Dundalk’s 4-0 Europa Conference League qualifying first leg win against Newtown came as a surprise to many onlookers. The Irish side, who are in the midst of their domestic campaign, eased past the Welsh club.
Michael Duffy, David McMillan, Will Patching, and Han Jeong-uh scored the goals for the Lilywhites. Dundalk scored two goals on either side of halftime.
Happy birthday to our old friend, Harry. We had some good times. Never to be forgotten. 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/NeGVE4XH7D— Dundalk FC (@DundalkFC) July 11, 2021
Happy birthday to our old friend, Harry. We had some good times. Never to be forgotten. 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/NeGVE4XH7D
On Tuesday night, Newtown go hunting for four goals in an attempt to overturn the tie. The good news for manager Chris Hughes is that away goals do not count any longer in European competition.
If Newtown were to ship a goal, it wouldn’t mean they need to additional goals.
Still, a four-goal deficit is quite the mountain to climb for the Robins. With the Welsh Premier Division still a month away from starting, it is unlikely that Newtown will have the fitness or sharpness to overturn such a massive deficit.
While Newtown are in the closed season in the Welsh Premier Division, Dundalk are in the middle of their domestic campaign. It hasn’t gone well for the Lilywhites, who are seventh in the league.
Manager Vinny Perth could be focusing on the Europa Conference League as it is a great competition for Dundalk to go deep into. The winner of the Newtown-Dundalk tie will face off with Estonia’s FCI Levadia or Gibraltar's St. Josephs’s.
If Dundalk can seal progression to the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, which they should do, Perth will fancy their chances versus their next opponent. One the second qualifying round begins; the competition does become stronger.
Prior to the first leg of the tie, Perth faced issues with several players testing positive for COVID-19. He manager labelled the situation as a “minor outbreak”.
Perth may be without the duo of defenders Brian Gartlan and Daniel Cleary. Both players are carrying muscle injuries, but could be passed fit to play.
The team’s goalscoring dangerman is Patrick Hoban. He has five goals in 12 Irish Premier Division matches.
With Newtown down four goals and by all intents and purposes out of the tie, Hughes could rotate the side to give some players a run out to get fitness under their belts.
The manager could treat the second leg of the Europa Conference League tie as a friendly to prepare for the new domestic campaign.
Dundalk have one foot in the Europa Conference League qualifying round. Can they finish off Newtown on Tuesday night?
Forebet predicts that Dundalk will record yet another win over the Welsh team, keeping a clean sheet and scoring over 2.5 goals in the process.