Greg and Gary ready to tackle Molde

Published: Wed 21 Oct 2020, 6:56 PM

The Meath theme at League of Ireland champions Dundalk is set for some serious European tests over the next seven weeks as the Louth club samples top grade Europa League football with potentially huge financial rewards.

Greg Sloggett (Gormanston) and Gary Rogers (Bohermeen) are the men most likely to have a key role to play in terms of creating chances and keeping goals out as Norwegian side Molde visit south Dublin's Tallaght Stadium on Thursday for the opening exchanges in Group B of the Europa League.

Dundalk earned the Group B ticket at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday 1st October with a 3-1 victory against a team from the Faroe Islands, Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag in the final play-off round.

Ranked as fourth seeds for the group draw Dundalk were handed ties against Arsenal, Rapid Vienna and Molde and new manager Filippo Giovagnoli and the players begin the journey this week.

The game against Molde will be played at Tallaght Stadium while Rapid Vienna and Arsenal will visit the Aviva which is unavailable this week due to IRFU schedules.

It's a hectic spell for Dundalk who were in action on Monday night against Derry City and on Sunday they travel to Waterford in their quest for European qualification again in 2021.

For League of Ireland clubs European football guarantees a boost to finances and securing that place in the group phase was worth almost €3,000,000 to the club from the Wee County.

Dundalk will not retain the title this season, but they took a significant step towards securing European football next year with a 2-1 victory over Derry City at the Brandywell on Monday night.

Goals from Sean Murray and Jordan Flores eased Dundalk four points clear of fourth-placed Waterford and they will play the Munster side next Sunday.

Sloggett featured in Monday night's game, but Rogers had a place on the bench as number two 'keeper Aaron McCarey started.

The game against Molde will represent a significant step up for Dundalk, but it's a challenge that both Meath men are relishing with a trip to London the following Thursday to tackle Arsenal.

GREG SLOGGETT

The Gormanston man, whose father Eric is from Fulham (London) and a mother (Fiona) from Drybridge (Drogheda) signed for Dundalk this season, but he arrived at Oriel Park in a somewhat circuitous route.

The route from Gormanston was via Balbriggan (Glebe North), Drumcondra (Home Farm), Whitehall (St Kevin's Boys), Belfield (UCD) and Derry.

"I played schoolboys football with Glebe North, I started with them and then moved to Home Farm and on to St Kevin's Boys, it was all Dublin-based teams," he told the Meath Chronicle.

"Primary school was at Balscadden and then it was into Drogheda, St Oliver's, for secondary school.

"I played a bit of Gaelic at primary school and up to the junior cert in Drogheda, but I was more interested in football

"I joined UCD 19s while I was in my Leaving Cert year, it was hectic enough travelling from Gormanston to UCD for training and to Drogheda for school. After the Leaving Cert I studied computer science at UCD and played football as well.

"I had four seasons with UCD, the club was relegated in 2014 when I was pushing for a place on the first team and they also qualified for the Europa League.

"I missed out on the European games with them in 2015 as I was recovering from a hip injury.

"UCD had qualified through the UEFA Fair Play League and I was part of the squad and travelled for the games against Dudelange and Slovan Bratislava.

"We did well despite the fact that nearly everyone was writing off our chances, we beat Dudelange on away goals, but Slovan were too strong for us in the second qualifying round.

"I got on well at UCD, but in the 2018 FAI Cup we played Dundalk in the semi-final at Oriel Park, they struggled to beat us 1-0.

"Declan Devine, the current Derry City manager was an analyst for RTE at the game.

"Then he got the manager's job for last season and he contacted me, I was working at the time and I had a few options, but I liked the prospects of playing in the Premier again.

"I had graduated as a software developer and worked full-time for three months with a company in Dublin, then I signed for Derry City.

"While I was up there I was able to continue working remotely on a part-time basis for the same company and it all went well for me.

"The move to Dundalk has worked out well also and although it has been an unusual season on a number of fronts, I'm really enjoying my football.

