Latest news with #Men'sFirstDivision
Irish Independent
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Dundalk FC made to sweat it out despite Gbemi Arubi double against Wexford
Dundalk might have strengthened their advantage at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division table on Friday night to six points, but the performance against Wexford FC was another reminder that we can't expect this side to do anything easy between now and the end of the season. While Ciarán Kilduff's side deservedly remain favourites for promotion, they once again managed to make difficult work of winning a game which they dominated. That's not to say there wasn't a number of positives to take from a victory that coincided with Cobh Ramblers being held to a 2-2 draw away to Finn Harps. Gbemi Arubi's double was the first time he has managed such a feat in his career. His first-half brace was also the first time that Dundalk had scored two goals in the opening 45 minutes at home in over 12 months - since the 4-2 victory over Drogheda United on July 12 2024. Indeed, on only two other occasions this season have the Lilywhites struck two or more in the first half – the 3-1 victory over Bray Wanderers in the Carlisle Grounds in March and the 2-1 win away to Cobh in May. The quality of Arubi's second and Keith Ward's goals were also worth the admission, but how soft goals were given up to the opposition remains a worry. Dundalk once again dominated pretty much every attacking metric but, as has been the norm of late, they're having to work far harder than their opponents to actually put the ball in the net. While three goals was a good return – particularly coming on the back of back-to-back blanks in the 2-0 defeats against Bray Wanderers in the league and Sligo Rovers in the FAI Cup – the fact that the three points was even in question entering the closing stages was somewhat alarming. Friday night, on the whole, was a great night for Dundalk – back to winning ways, three goals (two of the highest quality) and an extension of their lead at the top. However, the fact fans were left sweating on the outcome – not for the first time – was a reminder that if Dundalk are going to finish top, they're unlikely to do it by steamrolling their way to the title. Bar a small number of games, Kilduff's men haven't won many matches convincingly. Until they manage to turn their dominance into goals, they're unlikely to do so either, and you'd have to wonder whether it will happen at all. Yet two-thirds in Dundalk are on top, with a bit of room for error. There are definitely worse positions to be in. Having failed to score in their last two matches, the home side got off to a dream start when Arubi fired them in front after just 96 seconds, finishing from close range after Wexford goalkeeper Paul Martin was only able to parry clear Eoin Kenny's header from Daryl Horgan's cross. Dundalk continued to dominate and deservedly doubled their lead on the half-hour mark, with Arubi meeting Declan McDaid's flicked-on header with a superb first-time effort that flew past Martin to the right-hand corner. Stephen Elliott's side were gifted a route back into the game five minutes after the restart when Lilywhites keeper Enda Minogue let a punt forward from defence slip through his body, allowing half-time substitute Muhammad Haris to tap home his first goal at senior level against his old club. It looked like the Lilywhites had steadied the ship when Keith Ward volleyed to the net after a McDaid cross was headed up in the air by Dean Larkin on 63 minutes, but a nervous finish was ensured when Mikie Rowe finished from close range three minutes from the end after Larkin's header had kept a cross alive. Despite Larkin going close in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the home side were able to see it through, however, to take advantage of Cobh's slip-up in Ballybofey. Dundalk: Minogue; Wilson, O'Keeffe, Leonard, Tracey (Mulligan 90); Dervin, Groome (Paraschiv 56); McDaid, Kenny (Ward 56), Horgan (R Vaughan 78); Arubi (Ebbe 78). Wexford: Martin; McCarthy, Larkin, McCourt, Crawford (Browne 64); Harnett (Haris HT), O'Brien (Levingston 58); Rowe, McCormack, Oluwabiyi (Wasilewski 64); Dobbs (Flynn 71). ATTENDANCE: 1,632
Irish Independent
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Dundalk FC boss Kilduff wants fans to create ‘electric' atmosphere for Friday's Cobh Ramblers clash
SSE Airtricity Men's First Division The Argus Ciarán Kilduff has called on Dundalk supporters to create an 'electric' atmosphere at Oriel Park this Friday for the top of the table clash with Cobh Ramblers. The Cork outfit closed the gap at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division table to just a single point on Monday with a 1-0 win at home to Kerry FC coinciding with the Lilywhites' first defeat of the season away to Finn Harps.
Irish Independent
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Dundalk boss Kilduff looking forward to much needed mid-season break
SSA Airtricity Men's First Division Dundalk FC manager Ciarán Kilduff admits his young side are 'massively' looking forward to the mid-season break which follows this Friday's trop to Ferrycarrig Park to face Wexford FC. While the Lilywhites won 2-0 against Kerry FC last weekend, to make it 16 games unbeaten and extend their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division table to six points, it was - by their own admission - a sub-standard performance from the table toppers.
RTÉ News
26-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
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).
