26-04-2025
Dean Ebbe helps Dundalk snap winless run at Longford Town
A brace from Dean Ebbe and one from substitute Andy Parashiv helped Dundalk get back to winning ways and extend their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division to three points.
Bray Wanderers had capitalised on the Lilywhites drawing two games in a row to go level on points with them at the top after the previous night but Ciaran Kilduff's side responded by picking up their 10th win of the campaign at Bishopsgate.
The first chance of the game fell to the home side inside the eighth minute; Fran Campbell picked up a poor back pass but Dundalk keeper Peter Cherrie was quick off his line to save.
Dundalk had possession but couldn't muster up much. Eoin Kenny wasted a great chance to open the scoring in the 20th minute; Harry Groome found Leo Gaxha, he laid the ball off to Kenny who blasted the ball over the bar.
In the 21st minute the game was paused as players and officials joined supporters in a minute's applause for former Longford Town academy player Cian Neary. Town lent their support before the game to the charity Cian's Kennels in memory of Neary.
Dundalk had two chances as they tried to expose the home defence. In the 24th minute Gaxha brought a save out of Harry Halwax and two minutes later the Town netminder easily gathered Daryl Horgan's free. Halwax denied Gaxha again in the 34th minute.
The visitors started the second half brightly. Halwax was called into action to deny former Town player Ebbe in the 47th minute.
The deadlock was broken in the 54th minute; Horgan's corner was headed into the path of Ebbe and he flicked the ball to the net. Ebbe got his and his side's second goal in the 62nd minute when he got onto a pass from Parashiv and he made no mistake.
Darragh Murtagh headed over the bar for Town while Josh Giurgi's free was easily gathered by Cherrie in the 81st minute. A clearance from Luke Wade-Slater fell nicely to Parashiv in the 87th minute and he made it 3-0.
Longford Town: Harry Halwax; Osarze Irhue, Eric Yoro, Aaron Walsh, Dean O'Shea; Luke Wade-Slater, Aaron Doran (Pharrell Manuel 84), Emre Topcu, Mo Boudiaf (Josh Giurgi 63); Fran Campbell (Emmanuel Oluwafemi 63), Darragh Murtagh (Dean George 84).
Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Conor O'Keeffe, Mayowa Animasahun, Vincent Leonard, Sean Keogh (Sean McHale 89); Harry Groome, Aodh Dervin (Andy Parashiv 46), Daryl Horgan (Shane Tracey 89); Eoin Kenny (Keith Ward 69), Leo Gaxha, Dean Ebbe (Gbemi Arubi 86).
