The Commentary Box: Kilduff leads Lilywhites back to Premier Division

Last Friday was reminiscent of the Stephen Kenny and Vinny Perth days, when Dundalk won five League titles in six years. This time Dundalk won the First Division title which has launched them back to the Premier Division at the first time of asking.

It has been a whole team effort from players to coaches to all the back room staff. One man must take most of the credit. That is manager Ciaran Kilduff, who has guided Dundalk back to the top flight of Irish soccer.

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Last Friday Dundalk ensured they would not have to travel to Cobh next weekend looking for a point to win the automatic promotion spot back to the top flight.

For manager Ciaran Kilduff it's a magnificent achievement. Last time Dundalk were in the First Division it took them seven years to return. They were dour, bleak times in which at one stage the club nearly went out of business.

Attendances sank to around 300 over some of those years. That this did not happen this year is down to the loyalty of the Dundalk fan base and the fact that the Oriel Park side led the title race from the start. It's also down to the 3-0 win over Finn Harps on Friday night.

Ciaran Kilduff's side needed to win their game in Oriel to clinch automatic promotion or they needed Longford to beat Cobh which would ensure Dundalk promotion.

Nobody expected Longford to beat Cobh, but they did. As the goals went in at the midlands venue of Bishopsgate, Dundalk fans worried as their team failed to score in the first half.

They totally dominated. Dundalk were without Eoin Kenny who was expected to play. But the manager confirmed to me before the game that as Eoin was on international duty with Northern Ireland he could not play on Friday for Dundalk.

He was with them all week. Eoin's under 21 side beat Malta 24 hours before the Finn Harps game. But there was to be no outing for the Dundalk midfield maestro, as UEFA regulations did not allow a player to line out for an international team and 24 hours later play for his club team.

Eoin was with some of the players at the dugouts when I arrived at 5.40 pm. He came over to me and shook my hand. I was sure he was going to be in the team. Less than 10 minutes later I met the manager who told me Eoin could not play.

The manager explained to me he had only found out about the rule eight days ago. Thus he had to plan without a player who was having a great season.

Also out were Sean Spaight and TJ Molloy who were away on international duty with the under 17 Republic of Ireland team. Dundalk lined out with two changes from the team that had drawn with Athlone the previous week.

Kenny and Paraschiv were out. Groome and Horgan were in. Peter Cherrie lined out in goals. The two fullbacks were Conor O'Keefe and John Ross Wilson. The two centre halves were Vinny Leonard and Mayowa.

Five midfielders were Aodh Dervin, Shane Tracey, Harry Groome, Declan McDaid and Daryl Horgan. Gbemi Arubu played up front as the lone striker. Dundalk made three subs with 12 minutes remaining. Paraschiv, Ward and Garbett entered the fray.

Mayowa, Groome and McDaid departed to the bench. With about seven minutes remaining Daryl Horgan and Shane Tracey came off and were replaced by Dean Ebbe and Luke Mulligan.

In front of a crowd of 3,358 people, Dundalk just ignored what was happening in Longford and went for the Harps jugular from the off to shape their own destiny.

Dundalk did have a slow start. Twice Mayowa put in two tremendous tackles to stop two Harps attacks. They would have been goals for certain. Daryl Horgan was in excellent form.

His runs down the wing caught Harps flat footed. Harry Groome came closest to scoring for Dundalk in the first half on 15 minutes. Horgan put in a cross from the right. Groome rose high to send a crashing header back off the Harps cross bar.

Aodh Dervin had a 25 yard effort saved, while he had another effort go wide. Shane Tracey twice came close. In one effort his shot was tipped over by the Harps’ keeper.

Peter Cherrie also took off two good saves in the first half when other keepers would have folded. Gbemi Arubi was having a quiet game by the standards he has set.

I no sooner said this in commentary when a mix up in the Harps box allowed Conor O'Keeffe get a cross in from the right. Gbemi silenced me with great ball control as he shot into an empty net.

JR Wilson once again was top class at full back. He looked to be about to score. His shot came off the hand of Conor Tourish. Daryl Horgan stepped up to shoot home the penalty.

That goal came on 59 minutes. Within three minutes Arubi slipped the ball to Horgan. He fired a screamer off the Harps cross bar.

