its time for the likes of me, Jamie (McGrath) and Mikey (Michael Duffy), we are experienced players now and we have played a couple of hundred games between us in the league and there is only so long you can hold onto that young lad stage.
"When he puts that confidence in you have to take it and run with it so. I think the three of us have done alright so and I think we are doing with what he wants.”
Dundalk pushed for a winner right to the 90th minute and got their just rewards but Hoare alludes to the fitness and hard work ethic that means that the game isn’t beyond them until the final whistle blows.
“Our fitness levels allow us to do that, we worked hard over the break, we went away as a team and we had a few days working hard and I think it showed tonight that in the last few minutes we were still at the level that we were at throughout the game.
"We have won three games here in the 90th minute (vs Sligo, Waterford and Cork) this season. It’s no coincidence that we can play for that long.”
When the team sheets were furnished like in times before, Stephen Kenny kept us all guess as to what he would do in order to combat John Caulfields side. The omission of Daniel Cleary raised a few eye brows as did the inclusion of Kristian Adorjan who hasn’t started many games for the Lilywhites, Hoare moved to the middle of the defence to make way for Sean Gannon, something of which he was more than happy to do.
“Every game is different, like Stephen will pick the best eleven for the opposition, next week at St Patricks Athletic we might have more of the ball than we did tonight. I have been in for Sean Gannon at right back, although I have enjoyed it, I like centre back but no matter where I am playing I am just happy to.
"You can’t doubt Sean Gannon has been doing it year in year out for the last few years, he is a great right back to bring back in and I’ll go back to centre back no worries!”
