Celtic Legends showed they still have a touch of class at Oriel Park yesterday after beating Dundalk’s 2002 FAI Cup winning side 2-0 in a fundraising match.
Pierre van Hooijdonk gave the Hoops the advantage midway through the first half with a 25-yard lob with Brian O’Neil putting the game to bed six minutes from time when he slotted past Steve Williams from 10 yards after a neat pass from Regi Blinker.
Keith Wallace has a full report on the game over on Oriel Updates, which can be read here.
Dundalk FC will host their main fundraiser of the season this afternoon when they welcome a Celtic Legends team to Oriel Park.
The Celtic Legends – which will include the likes of Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Tom Boyd, Tommy Johnson, Regi Blinker and former Dundalk assistant manager Joe Miller – will take on the Lilywhites’ 2002 FAI Cup winning side that includes two goal hero from that famous final victory over Bohemians, Garry Haylock, as well as locals include Cormac Malone, John Whyte and Cormac McArdle.
Kick-off is at 3pm and a great day of entertainment is promised with everyone encouraged to support an event that could prove crucial towards Dundalk’s financial stability in the weeks ahead.
Previously: Dundalk 2002 Cup winners prepare for friendly with Celtic Legends
Dundalk FC chairman Ciaran Bond has issued an open letter to supporters urging them to support the club’s friendly match against Celtic Legends next Saturday June 22nd.
The glamour friendly, which will see a Celtic side containing the likes of Tom Boyd, Alan Stubbs, Pierre van Hooijdonk and Regi Blinker, taking on the Lilywhites’ 2002 FAI Cup-winning team is Dundalk’s major fundraiser for the year.
In a letter to supporters, handed out before the club’s match against St Patrick’s Athletic tonight, Bond said that the next two months would represent a major challenge for the club but said they could get through it if next week’s glamour tie against the Parkhead legends was a success.
He said: “The next two months present a stiff financial challenge to the new board as we face a period of just two home games. The upcoming Celtic legends match is designed to meet this challenge and the support to date has been fantastic. The game is marked as the clubs biggest fundraiser of the season and as such we are calling on all our supporters to rally around the event. Match tickets are widely available tonight and are keenly priced at €10 for adults ground and stand and €5 for juveniles.
The Celtic squad is littered with former internationals and there is also the little matter of acknowledging the Dundalk heroes of that memorable 2002 cup final .We completely understand the economic hardships that exist today locally and while we know a lot of fans may not be able to attend the match we are encouraging those to buy a ticket as a father’s day gift or a €5 ticket as a supporting gesture.”
The full transcript of the letter can be read here.
Previously: Dundalk 2002 Cup winners prepare for friendly with Celtic Legends
All but two of the 13 players that featured for Dundalk in the 2002 FAI Cup final win over Bohemians have been confirmed to take part in a fundraising match against a Celtic Legends side at Oriel Park on Saturday June 22nd.
The central midfield pairing of that famous April day, John Flanagan and Ciarán Kavanagh, are the only absentees expected, with the other nine starters all set to return to Oriel 11 years on.
Martin Murray will also return to manage a squad that includes: John Connolly, Justin O’Neill, David Crawley, John Whyte, Stephen McGuinness, Donal Broughan
Aaron Callaghan, David Hoey, Noel Melvin, James Keddy, Chris Lawless, Garry Haylock, Martin Reilly, Cormac Malone, Cormac McArdle.
Amongst the Celtic legends lined up to play are Pierre van Hooijdonk, Tom Boyd, Alan Stubbs, Bobby Petta, Regi Blinker and Tommy Johnson.
Tickets for the game are €10 for adults and €5 for kids. There will also be a banquet afterwards in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, priced at €50.
A Celtic legends XI team will be coming to Dundalk to face a local selection in Oriel Park on June 22nd.
Dutchman Pierre van Hooijdonk, who also played in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, has confirmed on Twitter that he will be participating in the game along with his fellow countryman Regi Blinker.
Talk of the Town 