Dundalk looked odds on to go 3-0 up when Harps defender Tourish fouled Arubi in the box. Horgan stepped up to take his second penalty. The Harps’ keeper did so well to go the right way.

Dundalk got their third goal with two minutes gone into injury time when Andy Paraschiv got in a great cross from the right.

Vinny Leonard rose high into the night air like a golden eagle. He swooped to head home a great goal which again gave the Harps’ keeper no chance at all. It was ironic that Vinny scored Dundalk's first goal of the season at Oriel.

On Friday night he got Dundalk's last home goal of the season. The 18 year old has had a great season. He looks to be on his way to Celtic. But they will have to wait another year to get him.

Hopefully he will sign for around 2 million euro. It should be nothing less. It's buttons to British clubs. Dundalk would be able to keep him until the window in July.

The excitement of the night was complete when the First Division trophy was presented to Daryl Horgan. The presentation committee was made up of Mark Scanlon, a league of Ireland director.

SSE Airtricity senior Marketing manager Leanne Sheill and former local TD Dermot Ahern who is the chairman of the National League Committee.

It was a night of celebration. It took me back to the Kenny and Perth era when Dundalk won leagues every year. I think of Keith Ward who gave away his League Cup medal in 2014.

Well I hope he did not give away his First Division Winners medal on Friday night. He also won a league winners medal in 2014 with Dundalk. He has scored some key goals for Dundalk this season, especially when some games were evenly balanced.

I’m sure the work of getting everything in place off the field to meet FAI requirements for Dundalk to compete in the Premier Division next season is already well under way.

The club officials would need to have been working hard on detailed information for the application for the Premier Division licence. This is a huge job.

If the FAI are not happy with Dundalk's application for a Premier Division licence then they will not get one.Thus Dundalk must insure quite rightly that they have everything needed to go into the FAI.

Chairman John Temple, in his match programme notes, says that the Dundalk FC Community Centre is thriving and becoming a true community centre.

It was previously known as the Youth Development Centre. Mr Temple says that plans are advancing regarding what it offers, from local leagues to birthday parties and other partnerships that will sustain the facility for years to come.

Mr Temple says that the centre has become a true community hub with daily pitch rentals, camps and events. He says that the club has been building relationships with long term partners such as Zoma, Blackstone and the Dundalk Credit Union.

John Temple says that behind the scenes the work never stops.Stadium improvements, licensing preparations and community outreach are all part of the vision to make Oriel Park not just a football ground, but a true heartbeat of Dundalk.

Mr Temple thanked the players and the clubs' staff. He thanked the supporters for what he called standing with the club.

He says that the supporters' passion and loyalty continue to drive everything they do. I have to agree. I think the supporters have been magnificent over the past few years.

The burning torch which Stephen Kenny and Vinny Perth lit in the hearts of supporters from 2013 on shines brighter than ever. Despite all the turbulence at board level in the past few years, supporter interest and love for the club has not dimmed.

While the owners will be working hard on getting things ready for life in the Premier Division, manager Ciaran Kilduff will also be a very busy man. He told me he was delighted to win the First Division and get promoted at the first attempt.

“We did not have it easy. We lost 18 players from the squad that was relegated last season. We got early momentum from the young lads in the squad and the couple that stayed from last year's squad.

“The players we brought in at the window such as JR Wilson, Conor O'Keeffe and Declan McDaid made the difference.

“We had lost Sean Keogh and also had a number of injuries. The new players were critical in our push for promotion. We lost Leo Gaxha and Sean McHale through injury. This was a massive blow. But we overcame the problems.

We added Rohan Vaughan to add to the fire power and of course it was the return from injury of Gbemi that really changed things. He hit form and we had a natural striker on our hands. He was great. His 12 goals were huge.

“We had our disappointing nights. But we just had to stay calm and get on with things. Gbemi did not score until May. Then he went on a run and the rest is history. He gave us a great return for someone who was so young.

“It did take Gbemi a while to get into the game tonight.I spoke to him about it at half time. The next thing he had the ball in the net. Before that Harry hit the crossbar.We gradually grew into the game.We knew we were fit tonight.

“We knew the goals would come and they did. I did not know what was going on between Longford and Cobh. I did not care.I knew we had the advantage in our own hands and we did it.