"The European involvement just keeps getting better and better and obviously the tie everyone is talking about now is the second game, next week, against Arsenal.

"My brother is an Arsenal supporter so I will probably have to have a word with him about that.

"We have the game this week against Molde and after Monday night's game away to Derry City that's where our focus is now.

"We will be positive going into every game and we cetainly believe that we can get a result against Molde this week.

"I'm enjoying my football, that's important, the other players are brilliant to work with.

"Regarding the Covid-19, I'm nearly all tested out at this stage, I'd say I've had about 13 or 14 tests.

"We all want a big performance on Thursday night, hopefully we can do it and set ourselves up for the trip to play Arsenal the following week," he concluded.

GARY ROGERS

Twenty one years in the League of Ireland playing at the top level is a remarkable achievement.

It's remarkable for a number of reasons, none more so than the uncertainty with many clubs in relation to finances and the customary short-term contracts that arise out of that uncertainty from one season to the next annually.

Bohermeen man Gary Rogers has coped admirably with all the pressures that off-the-pitch matters might generate.

He is now in his sixth season with Dundalk and preparaing for another 'biggest game of my career' as he provides the last line of defence for Thursday night's Europa League outing against Norwegian side Molde.

It will be the second time that Rogers will face Molde having played against them in a Champions League qualifying round in 2013 for Sligo Rovers, another Dundalk player, David McMillan, also featured in that game.

Then managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjær, the Norwegian side progressed with 1-0 and 2-0 victories over the two-legged tie, but Rogers is confident that Dundalk can get a result this week.

"Playing in Europe is the barometer for any club player, how good are you and how can you perform against the top sides," remarked the Bohermeen man as he took a break from minding his nine-week old daughter and third child to speak to the Meath Chronicle at the weekend.

"I've looked after myself in my playing career and I'm looking forward to the big games now starting with Molde at Tallaght Stadium this Thursday night.

"It's an unusual season, we all know that, we trained through lockdown and it was hard to know what was right and wasn't right during that time.

"It's also only half a season in the Premier League and that has proved costly for us, with 18 games we had no room for a blip, but that's the way it turned out.

"Then we had the managerial situation with Vinny Perth going after the defeat in Slovenia, Alan Reynolds and John Gill took temporary charge and our form was poor.

"We lost in Sligo and that was a definite low point for us, but we have recovered with a new manager who is doing a good job in what was a challenge for him also.

"We are in the FAI Cup quarter-finals and the group stages of the Europa League, that's not too bad for what might be called a bad season.

"It's in our own hands to qualify for Europe again next season and I'd be confident that we will get across the line in that.

"Looking to the Europa League, the extension to the season here will help us to keep competitive. Playing the third ranked team (Molde) at home in our opening game, it's a great opportunity to get a win.

"I've played against them before, when I was with Sligo and we also beat another Norwegian team, Rosenborg, so we have to approach this game with a view to winning it.

"Molde will be classified as a far superior team to Dundalk, but we won't mind that and we are more than capable of getting a result.

"We have good players at Dundalk and if you can play to your full potential in any game then you have a chance of winning.

"We won't be going out to enjoy the experience, we want to qualify from the group and a winning start will be a minimum requirement.

"Arsenal will be expected to win all their games, so it will be between the other teams for second place.

"We have played Austrian opposition before in pre-season friendlies and we know we can compete at that level, this year we played Cluj and CSKA Moscow in pre-season.

"It's always difficult with a new manager, but he has come in and has handled the situation well, he has turned things around.

"He is very positive, when he came in the first day he knew everyone’s name, that was impressive, he did his homework and he was clear what he wanted to do.

"There was pressure on him also so I couldn't fault him, we picked up and got on with the job, hopefully we can keep it going on Thursday night," he concluded.

Also part of the backroom team at Dundalk is Noel walsh from Kentstown while another top young Meath goalkeeper, Jimmy Corcoran, is a member of the panel.