Mulligan's late goal seals victory for Dundalk against Wexford

Dundalk FC maintained their commanding six-point cushion at the top of the SSE Airtricity League First Division heading into the mid-season break, following a pulsating 3-2 triumph over Wexford at Ferrycarrig Park.

Leo Gaxha opened the scoring early for The Lilywhites, but the hosts turned the tide before the interval through goals from Darragh Levingston and Mikie Rowe, handing Wexford a 2-1 lead at the break.

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However, Dundalk’s resilience shone through in the second half, as Dean Ebbe restored parity before substitute Luke Mulligan struck a dramatic 87th-minute winner to seal a vital three points.

A delayed kick-off by 15 minutes did little to dampen Dundalk’s early intent. Within two minutes, Gbemi Arubi fashioned space for himself only to fire well over the bar.

The breakthrough arrived on 13 minutes when Ebbe threaded a clever pass into Gaxha, who, for the second successive game, found the net from a tight angle with a superb finish.

The lead was short-lived. Merely three minutes later, James Crawford’s low cross was deftly dummied by Aaron Dobbs, allowing Levingston to slot home at the far post and restore parity.

Dundalk responded with purpose, nearly regaining the lead when Aodh Dervin, once again deputising at right-back in the absence of Conor O’Keeffe, miscued his effort at the far post following Keith Ward’s inviting corner.

Wexford threatened on the counter, with Kaylem Harnett’s free-kick only partially cleared by Dervin, falling to Crawford whose volley rattled the crossbar.

At the other end, Gaxha nearly turned provider with a low cross that only needed the slightest of touches from Ebbe.

Yet it was Wexford who edged ahead three minutes before the break, capitalising on a loose pass from Mayowa Animasahun. Calum Flynn delivered a dangerous ball across the face of goal, forcing an error from Dundalk goalkeeper Enda Minogue, and Rowe showed great composure to dance past Ward and finish coolly.

The second half began inauspiciously for Dundalk, prompting manager Ciaran Kilduff into a triple substitution before the hour.

That decision was hastened by two threatening moves from the hosts – first, Dobbs evaded Animasahun and Vinnie Leonard but was denied by Minogue, who was soon called upon again to save with his feet after Levingston had broken through, with Ryan Kelly narrowly volleying wide on the rebound.

Dundalk soon began to rally. Daryl Horgan stole possession from Ryan Scanlon and laid it off for Gaxha, who blazed over with the goal gaping.

Ebbe then headed wide from a Sean Keogh cross but made amends 20 minutes from time, bundling home from close range after Horgan’s delivery, finding the net at the second attempt.

With momentum shifting, Dundalk pressed for a late winner. Keogh’s ball over the top fell to Horgan, whose shot was repelled by Wexford goalkeeper Alex Moody.

Minutes later, Gaxha’s driven ball across the box looked destined for substitute Eoin Kenny, only for Crawford to make a heroic last-ditch intervention.

Ultimately, it was another substitute who made the difference. With three minutes remaining, Mulligan rose to meet Keogh’s corner from the right, steering the ball into the net — though a final touch from Wexford’s Kelly could not be ruled out.

It was a fitting climax to a riveting contest, one that solidified Dundalk’s position at the top and underlined their credentials as title favourites heading into the season’s second act.

Wexford: Alex Moody; Zayd Abada, Josh Lyons, Dean Larkin, James Crawford; Kaylem Harnett (Ryan Butler 78), Ryan Scanlon; Calum Flynn (Ryan Kelly 54), Darragh Levingston (Filip Wasilewski 88), Mikie Rowe; Aaron Dobbs

Subs not used: Pa Doyle (gk), Darragh Dunne, Henry Cromack, Mark Imiren, Harry Sherlock

Dundalk FC: Enda Minogue; Aodh Dervin, Mayowa Animasahun, Vinnie Leonard, Sean Keogh; Harry Groome (Luke Mulligan 59), Keith Ward (Shane Tracey 59); Leo Gaxha, Dean Ebbe, Daryl Horgan; Gbemi Arubi (Eoin Kenny 59)

Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (gk), Samuel Safaei (gk), Sean Spaight, Muhammad Haris, TJ Molloy

Referee: Glen Geraghty (Dublin)

Attendance: 897