“We did not have to depend on others to do our job for us. I only found out that Longford had won after our own game."

I suggested to the manager that he would hardly get a break over the coming weeks he would be so busy. That would include getting a new squad for the Premier Division. I was surprised by Ciaran's response.

“I have to take a break. I have to talk things over with my wife. I will take stock of things at the end of the season. I am going to have to reassess things.

“It's been a tough job even geographically for me. I have a few things to consider as the season comes to an end. I will then take stock of what's been a brilliant season.”

I asked the manager if he was staying on at Dundalk?

“That would be the plan I will have to have discussions at home as well. There is stuff I need to sort out. I think we are on the start of something here at Oriel. I do plan on staying of course. But I have a young family at home.

“I have to discuss all of this with my wife. It's a privilege to manage this club. But my thing about doing any job is that I can only do it if I can do it right. I would not like to sell the club short nor myself by trying to do something if I could not do it.

“I knew I could do it this year. It has been a great year. I hope to be back next season. This season was very hard. It was tougher than I probably expected. But it was worth it in the end.

“On another matter, Peter Cherrie was fantastic for me. His calming influence and his fantastic experience were just great. He helped me big time to get us over the line."

The manager has been fantastic for Dundalk. But I was somewhat alarmed at his answers to me when I asked him if he was staying on as manager. I had not intended even asking him this.

I had just expected him to say that it would be very busy in the coming months to get things ready for next season. Usually managers say to me they will be very busy and have no time for themselves.

Of course Ciaran deserves to take time off for as long as he wants. Who would have the job of a manager? It is the most difficult of all. But the boss's answer to me leaves some doubt in my mind as to whether he will stay on.

I asked him twice if he would be staying. It was clear for all to hear how much the club means to him. But if he does have any doubts in staying on, this has to be cleared up as soon as possible.

“This is the time when managers must be able to sit down with the chairman and see what's possible squad wise for next season. How many seasons have we seen that the club were only able to sign players from late December on.

“Ciaran Kilduff needs to be proactive as soon as possible to discuss with his existing squad who will be staying and who will be going.

The club have extended Aodh Dervin and Leo Gaxha’s contracts for next season. Daryl Horgan is also in contract for next season. There may be other players in contract as well of which I am not aware.

But the manager will have a tough job next season getting the right squad together to ensure Dundalk stay up. The owners must ensure Dundalk FC does not become a yo-yo club.

This has happened to Cork City over the past few years. Why? I do not know. But it must not be allowed to happen at Oriel.

Dundalk need a considerable amount of outside investment considering their costs will rise now they are back in the top division and how close they came to going out of football last season.

On a personal note, I really do hope that Ciaran Kilduff does decide to stay on. The man has the gift of leadership. He can plan motivate and control. By control I mean he can, after a time, compare his results against his plans.

He came up to me in the press box before the start of the game on Friday and personally thanked me for what he said was all the help I had given to the team and him during the season.

If there was any help given to me it came from Ciaran and his fantastic backroom staff. They were such a help to me when I took ill after the Kerry game in Tralee some months ago.

Ciaran never kept the media waiting after a game. He was always out promptly to give his post match views to the awaiting media.

I have never had a Dundalk manager who personally thanked me for what they saw as help and support during the season in my 35 years of covering Dundalk games.

To the Dundalk manager and all of his staff and players I wish to personally thank you for all you've done for Dundalk F.C. To Ciaran and his backroom staff I really hope you do stay on.

But everybody has to take a look at the toll it will involve. They must look after what's best for their own family first and also for themselves. If Ciaran decides it's time to go, I wish him every good luck.

Dundalk got another great boost this week with news that the artificial pitch has been passed for Premier Division football next season. The test does mean another year of playing on the controversial astro surface.

But it does mean that it saves the club an expenditure of around €400,000 that would have had to be paid out straight away. The club plans to install a new floodlighting system and improve toilet facilities in the close season.

It's been a great year. I would never have thought the club would have been back at the top in such a quick time.

But they have so much to get right off the field, from securing the licence to meeting other FAI requirements. The work behind the scenes is just as important as winning promotion on the pitch.

Have a great week and remember to please look after each other.