The Commentary Box: Kilduff has molded Dundalk into a real force

Dundalk are back. That was a tweet sent out on the League of Ireland's X page, after they beat Shelbourne by three goals to two in a thriller at Tolka Park last Friday night.

The result sent Dundalk to fourth place in the Premier Division, just off the precious European spots. The game signalled the end of the first round of games in the Premier Division.

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Dundalk have played six games away from home and only three at Oriel Park. They have lost just once over that period, winning three, drawing five the other games.

Nobody would have predicted that Dundalk would have done so well, except maybe the manager, Ciaran Kilduff and his players with the confidence he has instilled in his team.

Despite all the injuries Kilduff has had to deal with, he has molded Dundalk into a real force. They were written off by the national media as soon as they won promotion last October.

The bookies had them as favourites to go back down straight away. But that has not happened. They have caught everybody in the Premier Division by surprise. That element of surprise has worked in their favour in every game so far.

But now heading into the second round of the league, Dundalk will not carry the surprise element. Teams will see them as a force in Irish football again and will thus pay them the respect they are due.

They will also have their homework done again and again on Ciaran Kilduff's side before they meet them. Kilduff has done a great job at Oriel. His attacking style of football is something that the league badly needs.

Dundalk's never-give-up style is one of the real facets of this team. Take last Friday's game against Shelbourne. Dundalk let a 2-0 lead slip to 2-2.

But the never-say-die attitude of Kilduff's team saw them snatch the game with a late goal. It sent Dundalk players, management and supporters into raptures.

The manager has had to deal with a huge amount of injuries and some illnesses among his squad. Centre half Vinnie Leonard has only been involved in two first-team games.

He was suspended after being sent off in the Shamrock Rovers game in Tallaght. But he has missed the vast bulk of the season so far, having been hit by a virus in his leg.

Vinnie was hospitalised, and there was concern about his health. He has fought off the virus and is recovering well. He was expected back in the Dundalk squad on Friday.

Now it seems Vinny could be out for another week or two. And Vinnie's time at Oriel is coming to an end. He has signed for English Championship club Norwich City. He heads to the UK at the end of June.

Ronan Teahan and Danny Mullen have been struck down with injury. They are still out, but should be back shortly. Conor O'Keeffe has missed time because of an injury and a virus.

He was magnificent in Tolka Park on Friday. He was even involved in the creation of one of Dundalk's goals. Rob Cornwall has been missing since the Galway game. He will be out for a long enough spell before he returns to the team.

He is badly missed in defence. Luke Mulligan is seen as one of the most talented players in a Dundalk jersey for years. He has not played a game this season. He was injured in a game in the First Division last season and never finished it.

Supporters who never saw Dundalk in the First Division last season should be aware he is top class. Luke returned to Oriel in pre-season. He had recovered from his old injury and was looking forward to the new season.

But the Ballybay youngster picked up another injury before the start of the season. He is expected to return soon. Norman Garbett is a young man from New Zealand. He picked up a serious injury last season and missed most of it.

He returned home for Christmas and made the huge journey back to Dundalk to return to Oriel. Norman was injured again in an early-season game. He could miss most of the rest of the season.

Goalkeeper Conor Kearns will miss the rest of the season after picking up a serious injury some weeks ago. One can only feel the greatest of sympathy for Conor.

The loss of the Dundalk number one keeper has seen Enda Minogue get his chance after taking over from Conor. Enda has done a good job so far. Last season, he had a great start.

He picked up a bad injury and missed around ten games. When he returned, Enda was still suffering from the effects from his injury. Peter Cherrie played out the rest of the season in goals. He was magnificent.

You look at all these injuries, and yet Dundalk are still doing so well. It's tantamount to the talent of the manager, his backroom team and players.

Ciaran Kilduff nearly left the club before the start of the season as he was unsure of his position. Once that was sorted, Dundalk have never looked back. The retention of Kilduff was the key to just what might happen this season.

Dundalk were also without their vice-captain Aodh Dervin, who was serving the last of his three-game suspension. Dundalk lined out with two changes to the team that drew with Bohemians in Dublin two weeks ago.

Declan McDaid and Conor O'Keeffe came into the side. Harvey Warren and Eoin Kenny were on the bench. Kenny had been playing for the Northern Ireland Under-21 side during the week.

And with yesterday's key match against league leaders Pat's in Oriel. Eoin was obviously rested by Ciaran Killduff on Friday.

Enda Minogue lined out in goal for Dundalk. Two full-backs: JR Wilson, Robbie Burns. Two centre halves: Mayowa, Conor O'Keeffe. Five midfield: Daryl Horgan, Harry Groome, Keith Buckley, Tyreke Wilson, Declan McDaid. Striker Gbemi Arubi.

