Dundalk’s interim manager Jim Magilton admits that a clearout is needed at Oriel Park after the FAI Cup holders slumped to a 5-1 defeat away to Bohemians in the latest dark chapter of a horror season.

Four days after they ended Shamrock Rovers’ 33-game unbeaten run, Dundalk were outclassed at Dalymount Park, 4-0 down after 63 minutes to a 10-man Bohs side who were inspired by hat-trick hero Georgie Kelly, a defeat which leaves them 11 points off third place. And Magilton, the club’s Sporting Director who is acting as interim boss while they search for a permanent replacement for Filippo Giovagnoli, said last night’s display was unacceptable.

“We need a clearout,” Magilton said, puzzled by the poor display so soon after that win over reigning champions and league leaders Rovers.

“You need to recruit players who can handle that pressure of playing here, and there is a certain degree of pressure, you need players who can do that and I think at the minute we don’t have them. We got a lesson in the basics of the game. And that’s not acceptable, you can’t reach the standards and the quality we reached the other night and then come up with that, that’s where we’re at this minute at this club.

“You have to question the character in our dressing room, that’s not acceptable at any level of the game and I said it to these guys. If that sums up where we are at there is a lot of work to be done. They say teams reflect their manager and if that’s me, then I am in a dark place.”