Dundalk FC support got “us over the line” says O’Keeffe

Conor O’Keeffe hailed the Dundalk FC travelling support as the driving force behind The Lilywhites’ narrow 1-0 SSE Airtricity League First Division triumph versus Kerry.

Dundalk swiftly sold out their entire allocation for the clash at Mounthawk Park, with the majority of their followers making a weekend of it in Tralee, revelling in the joy of a perfect three-win streak as they lead the First Division table at this early stage of 2025.

Of their three victories thus far, each secured by a slender 1-0 margin, Dundalk faced their sternest challenge yet in Kerry.

Reduced to 10 players after Tralee native Leo Gaxha received a straight red card in the 36th minute for a needless challenge on Niall Brookwell, the visitors were forced to battle resolutely for the remainder of the contest.

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“That’s what got us over the line,” right-back O’Keeffe explained to The Democrat when asked about the impact of the supporters after Dundalk held out for another 1-0 win, courtesy of Dean Ebbe’s 25th-minute goal.

“That genuinely got us over the line, the fans were unbelievable tonight. The noise there kept everyone going, everyone focused and everyone concentrated.

“It’s pleasing to see the mentality of the group. You have a very young group there as well. I’m not sure what the average age is at the moment, but they’re able to step up at times like that.

“That’s where you really have to roll up your sleeves and you get to know what the character of the group in the dressing room is like, when you’re 1-0 down with over half a game to play.

“It’s pleasing to see that we have that ability to keep clean sheets away from home against tough opposition. When you go down to 10 men, it’s twice as hard to do that, so it’s very, very pleasing and it will just gel the squad together even better.

“In all three games, the support has been incredible, so I have to give a major shout-out to the fans – they’ve just been amazing.

“You can start to see a little bit of a bond building again with them. It’s really important and we’re looking forward to having them filling out Oriel next week as well.

“You do create that feel-good factor, but you don’t get carried away either. It’s three points, three games in, we’ve another game next week, three points on the line and you’ve just got to be like that relentlessly throughout the rest of the season.”

Mullingar native O’Keeffe, who joined from Galway United last December, has been a commanding force at the heart of Dundalk’s backline in each of their last five matches, both competitive and friendly, all culminating in an unblemished defensive record.

“Always delighted to get a clean sheet, especially away from home against a really good opposition team,” said the 31-year-old.

“Everyone dug in deep. Enda (Minogue), the back four, midfield and the front players – everyone was part of the clean sheet. That’s what we’re saying in the dressing room, it’s not just defenders or goalkeeper, it’s everyone and we’re all delighted.

“The lads are great personalities; great people and we’ve gelled quickly off the pitch because everyone’s getting on well. When you gel like that off the pitch, you’ll dig each other out on the pitch and you can see that in moments there.

“There’s no one bigger, better, smaller or inferior. Everyone’s together in it, which you can see reflected in the performance. It’s a pleasure to be a part of, even at my stage in life, I’m nearly 12 years older than some of the lads beside me. It’s great and that’s the beauty of football as well.”

Nicknamed ‘Chief,’ O’Keeffe has plied his trade across several League of Ireland clubs, including Drogheda United, Wexford, and Galway. His footballing journey has also taken him to New Zealand at Southern United, as well as to the Irish League with Newry City.

Now, he sets his sights on replicating his 2023 triumph with Galway, aiming to guide Dundalk to Premier Division promotion as First Division champions by November.

“The size of the club, it’s huge,” he said. “The history on the walls around the club, it’s a great, great club and I’m delighted to be a part of it.

“Speaking to the manager straight away, the players that have come in and the staff, just the real unity there based on obviously what’s happened last year.

“Everyone’s in it together to fight, roll the sleeves up and get Dundalk back into the Premier Division and give the fans and the town some happiness after a tough season last year.

“We won’t get carried away. You’ve got to respect every team in this division. It’s probably the hardest division to get out of. I’ve known that the last few years with my last club. You have to treat every game with the utmost respect.”