Dundalk on brink of top-flight return as Athlone test looms

Dundalk FC could clinch promotion back to the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division as early as this Friday night with an away victory over Athlone Town (kick-off, 7:45pm).

Sitting six points clear at the top of the First Division with three games remaining, a win in Lissywollen, combined with second-placed Cobh Ramblers failing to overcome Bray Wanderers at home on the same night, would secure Dundalk’s return to the top flight with two matches to spare.

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Even a draw could be sufficient for The Lilywhites to confirm their Premier Division status this weekend, provided Cobh suffer defeat.

“If you know anything about us by now, it’s never going to be easy, no matter what way we do it,” said manager Ciaran Kilduff. “We just need to go and beat Athlone. We won’t be thinking about trophies or anything like that.

“We went down to Longford and got beaten. We failed to win in Athlone earlier in the year; we drew 0-0, so it’s one game at a time. I know that’s the old cliché, but I’m probably learning that myself. Not that we took our eye off the ball or anything like that, but it’s literally one game at a time from here.

“If something goes our way next week and we win, if something doesn’t go our way, it’s just once we win. We have to try and win every game that’s in front of us between now and the end of the year, and then we’ll see where it takes us.”

For the trip to Athlone, Dundalk will welcome back Mayowa Animasahun following the one-game suspension that sidelined him for the 3-2 victory over UCD at Oriel Park—a match in which captain Daryl Horgan, despite fears that his season had ended due to a calf injury, made a surprise second-half appearance.

“Daryl trained for the first time the night before, and we miss him,” said Kilduff. “He’s our captain, he’s our leader. He knows this club, he’s living in the town, and his kids are from here. He has an emotional attachment, like the rest of us, to this club. His presence alone brings a fear factor.

“Especially within our dressing room, he leads. Connor O’Keeffe, Aodh Dervin as well—we missed all three of them (versus Longford Town) just for that little bit of character and experience at pivotal moments on the pitch. They delivered (against UCD) in spades, but they’re going to have to do it again next week.”

Whatever the outcome of Cobh’s next two fixtures—at home to Bray and away to Longford—Dundalk know that four points from their upcoming clashes with Athlone (away) and Finn Harps (home) will be enough to seal the First Division title before the top two meet on the final night of the season at St Colman’s Park.

Dundalk have not lost to Athlone in a League of Ireland fixture since 2006, winning 14 and drawing two of their 16 encounters since then. Yet despite that dominant record, Kilduff is taking nothing for granted ahead of Friday night’s trip.

“We just went to the Midlands and got beaten by Longford,” he warned. “We failed to win the last time we were in Athlone, so if anyone thinks we’re going down there to get our hand on the trophy, there won’t be any thoughts like that in the dressing room.

“It’ll be a tough game. We went behind against them (at Oriel) earlier in the season, and we responded brilliantly, but we can’t keep falling behind in games and making life hard for ourselves.

“We have to approach that game with 100% focus, and I would hope after the Longford stumble, we really won’t switch off. But they won’t—they’re that type of group. They’ll be focused, and we’ll make sure.”