Towell: I don’t care what people say
He may have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the build up to last Friday night’s FAI Cup win over Galway United but it certainly didn’t seem to affect Richie Towell’s performance on the pitch at Eamonn Deacy Park.
The Dundalk midfielder found himself at the centre of controversy after his kick out at St Patrick’s Athletic’s Jamie McGrath in the recent encounter at Oriel Park. The young Pat’s striker sustained a broken nose, leading to what Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny described as an ’over the top’ and ’vitriolic’ response towards Towell from current players and pundits alike.
However, speaking to The Dundalk Democrat after playing a starring role in the 4–1 win over Galway United, Towell said that it was water off a duck’s back.
“It’s the highs and lows of football, isn’t it,” he said. “Obviously what happened on Monday against St Pat’s wasn’t nice so to come here, play well, score and get an assist is great.
“I think it got blown out of proportion because it was me,” he continued.
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“If it was somebody at a smaller club then I don’t think you’d have heard anything about it but it’s part and parcel of the game. I’ve been getting a lot of credit this year so you have to take the good with the bad.
“To be honest, I don’t care what anyone else thinks of me. I value what my manager, my teammates and the Dundalk fans think and I’m held in the highest regard with them. That’s the main thing.”
Towell confirmed that he had spoken to McGrath and that the Pat’s player had accepted his apology. That wasn’t enough for McGrath’s teammate, Killian Brennan, however, who took to Twitter to express his anger with Towell.
“I think that’s a case of the pot calling the kettle black,” laughed Towell. “He loafed me in our game last year and got a straight red card so I don’t see how he can comment on that.
“I’m a big enough character to accept that what happened was wrong and I rang the lad to apologise. I think it takes a bigger man to do that. Thankfully he accepted the apology and hopefully we can move on.”
Towell took his tally to 17 for the season with Dundalk’s second goal in the 4–1 win at Eamonn Deacy Park and he said that he now had his sights set on hitting 20, much to the dismay of Lilywhites first team coach Vinny Perth.
“Me and Vinny have a little bet going on. Sixteen goals won me and my missus one night away in a hotel and if I get 18 he is paying for two!
“If I get to 20? He’ll be sending me to Marbella for a week! I got taken off near the end and I think it was Vinny who overruled the gaffer on that!”
