Dundalk return to Oriel Park for Louth Derby against Drogheda

After a winter’s absence stretching 133 days, Dundalk FC return to Oriel Park on Friday night, the Louth derby against Drogheda United marking both a homecoming and an early-season test in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division (kick-off, 8pm).

Since October, the ground on Carrick Road has lain dormant, redevelopment works silencing the familiar rhythms of a match night. By kick-off, more than four months will have passed since The Lilywhites last trod their own turf.

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The expectation is that absence will only have sharpened appetite: a sizeable attendance is anticipated, with the fixture also shown live on Virgin Media Three.

Drogheda make the short journey north in confident mood. Successive victories — a narrow 1-0 win away to Galway United, followed by a 2-0 home defeat of Waterford — have given Kevin Doherty’s side a purposeful start and an early foothold in the table.

For Dundalk, newly promoted and reacquainting themselves with the division, there was encouragement rather than reward in their opener. A 2-2 draw away to Derry City suggested resilience and attacking promise, even if it left a sense that more might have been claimed.

Thus the stage is set for a derby that seldom requires embellishment — sharpened this year by absence, momentum, and the first stirrings of a season still finding its shape.

“What a game,” said Ciaran Kilduff, glancing at the fixture list as he spoke to The Democrat. “We’ve all wanted that fixture for a long time, especially since I’ve come to the club.

“When you get into a proper league game — the last one, the Jim Malone Cup, we didn’t have the fans in and that — we’ll get a proper crack off each other.

“I’m delighted that we’re able to host this game on our new pitch, with our lights, and we’ll sell the place out and get after them. They’ve won their first two games.

“It’s a special game,” he added. “It’s a real derby, two clubs from Louth going after it at the top level. No disrespect, I’ve played in a load of Dublin derbies too — I was lucky enough, I got around — but they’re so plentiful.

“I just think what’s rare is wonderful, and we haven’t had one in Oriel Park or in Drogheda for the last two years or so, so it should be a special meeting.”

Harvey Warren will miss the visit of Drogheda as he serves the second match of a two-game suspension, following his dismissal in last November’s play-off final for his former club, Bray Wanderers.

Leo Gaxha continues to make encouraging progress in his rehabilitation from the anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last year.

Conor O’Keeffe and Norman Garbett are considered doubts, having not featured in the recent squad for the outing against Derry. In that match, Mayowa Animasahun was forced off on the stroke of half-time with a hamstring complaint, adding to the manager’s selection concerns.

“It’s not ideal,” Kilduff admitted after Animasahun’s withdrawal. “Mayowa is my style of player. He’s a great fellow, and he was doing well, and he was excellent.

“Obviously, we hope it’s not too bad. Initial reports are kind of positive, which is important, but it’s a great feeling when you have Vinnie Leonard then to step in as well. Both players played a huge role, the centre-halves. That’s probably the importance of having a squad.”

Vinnie Leonard, who came on for Animasahun, has attracted cross-channel attention from Norwich City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, and Celtic.

While the transfer window has closed, the 17-year-old is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement ahead of a summer move, with Fulham the latest club to express interest.

“Vinnie’s got a Leaving Cert to do,” explained Kilduff. “He’s a highly, highly sought-after player. You can see why; he’s an unbelievable talent for a 17-, 18-year-old kid. There’s no point in me lying: there is interest in him.

“My understanding is if something’s to be done, it will be done in the next couple of days, but I’d be lying if I said I had all the details. Vinnie will be here until the minimum of the summer anyway, so his head is solely, hopefully, on Dundalk FC for now.”

Meanwhile, Dundalk’s originally scheduled opening night fixture against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, has been rescheduled for next Monday, 23 February, with kick-off set for 8pm.