After winning the League Cup in 1986–87, his first trophy as manager at Oriel, Dundalk finished as runners-up in both the League and the FAI Cup, qualifying for Europe for the first time in five years. The following season started with a visit from Cup Winners' Cup holders Ajax Amsterdam, (many of whose players would be in the Dutch squad that would win Euro '88), and ended with the club's second League and Cup Double - breaking four seasons of Shamrock Rovers hegemony. It was closer than perhaps necessary, with a winless streak of five matches in March threatening to derail their title hopes. But a televised 1–1 draw in the "emotion charged atmosphere of Oriel Park", against fellow title challengers St Patrick's Athletic, sealed the League title. Ten days later, at the end of an eight match cup journey, they won the 1988 FAI Cup Final against Jim McLaughlin's Derry City. Crowds estimated in the thousands welcomed the team back to Dundalk the night of the Cup final victory.