The Commentary Box: Dundalk will net a very nice return for Keogh

It was a good night, both on and off the field, last Friday, for Dundalk. On the field, they opened up a six-point lead over closest rival Cobh Ramblers by beating Wexford 3-2.

Meanwhile, Finn Harps held Ramblers to a 2-2 draw, allowing Dundalk to extend their lead at the top by an extra two points.

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Bray Wanderers won on Saturday night, leaving them in joint second place. Off the field, it emerged that Brighton-bound Sean Keogh was due for a medical at the Premiership club yesterday.

Once everything goes well with the medical, Sean would be a Brighton player within days, once he agrees personal terms with them. The Dundalk left-back did not play for his side against Wexford.

I guess Brighton wanted to make sure Sean did not pick up any injury, causing any last-minute complications to the deal. All things considered, it's a great move for Sean.

Brighton have done very well in the English Premiership since their promotion a number of years ago to the top flight.

Republic of Ireland international Evan Ferguson moved to Brighton a few years ago. Injuries and lack of goals has resulted in him going on a year's loan deal to help him revitalise his career.

Sean is going to Brighton for an undisclosed six-figure sum. Add-ons in the long term should mean that Dundalk will net a very nice return for a young player who has given so much to the club.

He came into the side last season when the club were in the Premier Division. He played 11 games for Dundalk last season. This season, he has been an ever-present player in the first team.

He scored two vital goals to add to his key importance to the side this season. At left full, he has been magnificent. Sean has broken through and into the international scene.

He was an ever present on the Republic of Ireland under-19 team this season. Sean made sure that Dundalk conceded a few goals up to now. He will be hard to replace.

To me, if other young players are either going to Europe or the top English sides for a million euros with add-ons, then Sean Keogh is well worth that as well.

However while the initial fee for Sean is believed to be in the six figures. I would like to think it's closer to one million euros than lower. If Dundalk are happy with the deal, I am sure it will all go well, and it will net considerable revenue for the club.

My point is that all talented players from the League of Ireland should either be going to the UK or Europe for a minimum fee of a million euros.

This type of money is a pittance to the big clubs, who come here looking for bargains. Clubs here are much more in tune now, of what they should be asking for their players.

I am sure that Dundalk are one of these clubs.Dundalk can look forward to getting a nice revenue stream from whatever add-ons have been agreed for the future.

Sean is 18 now, and can move directly to the UK, with no worries over his age limiting his ability to move. All under eighteen players must wait until they are 18 if they want to go straight to the UK.

This is good, as young players of 15,16 and 17 have been brought over to the UK by the British clubs in the past. Most of the players do not make it and they return back to Ireland with their confidence shattered.

As a result of Brexit, the under-18 players can move to Europe. It's crazy that they are leaving the country at so young an age 18 should be the minimum.

Manager Ciaran Kilduff says that everybody at the club should all be proud of Sean. "He is a top-class player. He has come through the academy here at Dundalk.

"He has served us so well and is leaving us at the top of the table. He always wanted to play and has given me nothing but 100 percent commitment. So many people at the club are contributing factors to his success.

"We wish him well. Who knows, in years to come, he might come back to Dundalk after a successful career in the UK. I just love to see him going on and doing well.

"It's a great opportunity. Brighton have gone about the whole process the right way. They contacted the club. There was no playing games. We all wish him well."

Meanwhile, Dundalk centre half and Republic of Ireland under 17 international Vinny Leonard is attracting huge interest from English clubs and some on the continent.

Vinny will be 18 in March and will sit his Leaving Certificate in June 2026. Norwich City seem to be very eager to get Vinny's signature.

At least one other English Championship club are also in the hunt for Vinny. He is the most promising player I have seen in a Dundalk jersey for years.

Dundalk boss Ciaran Kilduff says he can not see Vinny leaving at the end of the season. "Vinny is only 17. He has to sit his Leaving Cert next June. I am sure he will be a Dundalk player until this time next year.

"He has a great family around him as well. Vinny is also a very well-grounded young man. He is just loving his football right now. He is about to go to a World Cup.

"You are breaking this news to me that he could be on the move at the end of the season. I do not know anything about this. But I am not surprised..I just have not heard anything in stone about this. Education is important.

