Early six-pointer awaits Dundalk FC at Eamonn Deacy Park

Dundalk FC make the journey to Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday evening for a meeting with Galway United that, even at this early juncture of the campaign, carries the whiff of significance (kick-off, 7.45pm).

Just four games into the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season, the language of an “early six-pointer” has already crept into the conversation. It may be premature, but with both sides widely tipped to be embroiled in the fight for survival, the stakes are clear enough.

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Promoted as First Division champions, Dundalk are still seeking their first victory since returning to the top flight. Three draws and one defeat have marked a steady if unspectacular reintroduction to Premier Division football, but the margin for error is rarely generous for newly promoted clubs.

Results elsewhere could sharpen the picture further. Galway face St Patrick’s Athletic — who inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Dundalk last Friday — in their game in hand on Monday night.

Depending on that outcome, a win for The Lilywhites would lift them above The Tribesmen and potentially create breathing space over Waterford and Sligo Rovers beneath them.

Manager Ciaran Kilduff was quick to temper the rhetoric.

“We’re only four games in and we’re dubbing them six-pointers,” he said. “We lost our first game of the season, but it would be nice to win one somewhere along the line, and we have a couple of games coming up now that we’ll be really approaching with full focus.

“The reality of it is that we were exposed a little bit (versus St Pats) for our shortcomings in terms of the intensity of this division. Three-game weeks are heavy, and it wasn’t planned like this.

“Obviously, the rearranged Rovers game meant this game came at the end of a three-game week, and we just struggled to cope with that.

“We will learn from it. We’re a young group. I’m a young manager, there’s young everything involved, but we’ll dust off, take it on the chin and go again.”

Dundalk are set to be reinforced for the trip to Galway by the return of Vinnie Leonard, who has completed a one-match suspension following his dismissal in the 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium last Monday. The defender, who is bound for Norwich City, would not have featured against St Pats in any case.

“Vinnie only got the one-game suspension, but has a little bit of a niggle as well,” Kilduff explained. “He picked up some bit of a virus. He was having a bit of an issue with his legs, so he’s been getting medical care, physio care.

“He’s just making sure he’s all right, but all going well, Vinnie comes back available for next week.”

Elsewhere, Mayowa Animasahun is nearing a return from a hamstring complaint, while Conor O’Keeffe is also closing in on full fitness. Leo Gaxha, Luke Mulligan and Norman Garbett, however, remain unavailable.

“A lot of them are numb and sore from the three-game week, but Mayowa is not a million miles away. Luke Mulligan does have a bit to go yet. Conor O’Keeffe is another week closer to being fully fit.

“We do have some lads coming back. Leo Gaxha, not a million miles away. He’s nearly back to full training. I think he can be in training for the first time in the next week or two.”

Meanwhile, Dundalk have strengthened their goalkeeping options with the addition of 22-year-old German Leo Stritter. The shot-stopper joins the club from Texas Spurs on a deal running until the end of the season, providing cover alongside Conor Kearns, Enda Minogue and Peter Cherrie.

“Conor Kearns is on loan, so, for example, if we were playing Shels, we could only be left with one available goalkeeper. We had Leo over on trial, and he did quite well, so he’s another one to strengthen that department.

“He’ll come into things. Obviously, we’re still seeing him every day in training. He’s only come in a week ago, and we haven’t really trained this week because it’s been so busy with the matches, but Leo is one coming in to try and make a stamp on things.”