The Commentary Box: This Dundalk team has some great prospects

Dundalk collected another three points in their bid to make a quick return to the Premier Division, with a 2-0 win over Kerry FC at  Oriel Park last Friday night.

It was Kerry's first-ever visit to Oriel Park. At half-time, they were unlucky not to be in front. Instead, they were behind from a freak goal by Leo Gaxha.

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What was meant to be a cross, took a sudden swerve and hit the net catching the Kerry defence and keeper completely flat-footed.

Even the Dundalk players in the box and the supporters in the ground, could not believe that Dundalk were in front as the entire Kerry team stood totally stunned that they had gone behind to such a freakish goal.

It was as if the ghosts of Oriel past steered the cross to the net to give Dundalk a lead at the break that they did not deserve.

Manager Ciaran Kilduff made three substitutions at the start of the second half which steadied and strengthened the Dundalk team.

Harry Groome was replaced by Eoin Kenny, Shane Tracey was replaced by Andy Paraschiv, while  Keith Ward was replaced by Luke Mulligan.

Dundalk made one other change on 62 minutes replacing Gbemi Arubi with Dean Ebbe. Dundalk started with one change from the team that did so well in Cobh the week before.

Enda Minogue was back in goals in Oriel for the first time in ten weeks. He had played in Cobh the week before. Sean Keogh was once again left full.

While Aodh Dervin was moved back from centre midfield to the right full spot. Conor O'Keefe was missing as a result of a head injury, which looks like keeping him out of the side for a month. He was badly missed.

Mayowa and Vinny Leonard were as usual the central defenders, while Leo Gaxha and Daryl Horgan were on the wings. Shane Tracey and  Harry Groome were the two centre midfielders. Keith Ward played in behind striker Gbemi Arubi.

The 1,586 crowd were treated to a very forgettable first half. Dundalk never stamped their authority on the game until the Gaxha goal.

However, it is a sign of a good team, when they can play badly and still win. Kerry are managed by Colin Healy who was let go by the FAI from his job as assistant manager of the senior women's international team recently.

Prior to that, he managed Cork City for three years. Healy is doing a good job with Kerry. He had his team well-prepared for Friday's game.

They were unlucky not to go ahead before they were stunned by the Gaxha goal just before the break. Luke Palmer brought out the best in Enda Minogue with an excellent effort.

A bad back pass from Mayowa minutes later left Enda Minogue in big trouble. But Enda thwarted the Kerry strikers as they bore down on his goal. He came way out of his penalty area to clear the ball to safety.

It was Kerry again on 35 minutes when Luke Palmer controlled the ball 25 yards out. His screamer of a shot forced Minogue into another great save.

Four minutes from the break Kerry looked as if they were going to go ahead when Carl McQueen fired in a shot that beat Minogue. Daryl Horgan was amazingly in the right place as he cleared the ball off the line.

Horgan was playing his usual captain's role as he worked so hard and was inspirational. Dundalk have yet to go behind, in the first half of a game this season.

Horgan's block ensured Dundalk's record was not going to be broken. Two minutes after the Horgan clearance, Dundalk were ahead. Gaxha was out on the right wing.

His cross took a wicked dip and hit the net, as the home side dramatically hit the front. You could not but feel some sympathy for Kerry.

They were well organised throughout the half and it was clear that their manager had done his homework on Dundalk.

But the Gaxha goal just before the break was a knockout punch to a very courageous Kerry side. It was a long time since I had seen Dundalk play so poorly. And yet they were in front at the break.

The introduction of Mulligan, Kenny and Paraschiv steadied Dundalk straight away. They were stronger in every department from there until the end.

Dundalk killed the game off as a contest five minutes after the break when Gbemi Arubi went on a great run down the left. His pinpoint cross found Horgan six yards out from goal.

He finished the ball to the net, in a clinical fashion to seal the game. Kerry never stops trying. Joseph Adans went on a scintillating run down the left and was heading for the Dundalk penalty area.

Luke Mulligan ran back 35 yards and cleared the ball from his feet. Luke, like so many other youngsters on this Dundalk team is a great prospect. Daryl Horgan had the ball in the net on 68 minutes. It was disallowed for offside.

Luke Mulligan came close again as the league leaders went hunting for a third goal. It was Dundalk again with just four minutes remaining when Horgan laid the ball so well for Gaxha. His effort came back off the Kerry upright.

There is no doubt that Dundalk fully deserved their win. They finished as the stronger team. They gave nothing away at the break. And when the manager made the changes at the break, it was clear to all that it would be the home side's day.

With Bray going down to a shock defeat to Wexford, Dundalk have increased their lead at the top to six points. Cobh are back in second place as they won convincingly away at Athlone.

The Midlanders are in a serious crisis. A hoped-for takeover of the club never materialised during the week. As a result, they lost five of their players and their manager also departed.

For Ciaran Kilduff, things could never be so good. He has Leaving Cert students, a transition year student and a couple of fifth-year students in his squad.