"Going over to the UK or wherever, you just do not know what is going to happen. You might get an injury or a loss of form. I think the new rules that players must stay here until they are 18 are so important.

"Vinny right now is well ahead of schedule. I told him before the game tonight that he is brilliant. He is probably thriving in the environment that he is in. He should probably stay in that situation that he is in now for the moment."

I agree with Ciaran. The best thing  Vinny can do for the moment is stay at Dundalk until next June at the earliest. He will then be much clearer in his head what his options are.

There are many experienced football people around Oriel. They can guide this young man to do the right thing. But there are clubs knocking on the door for his signature.

Norwich are so keen to land Vinny. But there are others. We will just have to wait and see what the future is. I was delighted to see Shane Tracey sign a professional contract with Dundalk on Friday night.

Shane has just broken into the first team. Like the other Dundalk youngsters, he looks very impressive. Again, it was great business by Dundalk to get him on a good contract.

Like Sean Keogh and Vinny Leonard, if anybody comes calling for Shane, he will be on solid grounds. This means interested clubs will have to negotiate with both club and player.

The player's welfare is the most important thing. He will get a better contract and a much more secure future if he is on the books with Dundalk.

Over the past fifteen to twenty years, any players leaving Dundalk have been free agents at the end of the season. Dundalk got no fee for them. Jamie McGrath, Daryl Horgan and Richie Towell are among the players to come to mind.

The people running the club then should have ensured these had contracts keeping them at Dundalk. The aim would be that if they wanted to leave, then Dundalk would have got some money for them.

Dundalk's most successful transfer deal was Steve Staunton. He only played a handful of games with Dundalk reserves. Suddenly, he was a Liverpool player.

He was only in fifth year at the De La Salle in Dundalk when he was signed. Liverpool insisted that he sit his Leaving Cert.

When he got set up in Liverpool, Steve's career was just magical, winning everything there was to win. He also notched up over 100 caps with the Republic of Ireland.

Coming back to Shane Tracey, Ciaran Kilduff says he was delighted for the 18-year-old. "We took Shane up from the Bohemians under-20s. Being from Dundalk, we wanted to get him back.

"Our assistant manager, Ken Kiernan, was very aware of the local talent. The objective was to get all the best local players playing for Dundalk again. Shane was one of those players, and we got him.

"He came in here. He had faith in the club. He probably has not that much experience playing at left full. I am delighted that we are able to look after Shane. I am also delighted that we were able to bring him here."

A few weeks ago, I spoke to Sean Keogh after the Dundalk win over Cobh. He told me it was a massive relief to get the Leaving Certificate over him. He was not able to train in the month coming up to the exams.

"I have to try and make a career for myself in football. I have worked really hard for a career in soccer. I have played with the Republic of Ireland under nineteens. I will be looking to get into the under 21's as soon as possible.

"Football can take you anywhere. I am personally aiming for the highest level. I want to play for Ireland at senior level. I go to all the internationals at the Aviva.

"I would be so proud to reach that level in my career. I do not look at any approaches that outside clubs might make for me. I leave that side of my career to my agent."

Sean had a contract at Dundalk, which would have taken him to the Summer of 2026. That was great business by Dundalk. It kept a great player tied to the club and ensured he could be involved in the club's dramatic revival.

Not only that, it ensured that Sean had good stability in his career at Dundalk. He was 100 per cent correct when he said that football can take you anywhere.

I do not think that he would ever have guessed, after three weeks of saying that he would be signing for an English Premiership club like Brighton.

The deal should go through early this week. And as discussed earlier, it looks like Sean could be the first in a line of young Dundalk players who will be either joining clubs in the UK or Europe in the coming years.

Dundalk played well at times on Friday night. But at times, there were a few flaws in the defence and midfield. Wexford were poor at the start, and it looked as if Dundalk would overrun them.

Dundalk were in front within a minute. Daryl Horgan put in a great cross from the right. Eoin Kenny flicked the ball down in the box. Gbemi Arubi smashed the ball to the net from close range.

Gbemi has played very well for Dundalk in some games this season. Friday was one where he was terrific. He got Dundalk's second goal on the half hour.

Declan McDaid made a great headed flick on in the edge of the box. Gbemi appeared from nowhere and smashed a volley to the top right-hand corner of the net. Such was the speed of the ball that it nearly burst the net.

