Dundalk missing key players for crucial Longford clash

Dundalk FC will be without both captain Daryl Horgan and vice-captain Aodh Dervin when they meet Longford Town in the SSE Airtricity League First Division at Bishopsgate this Saturday evening (kick-off, 7:30pm).

Manager Ciaran Kilduff has confirmed to The Democrat that skipper Horgan faces “a couple of weeks” on the sidelines after sustaining a calf injury in the recent scoreless draw away to Wexford, while Dervin—booked for the 10th time this season during the 3-1 victory over Bray Wanderers—must serve a one-match suspension against his hometown club.

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Though Horgan will be a significant loss for The Lilywhites, Kilduff remains hopeful that Dundalk supporters will see the Galway man charging down the wing again before the season’s end.

“He got a scan; it wasn’t a perfect scan,” the Dundalk manager explained following the victory over Bray. “I don’t think his season is over or anything like that, but it’s just going to be a couple of weeks to get him right. Obviously, tonight was too early, potentially next week too, but I know Daryl—he’ll do everything he can to get himself right.

“He’s our captain, he’s our top scorer, and he’ll want to be back as quick as he can. Tonight we were excellent in his absence, if that makes sense. We knew he’s a big player for us. He’s always an ever-present, so I’m delighted for the lads tonight, but looking forward to getting him back as quick as we can.”

Another significant setback for Dundalk is the absence of midfielder Dervin, who has logged more minutes this season than anyone except Horgan.

In Horgan’s absence, Dervin captained the side against Bray, during which he received a costly yellow card just before the hour mark for a seemingly innocuous foul on Billy O’Neill in the centre of the pitch.

That caution came only a week after Mayowa Animasahun—now just one yellow card away from a similar suspension—was also handed a harsh booking in Wexford.

“I don’t think (the referees) can be as flippant and as casual with the yellows as they were at this time of the season,” said Kilduff. “It can cripple a team. We’re already without our captain. Next week we’re going to be without our vice-captain.

“I’m not bemoaning anything. I’m just making the point. Be sure if it’s yellow—maybe it was yellow, I didn’t see it perfectly—but I’m surprised it’s only 10 with the way Aodh plays anyway. It’s at a pivotal moment, and he’s going to miss a key game, but he’ll be around the group, giving us everything as always.”

Though sidelined since June with an ACL injury, Leo Gaxha has joined Dervin and Horgan on the list of players signed for the 2026 season, securing his stay at Oriel Park for another year.

“Leo has shown enough in the half a season that he played—what he can bring us. He was a huge player for us. We actually missed him initially when he first got the injury.

“An injury was never going to change our minds as a club. He’s very popular around the place, in the dressing room. He’s been an absolutely brilliant pro, and I was delighted to nail him down for the season ahead.”

Victories in their next three fixtures—away to Longford, at home against UCD, and away to Athlone Town—should all but secure automatic promotion back to the Premier Division for Dundalk, irrespective of what second-placed Cobh Ramblers, whom Dundalk face on the final night, manage over the same three game-weeks.

By the time The Lilywhites step onto the pitch against Longford on Saturday, the outcome of Cobh’s Friday night showdown with Wexford at Ferrycarrig Park will already be decided—adding an extra layer of anticipation to an already pivotal clash.

“We went down there two weeks ago to watch Longford v Wexford—myself and Ken (Kiernan)—in preparation for our Wexford game, and Longford looked very good in the first half. They got a man sent off, and then Wexford came back.

“They have good attacking players. It took an 80th-minute goal here from Eoin Kenny in the first round of games. We fell behind here to them as well, so they’ve caused us some problems, and we’ll have to really prepare properly.

“We still have to play (Cobh). They only have to get within three and shooting distance of us, so there’s nothing near won yet. (Against Bray) we knew we had a tough fixture against a team that caused us problems, and our brief was just to beat the team in front of us.

“We weren’t playing Cobh. We completely put them out of our minds this week in particular. Maybe in previous weeks, there’s always one or more moments where you’re thinking about it, but thankfully we got the win, and that was all that mattered.”