Europa Conference League Preview: Dundalk -v- Newtown

Dundalk FC

Dundalk welcome their Welsh opposition to Oriel Park tomorrow in less-than-ideal circumstances - with news that there have been three Covid cases among their playing staff. 

Manager Vinny Perth described it as a ‘minor Covid outbreak’ and is confident it won’t dent his panel enough for the fixture to be in jeopardy. Training went ahead yesterday for all players not impacted and the club have confirmed that there have been no close contacts identified at the club.

Dundalk have had European football (albeit some campaigns much shorter than others) every year since 2013 and managed to make it to the Europa Group Stages twice since then. 

The Louth side will be hoping that that experience will stand to them as they play a team that is a relative unknown to them; AFC Newtown of the Welsh Cymru Premier Division.

One player who has enjoyed many a famous European excursion with Dundalk, is defender Andy Boyle. Speaking ahead of the game, he was hoping that the Lilywhites will have enough to deal with whatever is thrown against them in this UEFA Conference League Qualifier:

“We know it will be hard to judge, they are in pre-season and have made a few changes to the squad. They have had a few Covid cases too so we may find it hard to judge. I think we can make a good guess at their style of play and what they are good at, but we are just focused on ourselves and getting our own game right.”

Dundalk have seen a marked slump in league form this season. Plenty of fingers for this have been pointed off-field at their American owners and a heavily criticised transfer policy, allowing seasoned League of Ireland players to depart and replacing them with unconvincing international players. They sit in 7th in the League of Ireland table, four points above relegation zone. 

Previously sacked manager, Vinny Perth, was reassigned the role of manager and seems to have helped steady the ship. Perth has steered Dundalk to victory in four of his last five domestic games in charge. Most recently they slumped to a defeat to Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght. It was a game not without controversy, following a denied penalty as Dundalk led 1-0.

As shown last year, a European run can be a welcome distraction to sub-par domestic form. Perth will hope his side can give themselves a fighting chance of progession. Perth told the club’s website, that they had done their homework on Newtown as best they could. 



“We have a limited amount of footage seeing as they are in pre-season but we have watched it and prepared as best we can. The team will be strong and we are ready for the game.”

Newtown AFC (Wales)

Newtown have had some Covid setbacks of their own. Rumours last week suggested that four players would be unavailable for this tie. It has since been confirmed that three players will be unavailable and will not travel across the water.

Like Dundalk, their domestic form has not set the world alight. They finished 7th in the Welsh League last year. Gaining ntry to Europe thanks to a successful run in the league’s playoff structure. 

The Robins are currently in pre-season and will have gelling and getting up to match fitness to contend with too.

The managerial situation at Newtown has been much more consistent than Dundalk’s. Chris Hughes is in his ninth season in charge. Appointed in 2013, he guided the Robins to the playoffs for the first time and European qualification, via the playoffs, the following season. In the 2015/16 UEFA Europa League Qualifying stages, they defeated Maltese side Valletta before succumbing to FC Copenhagen in the second qualifying round.



Newtown return to European football for the first time since that outing.

In his press conference, Hughes pointed to Dundalk’s recent tangle with Arsenal as evidence this is a side he is wary off:

"We know they're a good side and obviously played against Arsenal last year in the Europa League group stages and you don't get to that level if you're not a good team.

"But when our backs are against the wall, like we've proved time and time again, we can go as underdogs and upset people and we'll be looking to do that.

"We'll embrace what's thrown at us. We'll go over there and give a good account of ourselves."

Referee:Barbeno Luca (San Marino)

 

MATCH STATS

This is the first time these two sides have met.

This will be Dundalk’s 85th Competitive European Game and Newtown’s 9th outing. 

BETTING

Home 3/11 ; Draw 21/4 ; Away 13/1 .

PREDICTION

Dundalk 2 – 1 Newtown

Dundalk FC

Injured:Brian Gartland, Daniel Cleary.

Doubtful: Greg Sloggett, four Dundalk players unavailable following Covid testing. 

Suspended:None.

Newtown AFC

Injured:None.

Covid:Three Newtown players unavailable following Covid testing. 

Suspended:None.

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