I have never seen a squad so young to play for the Dundalk first team. I was in no way surprised to hear and see media reports on Friday that Dundalk centre half Vinny Leonard has attracted interest from top French clubs Lyon and Lille.

Italian club Genoa are also said to be very keen on the youngster. Vinny is doing so well at both club and country levels. It's no surprise to hear this news. The 17-year-old will not be doing a Leaving Certificate until next year.

Sean Keogh is also attracting massive interest from abroad. The Ireland international looks set to sign for an English or Premier League side at some stage.

Former Dundalk academy player Sennan Mullen who broke into the first team in 2023 and made 3 appearances for them, is now with top Italian side Torino. Last week he was made their Young Player of the Year.

This was a magnificent accolade for the Cavan youngster to win. He is seen to be a top-class prospect and will make it in the game for definite. He has yet to play for the Torino first team.

He was a sub for them recently. As soon as he plays even five minutes for the Torino Senior team, Dundalk will be paid 30,000 euro by the Italian club.

Manager Ciaran Kilduff told me in a detailed interview after the game that it was a good win. "But I do not think the performance was anything near what we wanted.

"I have said previously that it does not matter what results other teams are getting. A few weeks ago we were six points clear. Then it was down to three. Now it's six again.

We were frustrated with a lot of aspects about that game tonight. It was the quality of Daryl's goal that won us the game. But whether it was deserved or not that's another question. I thought they were causing us problems.

"I thought I saw a little bit of flatness and inexperience in us tonight. You have to be honest. But the lads are honest too. Sometimes you would rather be lucky than good.

"We got a goal out of nothing in the first half at a time when it looked like we were going to concede. Leo will tell me it was a shot rather than a cross for the first goal. But look, it does not matter. It ended up in the net.

"It was something like we said during the week. We looked at their keeper and asked if we could put some balls in on top of him. It was not the keepers' fault. We knew at half-time that we didn't deserve to be in front at the break.

"But Ken Kiernan said to me during the week. We had a 20-man squad tonight and ten of them are in full-time education. Many of these lads are kids. There are TY's, fifth years and Leaving Certs.

"We do have a real inexperienced side to our team. That probably explains the peaks and troughs to our performance. At times it can be brilliant and at times it can be much more different.

''There was a lot of frustration in our performance in the first half and in large parts of our second half. We are trying to set standards like keeping a clean sheet. But Kerry had some very good players.

"But tonight I do not think that we really put our best foot forward tonight. Daryl Horgan is a class player. Last week he got a vital goal and played so well against Cobh.

"Tonight he was class again all through the game and managed to get another quality goal. We want him to be that spark on the edge of the box and get those goals.

"This was the second week in a row that he scored with his left foot. It's fantastic. It's a moment of magic that is going to kill a game.

"And then Leo Gaxha had a shot that came off the inside of the post. I think we know ourselves that the scoreline did not really reflect the true picture. But we will look at it and move on.

"It's not ideal that we were without Conor O'Keeffe and Sean McHale.m There is a chance both will be out for a month. Conor got a bang in the head down in Cobh. He had some symptoms after that.

"They are being assessed. We are still waiting for the exact diagnosis. He is looking at a few weeks on the sideline. Hopefully, the break is coming at the right time. Every game is difficult.

"Next Friday's game will be no different. This has to keep our feet firmly on the ground and not get carried away. Yes, we are top of the league. But there is no easy game. We are finding that week after week.

"We went down to Cobh last week and had a great performance and a great win. Tonight was just a reminder at how difficult it is to win a game in this division.

"Next Friday, we will be going to Wexford, looking for the three points and a win. After that, we are going to have to dust down and prepare ourselves for the rest of the season having enjoyed the break.

"I am aware that Athlone had to release five players this week. We will have to assess things here before we decide whether we are interested in any of them. And also, do not forget the window has yet to open.

"Of course, we have to be looking now at who might become available when the window opens. We will probably sit down with the club this week and see what we need going forward.

"We know that there will be players available in the window. But of course, it all depends on who. But it will only if we need any players that we will sign them. We have played sixteen games this season in the league.

"We have won eleven and drawn five. Do not forget. We are still unbeaten. The panel will not be strengthened only for the sake of it.

"It's going to be all about, if someone comes up and fits the bill can they take us to the end of the season, then of course we will be interested.

"We do need experienced players and we will want quality if we want to push on. I do not agree with you at all that we may need an entire new team if we are promoted and want to avoid dropping straight back down.

"We have a lot of quality here as is. It's a very young quality. The lads here are brilliant. You would go to war for them. But then there is that small group we would like them to take us to the next level.

"The lads here we owe a big debt to. They are working so hard. They are putting in so much at training. People must realise that when you are playing with mainly sixteen, seventeen or indeed eighteen-year-olds, then you are going to have some difficult nights.

"It's easier than to critique. There is no panic in our group and there won't be even when we will lose a game. I would not swap my job here at Oriel for anything.