The goal came at the right time. Wexford were putting Dundalk under serious pressure just before Arubi pounced for the second goal.

At half time, I felt that there was still a lot in this Wexford team and that Dundalk were giving me a feeling that they could easily concede two goals that would allow them back in the game.

My worst fears were confirmed five minutes after the break. Former Dundalk player Robbie McCourt saw his weak cross completely fumbled by the Dundalk keeper Enda Minogue.

The ball just went under his body as simply as that. The way was left open for Muhammad Harris to tap the ball into an empty net. Dundalk were now in big trouble.

Six minutes later, Eoin Kenny and Harry Groome were replaced by Keith Ward and Andy Paraschiv. I felt at the time that Eoin should never have been taken off. He was very effective in his attacking role.

I wondered how well Keith Ward would do coming into a caldron with the game so evenly poised. Well, Wardy proved me so wrong. Ciaran Kilduff said he felt he needed an experienced player on the pitch.

12 minutes after being brought on, Wardy answered my doubts and proved me wrong. Declan McDaid got a cross in from the right. The ball came to Keith Ward, who smashed home a volley that was like a jolt to the heart of the Wexford team.

Dundalk's new signing Rohan Vaughan was only on the pitch for less than a minute when referee Kevin O Sullivan rightly booked him for impeding the Wexford keeper.

Vaughan had replaced Gbemi Arubi on 78 minutes, while Darth Horgan was replaced by Dean Ebbe at the same time. I was impressed with Vaughan's speed and strength.

Hopefully, he will be able to put the ball in the net on a regular basis. His brother, Ethan, looks like he will be out for the rest of the season.

He was injured in a preseason game and has been out until now. He was injured in a comeback friendly and now has his foot in a boot. It looks like his season is now over, that never really began.

Wexford continued to pressure Dundalk. Three minutes from time, they were back in the game. Dean Larkin hooked in a looping cross in the penalty area. Mikie Rowe was on hand to shoot past Declan Minogue.

There was nothing he could do about the shot. Shane Tracey was replaced by Luke Mulligan. I was glad to see Luke getting a run, however small of a time. Wexford nearly levelled deep in injury time.

Dean Larkin had an effort go agonisingly wide of the post. Dundalk have played Wexford 18 times since they became a League of Ireland team. They have only beaten Dundalk once.

Thus Dundalk are six points clear at the top. But they have two very difficult games over the Bank Holiday weekend. Next Friday they face a UCD team in Belfield that are the in-form team of the first Division at the moment.

They are very much in the race for the playoffs. They did have a poor start to the season. But that was down to the state of their pitch. This was due to the fact that the University Rugby team's season had come to an end.

They will challenge Dundalk for the full 90 minutes. Dundalk will have to be at their very best to get the points, or indeed a point. On the bank holiday Monday, Dundalk will face Longford Town.

They caused Dundalk no end of problems on their own pitch the last time the sides met. But Dundalk should be good enough to get all three points. Kick off is at Oriel at five pm.

However, I saw Bray Wanderers playing Longford Town on Saturday evening in Longford. It was a game Longford should have got something from.

Bray struck with a late goal, three minutes from time, to collect all three points. The Wicklow side are now just six points behind Dundalk again.

They have moved into joint second with Cobh. They have won their last six games in a row, five in the league and one in the FAI Cup.

New striker Rohan Vaughan has been in the town for the past two weeks. He says he has been settling in very well and has been really made to feel at home by all of the Dundalk players and staff.

"My brother Ethan is here, and he has helped me massively. All in all, I feel very good. My training levels are very good, even though it's the off-season in England. I am getting the minutes in my legs.

"All I can do is my best while I am here. I have come here hoping I can help the gaffer win the league, and of course, the lads in the team.

"We did concede a silly goal at the end. But we worked very hard as a unit, to see out the game and get the points, and that is what we did."

Dundalk skipper Daryl Horgan says the win was very important after losing two games on the bounce and playing very well in both.

"We started the game very well and led 2-0 at the break. They really went 4-2-4 in the second half. They went really direct and scored a couple of goals. We probably could have seen the game out a bit better.

"But with three points on the board, it's a great win. Gbemi scored two terrific goals. Not only that, he led the line. He was like a battering ram up there. His link-up was top class. Everything about him was good tonight.