Declan McDaid was replaced by Eoin Kenny on 65 minutes. Robbie Burns was replaced by Harvey Warren on 87 minutes. Harry Groome was replaced by Shane Tracey on 79 minutes.

Mayowa was once again the star of the defence. Very little got past him. He badly misses his partnership with Vinnie Leonard. But Dundalk have to get used to the idea that Vinnie is leaving in June.

Despite Vinnie's absence, Mayowa has just simply improved week by week. He is a magnificent player. Conor O'Keeffe also did well at centre back. He is another great signing by the manager.

He has been through a lot with injury. But he has shone through. JR Wilson was so good on Friday night. The attacking full back could just not have been stopped. His brother Tyreke Wilson was also dominant in midfield.

Robbie Burns was top class as full back. He put Dundalk two-nil ahead with a thunderbolt of a shot just inside the box. That goal came at a time when it looked as if Dundalk were going to run riot at Tolka. Daryl Horgan was dominant in midfield.

He has had some season. He is a player who is playing like he was when he came to Dundalk in 2014. Daryl can switch from one wing to another. He can take up at central midfield so well and can join Gbemi up front as a striker.

Harry Groome was so dominant in the centre of the park. His strength helped him to bulldoze his way through the Shelbourne midfield with great ease. Shelbourne were much stronger in the second half.

But Groome held the line well. Enda Minogue had little to do in the first half, except in the first minute of the game. He bravely cut a Shelbourne attack in his area as they bore down on his goals.

He was injured in the attack, and it looked as if he had sustained a head injury. But after 5 minutes of treatment, it was ruled he was fine to continue.

Man of the Match Gbemi Arubi shone like a bright light as he displayed his football skills across Tolka. He put Dundalk in front early in the first half. He missed a sitter in the second half.

His ball work skills were terrific. Gbemi is a real goalscorer. His flair footwork and his heading skills will cause any opposition a lot of sleepless nights.

Dundalk secured their first win over Shelbourne at Tolka Park since the start of Covid in March 2020. The last time the sides met in the league at Tolka was in 2024.

Former Dundalk player John Martin got the winner that day. Dundalk came out of the traps so quickly and were two up before Shelbourne had a chance to get a breath.

Ciaran Kilduff's side dominated midfield, down the wings and in the penalty box. Shelbourne came into the game not having won a league game so far this season at Tolka.

Robbie  Burns had an early shot saved by Shels keeper Speel. Dundalk were in front on eleven minutes. Evan Caffrey conceded a corner as Dundalk bore down on goals.

Daryl Horgan's quick corner to Robbie Burns was knocked into the box. Conor O'Keeffe headed the ball on so well for Arubi. Gbemi's glancing header put the Oriel Park men in front.

The second goal came 10 minutes later, after 20 minutes. Dundalk won possession in midfield. The ball was worked quickly to Arubi to shoot. His effort was deflected into the air.

It forced Ibsen Rossi to misdirect a clearing header. Robbie Burns thundered forward and shot to the net to leave Dundalk 2-0 up. Burns forced Spiel into another save as Dundalk continued to press high into the Shelbourne half.

But the Shelbourne boss made three changes to his team at halftime. One player he added was Sean Gannon. He was magnificent. He changed the course of the game.

The Reds' hard work finally paid off on the hour when Ibsen Rossi got a goal back. He started the move by picking out Harry Wood. Rossi nipped into the box and shot home a great cross from Wood.

Minutes later, Arubi missed a sitter to restore Dundalk's two-goal lead. Gbemi had another shot saved by the Shelbourne keeper. Shels got their equaliser just after that as they broke away.

Former Dundalk player Daniel Kelly moved forward. He got behind Harry Groome and got a cross into the box. The cross met another former Dundalk player, John Martin. He just drove the ball to the net.

Dundalk struck for the winner two minutes from time. Eoin Kenny cut in to the byline. His fierce shot caused all sorts of problems for Rossi, who turned the ball into his own net for a Dundalk winner.

It was nothing other than Dundalk deserved. Dundalk boss Ciaran Kilduff has instilled a spirit of never giving up into his young players. Dundalk never did and deservedly won the game.

Dundalk move up to fourth place. Whether they hold that place depends on how they did against league leaders Pats, yesterday evening.

The Dublin side went into the game having won six of their last seven games. That magnificent run started when they hammered Dundalk 4-0 in Inchicore.

Dundalk boss Ciaran Kilduff was a happy man after the game. "I thought it was a great game, and it was a great result. I thought we were very good in the first half.

"Going in 2-0 up at halftime, I knew obviously things were going to get much tougher in the second half. We went after them, trying to get the third goal. But they came back at us and pulled level at 2-2.

