This week’s Dundalk FC ‘Did You Know?’

While he pointed all the plaudits in the direction of Brian Gartland and Liam Burns afterwards and admitted he just took on a watching brief, the fact that Dundalk claimed three points under his watch on Friday night means that Noel King is the first permanent Lilywhites manager to win their first league game in charge since March 5, 2010, when Gary Breen's last gasp goal earned Ian Foster's side a 1-0 win away to Bray Wanderers. In between, Seán McCaffrey, Darius Kierans, Stephen Kenny, Vinny Perth, Filippo Giovagnoli and Stephen O’Donnell all drew their first games in charge. The last permanent Dundalk manager to win their first game at the helm that was also at Oriel Park was in August 1996 when John Hewitt got his reign up and running with a 1-0 victory over champions St Patrick’s Athletic courtesy of an own goal by Packie Lynch, whose back pass was allowed slip under the foot of goalkeeper Jason Byrne. It was King’s first time managing in the League of Ireland in two decades having stepped down as Finn Harps boss 20 years and one day prior.