Dundalk are back in the big time

Ciaran Kilduff admits the immediate aftermath of Dundalk FC’s SSE Airtricity League First Division promotion remains little more than a blur, as The Lilywhites struck three second-half goals to sweep aside Finn Harps 3–0 at Oriel Park and seal their return to the Premier Division.

After a cagey, scoreless opening half, Gbemi Arubi pounced from close range to break the deadlock, before Daryl Horgan’s assured penalty placed Dundalk firmly in command.

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Then, deep into stoppage time, Vinnie Leonard’s header sealed the victory and ignited scenes of unrestrained jubilation—a pitch invasion reminiscent of another celebratory night in 2016, when Kilduff scored a late goal in a 4–1 win over Galway United as Dundalk were crowned Premier Division champions.

“It was just a blur,” reflected the Dundalk manager, speaking moments after the jubilant on-pitch celebrations drew to a close on Friday night.

“It will probably be one of them where I look back at the pictures in a few days and realise how amazing it was, because it was an emotional rollercoaster.

“Even Vinnie scoring—a 17-year-old scoring with the last kick of the game—shades of Ciaran Kilduff against Galway for the pitch invasion,” he smiled.

“It’s a special night, a special club. It’s the club that gave me so much as a player, and I’m delighted to be able to give something back.”

The last time Oriel had welcomed a crowd of such magnitude was more than two years ago, for a Europa Conference League clash against Bruno’s Magpies of Gibraltar.

This time, the passion was even more intense—with some supporters even gathering to watch the team’s final training session on the eve of the game.

What followed was an atmosphere seldom experienced at Oriel in recent years, a fitting crescendo to a campaign in which Dundalk completed the league season unbeaten at home.

“It’s been a special week,” said Kilduff. “We clicked back in, and we took stock, going, listen, we just need to win our next game, and we’re champions, and we really had a good week of training. It’s credit to the lads.

“I don’t know how to put this in the right words, but I think the club, in the future, will be indebted to that group. It’s hard in that First Division; it’s a tough league, and only one gets out of it.

“If you’re not first, you’re last, because it’s hard to get out, and we got out, and I hope, in time to come, it’ll tell what that group did.

“It was a very different Dundalk than the one I played for. I’ve said it a thousand times: training in the evenings, students, college, fellas working. We weren’t a full-time football team. We made the best of what we had, and thankfully, it was enough this year.”

He added: “It’s a football town. It felt so different this week; there was excitement, anticipation. I actually felt like this week I was managing the Stephen Kenny Dundalk, because I knew there was a big game on the horizon.

“Some of the other games maybe this year weren’t as glamorous, so it’s hard for people to buy in, and I got that. I’m very understanding of that. I am trying to put things into perspective, but tonight felt like something different.

“I suppose the only nerves or pressure we felt was to deliver, and to get a 3–0 scoreline and a league title was all we could have hoped for.”

Amid the week’s jubilant celebrations, it’s easy to overlook that Dundalk still have one final league fixture to fulfil this Friday night at St Colman’s Park, where they face second-placed Cobh Ramblers—the very side from whom they’ve already taken nine crucial points, a margin that ultimately proved decisive in this season’s promotion race.

“We were a point clear going down there, and we stretched it to four, and then we played them here, and there might’ve been a point in it as well, and we beat them, so they were big swing days.

“To have it won after 35 games is an amazing achievement for the lads. It’s all about the lads. They’re the ones who put their bodies on the line. We broke bones; we had bloody everything done this year, but we found a way.”