Kilduff has 'eyes on the prize' after near-perfect start in hotseat

Ciaran Kilduff spoke with pride as he reflected on a remarkable first half of the season, with Dundalk FC sitting six points clear at the summit of the SSE Airtricity League First Division.

The Lilywhites, relegated last year and the final club among the League of Ireland’s 20 teams to secure a licence for the 2025 campaign—following a period of grave financial turmoil that nearly pushed them into liquidation last September—have staged a dramatic resurgence.

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Under Kilduff’s stewardship, having taken the reins in November, Dundalk have remained unbeaten, recording 12 victories in 17 matches in their pursuit of immediate promotion back to the Premier Division.

“That the club is always sticking together,” the Dundalk manager replied, when asked by The Democrat what had pleased him most during his first six months at the helm.

“Every time we win, it’s such a novelty for the lads to be clapping their fans. They’re young lads, and they’re taking turns at who gets to give the big cheers — it’s great to see.

“I know some of these lads can’t believe their luck where they are, but it’s not luck — they’re working hard, and they’re giving everything. I’m very close with all the staff there, and we are all in too. We’re with the lads in there, and everything we do is for them.

“I’m just delighted for them that they got a great reward for all the hard work they’ve shown to this point. We don’t get a trophy, we don’t get promoted or anything yet, but we’ve got to a checkpoint in the season where you’re going, okay, we can be proud of that section — but now we go into another one, and it’s going to be harder because it’s the business end.”

He added: “It’s one game short of the halfway point, but to accumulate 41 points out of 17 games with a brand new team — lads who are still getting their first taste of senior football and stuff like that — from the staff’s point of view anyway, it’s nothing but pride.

“I’m also very proud of the club — from John Temple and the investors, Chris (Clinton) and all them — the amount of work people put in. We get the emotional buzz, but there were also some bleak moments over the winter months, and to be standing here at the halfway point, top of the table and unbeaten, is testament to the entire club — the supporters as well — because we’re going to need them tenfold in the next half of the season, because that’s where the big prizes are. But to this point, for the club, I couldn’t be prouder of us all.”

With 19 games remaining, starting with a home fixture against UCD at Oriel Park on Friday week, Dundalk are now odds-on favourites to claim the First Division title and automatic promotion in October, though both Cobh Ramblers and Bray Wanderers remain in pursuit, sitting six and seven points adrift respectively.

“We’re unbeaten, and we’ve seen everyone,” said Kilduff. “We’re top of the table. Of course we’re going to try and win it from here, of course we’re going to go for it now, but we still have a lot to prove yet. Our eyes are on the prize firmly now, and we’ll take confidence from the first half.”

Expected to rejoin the squad after the mid-season break are Norman Garbett and Ethen Vaughan, neither of whom has featured in the league this season due to hamstring injuries, with both players anticipated to make their return to action in July.

“Both of them are on pitch sessions now, so I’d say two weeks after the two-week break, so we’re probably looking at a month, but from where they’ve come from, the medical department, Patrick (Levins) and the lads, have all been brilliant. They’re nearly there now, thankfully.”

Meanwhile, it is understood that right-back Conor O’Keeffe—absent for the past two matches after suffering a concussion in the recent 2-1 win away to Cobh—is not expected to return to action until the end of June.

Sean McHale, on the other hand, is expected to be back in contention for the clash with UCD on Friday week, having missed the last three matches through an ankle injury.

To strengthen his squad for the second half of the campaign, Kilduff has also indicated he is aiming to add up to three new players when the summer transfer window opens in July.

“We’re talking to a few,” he confirmed. “We’re going into the business end, the FAI Cup is coming up. We’d like to strengthen our hand a little bit, and we’re just trying to add a few to the group.

“When you go the whole first half of the season unbeaten, it’s nothing to do with what we’ve got. It’s about can we take it to the next level now, so hopefully, if the right players are available and they fit to the way we’re trying to do things within the club, we’ll definitely have some new additions.”