"Enda did make a mistake for one of the goals. But any keeper can make a mistake. That's obvious. He knows that. It was important that Enda was helped get over the line by the rest of the team.

"This season, he has helped us over the line on many occasions and will do so again for the rest of the season. Mistakes happen.

"You just get on with it. We all make mistakes. There is a long way to go in this league, even if we have a six-point lead.

"We have a massive weekend ahead of us next weekend with two games against UCD, who are the form team with Bray in the league and then a home game against Longford at Oriel on the Bank holiday Monday.

UCD are really flying now. Their pitch at the start really hindered them. They are playing well and are a very good side. On the balance of play tonight, we played very well. Look, we won, and that is all that matters.

Sean Keogh has been a top-class player for us, as he gets ready to join Brighton. He is a class act. And that's football. We will miss him. We want our young players to go and hit heights.

It can only benefit the club and the team. It's someone else's chance now. Shane Tracey had an excellent game at left back tonight. There are a lot of young players in the club now who have great opportunities ahead of them.

There are a lot of really good players in the academy and in our first team. And I am an old head now and can help to guide them as team captain.

Two-goal hero Gbemi Arubi says he was really buzzing at getting the two goals that won Dundalk the points. It was the first time that he scored twice in a competitive game.

"The first goal came about when Eoin Kenny set me up well. His pass was parried by their keeper, and I just buried the loose ball to the net. My second goal was an instinctive one. "

I just saw the ball there. As a striker, I had to go for it, and it just came off. I was happy to get my first two competitive goals in a game, especially for Dundalk. I will save the hat-trick for next week.

"They came back with a goal. But Wardy, with a moment of magic, came up with a goal that restored our two-goal lead. They did get a great goal near the end. But we saw the game out.

"We are just happy pushing on and hoping to maintain the progress we are making, until the end of the season I am just pushing on now and trying to show the manager that I am the man who will do the job of striker. I am just going to have to try and do this every week.

"I will be competing with our new signing Rohan now for the role as striker. There is always competition for places throughout the team, and that's both healthy and good.

"Rohan came on later in the game. He did very well. So there is good competition for me to push him on and him to push me on. I did not mind being taken off for Rohan. Obviously, there will be another day for me to get my hat-trick."

Dundalk boss Ciaran Kilduff says he has seen his side play better previously and not win. "And then we probably didn't play as well tonight and won. The objective tonight was to get three points.

"We are delighted to get them. We will take as much as we can from the game. Of course, we know it was nervey. If you had offered me a 3-2 on my way up to Oriel, I would have been very happy to take it.

"Gbemi had a great game for us tonight. It was certainly something that we needed. We asked players to put their hands up and tell us that they deserved to be in the team.

"Gbemi certainly did that for us in the first half. His first goal settles the place down. Then we had young Keith Ward to turn on the style and win it for us with an excellent third goal.

"Goals are important, and goals win games. That happened tonight. Even though we are league leaders, there is no massive gulf between any of the teams in the Division.

"That's why I was not surprised at all that Wexford pushed us all of the way tonight and that it turned out to be a narrow win. The goal we gave away was poor. Enda has put his hand up and we accept that.

"The lads dug in and dug him out tonight. Enda has dug the rest of the team out by making key saves in the past, and he will do so again."

Mayowa was put through a strong strength and conditioning session for an hour before the game. He told me that he would be back for the UCD game.

The manager says that if Matowa had his way, he would have been back the week before for the Sligo game. "He went to Fearghal Kerin, one of the best hamstring specialists in the country, on Thursday.

"He got good news and tested quite well for the consultant. He probably thought he had a couple of weeks before Mayowa would be available. But the news is that he could be available next week.

"Mayowa is like the rest of the players. He is honest. But we just do not want to make any silly errors. This week was certainly too soon. Hopefully, next week he will be available."

Former Dundalk player Ryan O'Kane got the winning goal in Sligo Rovers' 3-2 win against Cork City. The win all but sealed Cork's fate for the drop next season.

Sligo gave themselves a great chance of avoiding the playoff spot where they are now. They were two-nil down in the game. They came back to win it, with the O'Kane priceless goal.

Have a safe week. Please look after each other. And remember to be careful out there.