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Dundalk shone positively in the Midlands mist, producing a club-record victory to clinically end First Division Athlone Town’s FAI Extra.ie Cup aspirations with this outright win at Lissywollen.
With nine different scorers, including Patrick McEleney, who also provided five assists, his players gave Dundalk head coach Filippo Giovangnoli an early birthday present before his 50th birthday on Tuesday.
As expected, this marked a record victory in the 100th edition of the competition.
Dundalk now joins Shamrock Rovers in having reached a record for the sixth consecutive final before the teams’ meeting at Aviva Stadium next Sunday.
While this was Dundalk’s sixth game in the same period, Athlone, who finished second-last in the First Division, had not played since defeating Shelbourne in the quarterfinals on Halloween night.
Town’s hopes were further hampered by the fact that three regulars were missing due to suspension and injury.
With ever-present goalkeeper Aaron Myles due to an eye infection, teenage Paddy Martyn stepped in to make his first-team debut.
With four changes from the team that lost 3-1 to Rapid Vienna in their Europa League Group B tie at Aviva Stadium on Thursday night, Dundalk signaled his intention early on and took the lead after just three. minutes.
A route one approach saw McEleney drive the long ball for Michael Duffy’s run behind. The winger did the rest, calmly sliding the ball past Martyn.
The same two combined again six minutes later to double the lead.
This time McEleney shot from the left with Duffy again timing his run well to find the diagonal ball and deftly loop Martyn off his chest.
The situation worsened for Town in four more minutes, when defender Andy Boyle reached the back post unmarked to finish off a corner from Duffy.
To his credit, Athlone tried to play when he could with Mark Birrane and Dean George, his quarter-final hat-trick hero, working with Gary Rogers.
But serve resumed at the other end when Dundalk punished a poorer defense to add a fourth goal just before half an hour.
Once again McEleney was the provider with a cross from the left for John Mountney to score at the back post with a downward header.
Duffy then broke a free kick off a post before a fifth goal that came in the 36th minute. Attempting to play from behind, Athlone midfielder Israel Kimazo was dispossessed by Chris Shields. The captain chose McEleney in the area, who happened to pass Martyn by the side.
The win continued with lone striker David McMillan springing into action, scoring Dundalk’s sixth goal in the 39th minute, after Martyn could only save a cross from Duffy.
Shields was given time and space, having collected Darragh Leahy’s pass, to score the seventh goal nine minutes after the break.
Half-time substitute Nathan Oduwa stabbed goal number eight at home six minutes later, after Martyn was unable to contain a McMillan header from Mountney’s corner.
McMillan then got his second of the game when he converted a low cross from Oduwa in the 64th minute.
Ten minutes later, McEleney set up replacement Jordan Flores to find the net with a left-foot play.
McEleney gave his fifth assist to another backup, Sean Murray, to make it 11-0 with seven minutes remaining.
Athlone City: Paddy Martyn; Evan White (Shane Nealon 33), Scott Delaney, Ciaran Grogan, David Brookes; Adam Lennon, Israel Kimazo (Lee Duffy ht), Adam Lennon, Jack Reynolds; Ronan Manning; Dean George.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle (Daniel Kelly 58), Dan Cleary (Sean Hoare 20); John Mountney, Chris Shields (Sean Murray 58), Greg Sloggett (Jordan Flores ht), Patrick McEleney, Darragh Leahy; Michael Duffy (Nathan Oduwa ht); David McMillan.
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare)
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