Dundalk brace for crucial eight-day stretch in promotion race

Dundalk FC may have opened up a six-point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League First Division, but manager Ciaran Kilduff insists the finish line is still far from sight.

A hard-fought 3-2 victory over Wexford, combined with Cobh Ramblers’ 2-2 draw at Finn Harps, has given The Lilywhites a six-point cushion over both second-placed Cobh and third-placed Bray Wanderers.

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Yet with 12 fixtures still remaining—including a demanding run of three games in just eight days—Kilduff and his players are refusing to get carried away as they remain firmly focused on securing automatic promotion back to the Premier Division.

“No, I really can’t,” he replied when asked whether the finish line was yet in sight. “There’s six points up for grabs next week, you could find yourself joint top.

“Of course, now we know we’re getting into that pivotal part of the season where every three points matters, and every three points someone else drops and we gain is huge, but it can go just as quick. We’re just in the business end now, but there’s one-third of the season to go and a lot of points to play for.”

Dundalk travel to the capital this Friday night to face UCD in Belfield (kick-off, 7:45pm), before returning to Oriel Park just three days later to host Longford Town on the August Bank Holiday Monday (kick-off, 5pm).

From their previous two double-headers this season, The Lilywhites have managed just three points from a possible 12—an area Kilduff will be eager to address over the demanding bank holiday weekend ahead.

“We’ve struggled with the double-headers previously in the other couple of rounds where there was a Friday, Monday, so we’re going to try and tweak things and freshen up,” he said.

“We’re in the pivotal stage now. We’re two-thirds exactly, 24 games gone, 12 to go, one-third remaining, so six points next weekend can be turned around just as quickly.

“We felt down in Bray when we got beaten, and then we saw that Cobh had lost that night against Treaty, we were like, there was an opportunity to go seven clear had we won.

“All season we’ve never been more than seven clear and never been less than one. Now we’re six, so we’re still in that fun zone of anything can happen, but there’s a lot of points still to be played for.”

For Friday’s game at UCD, Dundalk could be boosted by the return of Mayowa Animasahun, who has missed the last three matches but received a positive prognosis from a hamstring specialist, while fellow defender Sean McHale may also come back into contention.

However, long-term absentee Ethen Vaughan has suffered a setback in his recovery due to a hairline fracture in his ankle, delaying his return by several weeks, while winger Norman Garbett, sidelined since March with a hamstring injury, has resumed full training and could be available for selection this weekend.

The UCD Bowl has long been a fruitful venue for Dundalk, with The Lilywhites suffering just a single defeat in their last 14 competitive visits to the Dublin ground.

Currently fourth in the table, The Students come into this fixture in fine form, having won four of their last five league matches—a run that has propelled them nine points clear in the hunt for a playoff place.

“They’re one of the underachieving teams of the season,” remarked Kilduff, himself a former UCD player. “I’ve been very impressed every time we played them.

“Every time I’ve watched them in preparation for them, I’ve been impressed. They were a team at the start of the season, with their personnel, that I expected to challenge.

“Outside of Cork, last year they were second in the division, so you’re anticipating that they’d be there, thereabouts again, and then finishing strong like they always do.

“The students finish their exams in UCD in May, and all of a sudden they kick on then—less distractions, and their football improves. I’m not surprised (at their form), they’ll finish the season strong, and we are in for a really tough game.”