Inside Track: Dundalk making right moves to escape from unheralded First Division

The sooner Dundalk get out of the First Division the better, for a variety of reasons. The obvious one is, playing in the Premier League is better for everyone, club and team managements, players and supporters.

Being there might cost more, but against that it makes raising finance that bit easier. And, of course, the prizes are more valuable. Get to Europe, make reasonable progress and the bank balance is likely to be healthy at the end of the season.

As an Oriel non-attender and someone who’s not on social media, relying on a humble Nokia to send and receive phone messages, I sometimes depend on the Saturday paper I read to get the result of Dundalk’s match from the night before.

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That, of course, is if I hadn’t been tuned in to John Murphy and his colleagues on Dundalk FM. When at the dogs, race reader, Colm Corrigan, keeps everyone informed. The night of the Wexford match had me away from home, well out of the radio’s reach.

The paper I read, however, didn’t even carry the scoreline, never mind a report. It’s much the same each week. A good reason why it’s better to be well away from the second-tier, but, as mentioned above, not the only one.

All of that said, Dundalk’s games are well catered for locally, this paper and The Argus both carrying several accounts, and the two local radios doing the same.

The scribes and commentators have had a good story to tell so far this season. Ciarán Kilduff’s side carry a healthy lead as the first of four rounds draws to a close.

Cobh Ramblers were in second going into last Friday week’s round, and the thought occurred: could this develop into another of those Dundalk-Cork battles that decorated the season when Stephen Kenny was in charge?

Back then it was Cork City and Dundalk on the field and Kenny and the wily John Caulfield on the sideline, both trying to outwit the other. The records show this particular contest ended in Kenny’s favour, his team putting their name on several trophies, and carrying their best form to Europe.

The pair are renewing Premier League rivalry again this season, but with different clubs. Kenny seems to be working the oracle with St Patrick’s, while Caulfield is charge at Galway, who are also well placed in the table.

How about Kilduff making it a three-way go next season? The team boss, calling the shots at Oriel for the first time, has his team a whopping seven points clear of their nearest rivals – not Cobh, but Bray – unbeaten after eight rounds.

There’s still a long road to travel. Kilduff will be warning his players not to get ahead of themselves; he could deliver the same message to supporters. Still, it’s a good news story so far. Just a pity it’s not being carried by some media organisations.