This was a world away from Dundalk's last European outing, an Aviva Stadium defeat to Arsenal in December, but it was a landmark night in the career of David McMillan.

His first half header in a comfortable win for Vinny Perth's side over modest Welsh opposition puts the Dubliner on the top of the all-time chart for League of Ireland goals in Europe.

McMillan has now scored 12 goals across the competitions, adding a Europa Conference League strike to his efforts on Champions League and Europa League fields.

He was tied with Glen Crowe prior to this facile success over a side many levels below his previous victims.

Both teams had been affected by Covid issues in the build-up with Pat Hoban, Cameron Dummigan and Sean Murray taken out of the equation for the hosts.

Indeed, it was Hoban's absence that opened the door for McMillan to start.

Newtown's outbreak added to the complication of entering this competition in pre-season and the gulf between the sides on a number of levels was evident from the early minutes.

It wasn't just about fitness as Dundalk simply had better technical players and moved the ball accordingly with Will Patching and Patrick McEleney united centrally with Sam Stanton covering behind.

Derry City confirmed afterwards that McEleney would be rejoining his hometown club at the end of the season, and they still haven't given up hope on signing him in this window.

With progression through each round of the competition worth an additional €300,000 it would be extraordinary if a deal for McEleney was done before Dundalk's interest in European activity ended seeing as Derry would only be able to stump up a fraction of that but these are extraordinary times at Oriel Park.

Perth's squad is slightly imbalanced and they need to strengthen in defence and in the goalkeeping department but the sums of a sale don't add up on the evidence of this encounter.

In the European sphere, McEleney is a major asset although he won't enjoy this freedom against better opposition.

He was central to a lot of Dundalk's better moments, yet the goals came from wide areas with a change of pace catching out Newtown for the opener with McMillan releasing Dan Kelly for a cross that was dispatched by Michael Duffy.

That was just after the half hour mark and McMillan's headline moment quickly followed, the experienced front man getting the requisite power on a header from Darragh Leahy's delivery to carry the ball over the head of the busy David Jones.

From that point on, it was realistically a question of how many although Dundalk snoozed after the restart and Alessio Abibi was called upon to make a fine double stop with Jamie Breese frustrated.

Newtown had their moments in that spell, yet there was always a danger they would run out of steam.

And their hearts were broken when Patching took aim with a 25-yarder that arrowed into the bottom corner, showcasing the ability that made the 22-year-old a star on loan at Derry City earlier this term.

The challenge for Perth is to get the ex-Manchester City trainee to replicate that form with his parent club.

Darragh Leahy has sprung back to prominence under the returning manager and the left back squandered a chance to score before providing the assist for Korean sub Han Jeongwoo put an even more emphatic look on the scoreline.

Dundalk: Abibi, Jurkovskis, Boyle, Nattestad, Leahy; Stanton; Kelly (Han 75), Patching (Zahibo 80), McEleney, Duffy; McMillan (Midstkogen 80).

Newtown: D Jones, Williams, Mills-Evans, Roberts, Evans; Davies (A Jones 88), Rowland (McAllister 68), Fletcher; Rushton (Downs 88), Williams, Breese (Hesden 88).

Referee: Barbeno Luca (San Marino).