Kilduff matches Dundalk FC's 56-year record with perfect start

Ciaran Kilduff has achieved what no other Dundalk FC manager had managed in 56 years – guiding The Lilywhites to triumph in his first three League of Ireland matches.

Not since Liam Tuohy’s tenure at the outset of the 1969/70 season had a Dundalk manager maintained a 100% record after three league games in the Oriel Park hotseat.

Indeed, Tuohy went on to secure victory in his first six League of Ireland fixtures at the helm of Dundalk, who eventually finished fifth in what was a 14-team championship.

Further parallels can be drawn between the beginnings of both tenures, as Tuohy inherited the heavy financial burdens left in the wake of the high-spending Alan Fox era.

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More than half a century later, Kilduff assumed command of a club that had not only suffered relegation but had, just months earlier, teetered on the brink of liquidation.

A 1-0 win over Kerry in Tralee secured a perfect three wins from three for Dundalk’s new manager, propelling the club to the top of the SSE Airtricity League First Division table.

After relying on defenders in the opening two games, Dundalk found their match-winner from a more expected source, as forward Dean Ebbe netted his first league goal for The Lilywhites, with Kilduff expressing his delight with the Clondalkin man’s contribution.

“Dean was excellent,” Kilduff, an ex-forward himself, told The Democrat afterwards. “He linked up with Daryl Horgan for his goal and pops up in the box. I know his quality. To be honest, he was the sacrificial lamb a little bit.

“In the second half, we needed to change the shape and it’s always an attacking player that you sacrifice to bring on a defensive player. We knew we just needed to match them up a little bit in the wide areas.

“Dean was excellent all night up until that point, but obviously the red card meant we had to tweak the attack, but I’m delighted for Dean and hopefully that’s the first of many.”

Ebbe’s 25th-minute strike set Dundalk off to a strong start, but their momentum was dampened less than 10 minutes before half-time when Leo Gaxha received a straight red card for a reckless high-foot challenge on Niall Brookwell, leaving the team a man down.

“From where I was, it probably looked a red,” admitted Kilduff. “It looked a little bit out of control, but Leo is a huge player for us. He’s been brilliant so far this year.

“Listen, it was an accident though as well. It wasn’t like it was malicious or anything like that. He’s made an honest attempt to play the ball, but his foot was high.

“It was disappointing obviously because you want to always be in control, but it looked bad, so I could understand maybe why the red was given.

“The lads dug him out and Leo will be thankful and I have no doubt that Leo’s looking forward to getting back as quick as he can to help us out again.

“I suppose it simplified the game as soon as we lost Leo. We knew that we had to dig in, but we probably could have doubled it a few times. We knew what we were signing up for then and it turned into a little bit of resilience, but that’s what we’re trying to breed into these lads.

“That win feels as sweet as any of them. It was very tough to go away to Finn Harps last week and get a win and then that adversity there tonight – an hour or so with seven minutes added on as well with 10 players.

“They’re a good team as well. There’s no mean feat beating them and to do it in the manner we did, I couldn’t be prouder.”