"I thought we did so well to gather our energy together and put them immediately under pressure. Everyone expected Shelbourne to get the third goal. But we got it. It was a great win.

"There is great character in this team. We are fearless, and we play with a lot of freedom. Having just been promoted, we can have that care-free attitude. It may seem like that from the outside looking in.

"But we have a lot of experienced players looking in. We were always getting chances in that game. We were even getting chances after we went back in front near the end.

"When you have players like Eoin coming off the bench with that impact and Shane Tracey plus Harvey Warren, we were always going to be a threat again.

"I had one of the youngest subs benches tonight since I came here. Eoin is an unbelievable player and has been like that throughout the season so far.

"He scored for the Northern Ireland under-21s during the week. I had a feeling before he even came on tonight that he would play a big role in front of our fans behind the goals. And he did have in the third goal."

"Our defending was very good. We defended to a man tonight. But we are also scoring lots of goals in games this season. The quality we have all over the park is excellent."

The manager is right. Dundalk have indeed been playing very well. They also have been on a great run, losing only to St Pat's.

Monday night Pat's were in Oriel for Dundalk's second game in four days. I just hope they were able to keep that run going. But I have to say that Pat's are the best team I have seen this season.

Supporters who watch the League of Ireland games on TV and who watch them via a dodgy box or fire stick got the shock of their lives on Friday. This was when they discovered that the signal had somehow been blocked.

I understand why people use the fire stick or the dodgy box. Sky charges you 140 euros a month for all their packages, including Sky Sports. Of course, I do not condone the use of the dodgy boxes or the fire sticks.

People are asked to pay the exorbitant prices for the full Sky package. However, those who pay to watch the League of Ireland games on LOITV are asked to pay just 100 euro for the entire season.

Thus, to see all Dundalk games, both home and away, it just costs 100 euro. You can watch the games back as many times as you want.

You can also watch every League of Ireland game, men and women, Premier and First Division, for the same 100 euro.
The quality of the picture is also top-class.

The picture does not stick as it does at times on the fire stick or dodgy box. The app costs just 100 euro for the season. If you can not get to the games for whatever reason, please get the app.

I do not think you can be guaranteed any more that you will be able to see League of Ireland games every week except without this app.

I have a feeling there will be weeks you maybe, and weeks you will not. And remember, the money raised from the purchase of the APP will benefit all clubs.

I'm often asked if I remember where I was ten or twenty years ago. Well, I remember where I was fifty years ago today, Sunday.

Dundalk clinched their fourth League of Ireland title in their history when they beat Cork Hibernians by a goal to nil at Oriel Park. In those days, all games were played on a Sunday.

It was also Jim McLaughlin's first of three league titles as manager of Dundalk. Jim was a player-manager for the Cork game. Ironically, he was sent off by referee DV Byrne for the only time in his career with Dundalk as either player or manager.

It was a very poor decision by the referee. Dundalk needed the three points to clinch the title. They did so through a goal from striker Terry Flanagan. Terry was a terrific player. He was one of the best strikers I have ever seen play for Dundalk.

During his short three-year spell at Oriel, he got the important goals in the key games. Finn Harps fought it out with Dundalk for the title that season. I remember Dundalk faced a do-or-die game against Harps in January that season, in Ballybofey.

erry grabbed two goals. That was the key game that won the title for Dundalk, even though the season was just only half over. Harps never caught up with Dundalk after that.

It was a win that will always stick in my mind. I remember getting a lift to the game with my cousin Niall. My dad also travelled with us.

The Dundalk supporters all travelled home as closely together in their cars. That's because the troubles were so bad in the north at the time. 15 people had died in shootings in South Armagh alone, close enough to the time of the game.

10 innocent people were shot dead just because they were protestants at Kingsmill. A gunman or men stopped the van the workmen were in and asked if there were any catholics on board.

There was one. He was told he could go. The innocent protestants were shot. 10 of them died. Days earlier, the loyalist Glenanne gang murdered up to five innocent catholics in shootings in South Armagh.

This gang had also carried out the Dundalk bombing barely a month earlier in Crowe Street in Dundalk killing two innocent people and injuring more than 20.

The shooting of the innocent protestant workmen was carried out by the IRA, even though to this day they have never accepted responsibility.

I remember travelling home from Donegal the day Dundalk beat Harps. They were scary times. Thank God those days are over.

Let us hope Dundalk got a result against Pats last night. The next game is again at Oriel. It's against Derry City, who have been struggling so far this season. I like Derry Football Club.

The Brandywell is closed at the moment as a new state-of-the-art grass pitch costing over 1.3 million pounds sterling is being laid.

All Derry's home games are being played at the nearby GAA county grounds, Celtic Park, until the end of June.
Have a good and safe week.

Look after yourself and those around you. And please, everybody, remember to be careful out there.