McDaid looks to replicate Scottish promotion magic with Dundalk

Declan McDaid proved instrumental in Dundalk FC’s stirring 3-2 comeback victory over UCD, winning two decisive penalties as The Lilywhites continued their march towards the SSE Airtricity League First Division title.

Trailing 1-0, Dundalk were sparked into life when McDaid, following a slick exchange of one-touch passing with Gbemi Arubi and Eoin Kenny, tumbled inside the area under the challenge of Louis Dignam—a call that drew immediate protest from the UCD camp.

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Arubi coolly levelled from the spot before McDaid, hauled down by Eanna Clancy, won a second penalty that Arubi also converted to put Dundalk in front, with Kenny adding a third that ultimately sealed the victory.

Yet it was McDaid’s first, contentious intervention that ignited Dundalk’s revival—a moment that shifted both the momentum of the match and the mood of Oriel Park.

“All I remember was playing a quick one-two with Gbemi, then bounced it with Eoin as well. I’m in the box and about to hit the trigger, and feel the contact. I went down, and the ref has given it,” McDaid reflected to The Democrat afterwards.

“I had a kick on my ankle. I don’t know if he won the ball first—I can’t remember—but I definitely know I got kicked. It’s the ref's decision, he’s made the decision, and Gbemi puts it away, so that’s all that matters.

“Then we get the second one. There was no doubt about that anyway—the boy pulls me down, and again, Gbemi steps up, tucks it away, does what he can do.

“That sets us on our way, and then Eoin gets the third. I was just doing my job. It’s not up to me, the decisions—it’s up to us to put it away, which Gbemi did.”

The victory over UCD arrived just a week after Dundalk had endured a shock 3-2 defeat away to Longford Town—a display that manager Ciaran Kilduff described as the team’s poorest of the season.

“Last week was not really acceptable for what we’ve been this year,” McDaid admitted. “It was a complete off night; everyone knew that. It wasn’t like us, and the manager was obviously critical. We were all critical of ourselves—we all knew ourselves.

“It was a freak result, and we knew we had to correct it tonight, and that’s what we did. We came back with a massive win in a big game. That’s all we can ask for, and now it’s on to the next game again.”

Dundalk’s next test comes on the road this Friday night (kick-off, 7:45pm) against bottom-placed Athlone Town—a familiar setting for the 29-year-old Scotsman, who departed the Westmeath club in May amid financial troubles before joining Dundalk in July.

“Of course they’ve had a tough season,” he recalled. “When I was there, it was tough, and it’s still been tough for them since then, but they came up here and took the lead against us. They’ve got some decent players, so it’s not a given.

“They’ve drawn a few, and they’ve been scoring goals, so it’s definitely a tough game going down there—a big pitch as well. We just need to go, focus on ourselves, and try and get the three points and get out of there.”

McDaid is closing in on 100 appearances across both League of Ireland divisions, having first arrived at Bohemians in 2022 and spending two and a half seasons there before making the move to Athlone ahead of the current campaign.

His career began at hometown club Greenock Morton, before going on to rack up 175 appearances across Scotland’s top three divisions, including many in the Premiership with Partick Thistle and Dundee.

He tasted promotion to the top flight with Dundee via the playoffs in 2021, but it is his earlier triumph with Ayr United—League One champions three years prior—that now serves as a source of inspiration for Dundalk’s ongoing push for promotion.

“I’ve been in situations like this,” he said. “I keep reiterating to the lads that it’s not over until it’s over. Until it’s mathematically done, it’s not over. You just take it a game at a time until you’ve been told you’re champions, and that’s all you can do.

“I’m absolutely loving it,” he added. “It’s probably one of the happiest I’ve been in my career. It reminds me of my time when I was in Scotland at Ayr United—just a great group of lads, with some young lads and older lads.

“At that time, I was the young lad with the older heads. It was a good combination, and it’s similar here—a lot of young, amazing players, a young group with some older heads to help them.

“I’m really enjoying it. The manager has been great, the staff are great. Obviously, it helps when you’re winning a lot. It’s been really enjoyable, and we just want to finish it off now.

“I was there with Bohs before, and that’s where you want to play when you’re in this country. You want to play at the highest level and test yourself, especially with this group—a few young lads, but they’re definitely more than good enough. I’d love to play in the Premier with them next season. We just need to do what we can, take each game at a time.”