"I am in a very privileged position. I do not look at my job as a burden or in any way as a stress. I have a great staff, players and supporters.

"I came here to be successful. So there are expectations. I came here to lift this club. We are six points clear, yet we are not even halfway.

"So when we sit back and let the emotions of tonight's game drain away, we can see we have done very well with such a committed group mainly of young players.

"We can say that at this point, we have done very well this season. Enda Minogue has been a credit since he returned. But so have the younger keepers and of course our coach Peter Cherrie.

"He has done so well as a keeper and a coach this season. They are all here for the same reason why I am here and you are here and that is to see success at the club.

"The entire squad are here to get success for the club. They are not in there thinking that the game was great tonight. They are here to set standards for the team and club.

"They are a very honest group. We have excellent players like Daryl Horgan, Aodh Dervin, Peter Cherrie and many others including Keith Ward. We are just trying to blend our players seniors and young together and to be a force in this division.

"We have one more week until the break. Then the players can sit back a little and take stock. We have set very high standards for ourselves at this club in that we want to win every game.

"The players will get the deserved break. But no I will be continuing here at Oriel for that week. On other clubs being interested in Vinny Leonard, I honestly know nothing.

"I was asked that question by another reporter down in Cobh last week. I gave him the same answer. I know nothing about it.

"It's great to hear how well young Sennan Mullen is doing with Italian Serie A team Torino'' The manager was unaware that as soon as he even kicks a ball for the first 11, Dundalk as a club will get 30,000 euro.

"It's fantastic for the young Cootehill lad. He did so well getting into the 2023 team under Stephen O'Donnell.Full credit to Sennan.It's great to see these young lads doing so well.

"As for Vinny Leonard, right now he is a Dundalk player. He is not even in his final Leaving Cert year. I am confident Vinny has a great year ahead of him."

Enda Minogue told me in an interview that it's great to be back playing again after being out for nearly three months.

"I am delighted to be back and am grateful to the staff and all at the club for helping me to get back on the pitch again. It's massive and I am so delighted. It was definitely tough and a mental challenge having to be out for so long.

"You have a lot going on off and on the pitch. It's hard to find the right balance. Anytime I was feeling a bit down, the lads here would gather around and lift you.

"This included the staff and the players if I was having an off day. It's great to be in a place where I felt so supported. It was in Kerry where I broke my finger. But I did not actually know I had broken it in Kerry.

"It was halfway through the second half I did feel a pain in my hand. I felt I must have stumped my finger or something. It was only on Tuesday when I got it checked, that I was not able to train. I went off and got the scans.

"It was discovered then that the finger was broken. It was more than an ordinary break, that I knew was going to keep me out longer than a normal break.

"I had a spiral around the finger. Look, it's one of them things that happens. But you do not know how it happens. I was happy to get the surgery. Now I am feeling good and am happy to be back playing.

"It was tough. But I am really happy to be back playing with the team. My goalkeeping coach, Peter Cherrie has been fantastic. I really appreciate what he does for me off the field and on the pitch as well.

"I know that he has been full of praise for me. But I have nothing but praise for Peter as well. The performances he put in while playing were fantastic. He is an absolute legend.

"I don't know whether he is 42 or 43. But all the boys knew they had a very good keeper in their side when Peter was in goals. He is a great role model for me and the younger keepers in the group.

"I knew when the finger was mended that I had to get back to my full fitness. So I played for the under-twenties in a game on the Saturday before the Cobh game. It was not my best, by any stretch of the imagination.

"But I was back on the pitch. That was the main thing. The boss had admitted I needed to have full fitness. I needed to earn the jersey back off Peter.

"Look, it's nice to be back on the pitch, knowing that I am getting fitter and fitter. I am very happy with our defence. Look, you do not have to look at our age when you are looking at our team.

"We have a young squad. That does not bother us. Sean Keogh plays every week, he looks as if he is 25 or 26. He is only 18. That's how good he is. The same stands for Vinny Leonard.

"He is such a strong centre-half. All the young players play with so much confidence that you would not know what age they are. The Premier and First Divisions have shown how good the young players are.

"It has really improved their confidence. Conor O'Keeffe and Sean McHale have been badly missed as a result of their injuries. The two boys are in my car every day coming up for training.

"Playing Wexford at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday will not be easy. But we are determined to go there and win. We will be training hard next week so that we can get the important three points  and the win down there."

Chairman John Temple told supporters in the match programme that the FAI has informed the club that they need to improve the floodlighting in the ground.

Mr Temple says that for the past few weeks the club has had several contractors around the ground who are submitting their final drafts for the replacement of the floodlights.

The tenders will go to the Department of Sport where they will be scrutinised by Department officials. John Temple says that the club will be advised as to who the club can select for the successful tender.

Then The club will move to replace the lights and switch gears. Due to the ageing of the lights the club will have to carry out groundworks at Oriel.

Have a safe week. Look after each other and please be careful out there.