Kilduff expecting tough Bohs battle for Dundalk FC
Lilywhites boss Ciarán Kilduff looks ahead to Bohemians on Friday night
Dundalk FC manager Ciarán Kilduff expects a difficult game when his side travels to Dalymount Park on Friday night to face Bohemian FC in the SSE Airtricity League Men's Premier Division clash.
The Lilywhites head to Dublin following last week's 1-0 victory over Galway United and will be boosted by the likely return of key players ahead of a meeting between third and fourth in the table.
Kilduff is looking forward to what could be his side's last league visit to the famous Dublin venue before its redevelopment progresses.
He told the Dundalk Democrat: "It's a great place to play. Obviously, Dalymount's getting redeveloped as well, so it's probably the last time, if not, at the FAI Cup, etc., that we'll potentially end up there if we did progress, and if they progress.
"But this is our last visit there in the league, and we felt we did well against them in the first game in Dalymount, a 1-1 draw, and felt we could have nearly nicked it.
"But Bohs themselves, they're a team up the top end of the table for a reason. They're more than capable of beating anyone on any given night, so we'll have to be ready."
The sides have already shared two competitive encounters this season, including Bohemians' 3-1 win at Oriel Park in May after Dundalk had led at the break.
"Look at the talent that they have. Look at the quality of players they had to bring on that night as well. They're a top team. We know that.
"We were probably disappointed with it because we were so good ourselves in the first half, and we were 1-0 up and probably feeling like, you know, could we go and get a second?
"And then, obviously, I think Daryl came off at halftime that night, and they changed shape, and we didn't adapt, probably, as a unit well enough.
"And then, obviously, Rob (Cornwall) gets sent off, then gives away a penalty, and that was probably the end of the game as a contest from there.
"Although we did react quite well and finished the game quite strong. But 2-1 down with a player down, then they get the counter-attack call at the end to hurt us."
While Bohemians arrive on the back of a 4-1 defeat to Derry City, Kilduff is reading little into that result.
"Yeah, look, you can't read too much into it. If they'd won 4-1 or lost 4-1, this game will look after itself. It's great to be in these games right now. Do you know what I mean?
"Whether we're in a race for Europe, whether we're in a survival fight, whether we're in a race for the title, it doesn't really matter.
"We're in a big game here, third v fourth, live on the telly on Friday night. So it's a huge opportunity for us to go and make a good account of ourselves.
"But Bohs are a top, top team with top, top players. They probably got caught up in Derry the other night, but we got caught in Inchicore ourselves at the start of the year.
"We got beaten by four down there. You see how this league swings, but Bohs have the quality around that group to react, and I expect nothing more."
Kilduff believes Dundalk will need to be at their best against one of the division's strongest sides.
"I suppose our own club was a little bit up and down for a few seasons there, and it's been tough.
"But no, it's a really tough place to go, but it's one of the most famous historical grounds in the country to go and play a game of football.
"So with no doubt that we'll get a really, really tough game there. Even the 1-1, as much as we were happy with it, we still didn't beat them.
"And they beat us here, so the reality is the reality. It'll be a tough night.
"They're a brilliant team. You've seen them. I watched them a few weeks ago. I know they lost 2-1 to Shamrock Rovers, but they were brilliant on the night.
"They should have been a couple up and then got hurt with a bit of late heartbreak. Such is the quality of the Premier Division right now.
"If you're any way off it, you can get punished and Bohs with the quality that they had that night, bringing on James Taylor.
"They're huge players for them. They come in, and they impact the game. I think he got a goal and an assist that night against us.
"That's the impact they have. We've had that from our bench as well, but on that particular night, they went up a gear in that second half."
Galway win
Dundalk travel to Dalymount after a valuable victory over Galway United in their previous outing.
"It was huge for us. We've been very, very positive in our approach in every game and in every task this year.
"We've won a lot of football matches, which is great, in the last while as well. But it guarantees you nothing.
"I was happy with the Galway win, to be honest, obviously. There was a bit of, I suppose, a toing-and-froing over where the game was.
"To go down there and come away with the three points in the manner we did felt sweet."
Kilduff was particularly pleased with the collective display from his players, with Eoin Kenny again making a positive contribution.
"He's maturing at a rapid rate. He's having a huge role for us. He has a major impacts for us. I agree with your first point as well. I think everyone on Friday night stood up.
"It was a really all-round great team performance, I felt. The group deserves a lot of credit coming back from the break. Sometimes it can be hard.
"We're the newly promoted team. Getting used to that intensity of getting straight back at it.
“We did, and I thought it would be at home in particular, but a lot of those players, Ronan Teahan again, getting minutes.
"Danny Mullen coming back from injury, Rob Caldwell at centre half. I could have named all 11 of them and the ones that came on. It was a great night."
Injuries
The Dundalk boss is optimistic that both attacker Gbemi Arubi and defender Mayowa Animasahun will be available for Friday night's fixture.
"Yeah, both lads are on the pitch today, looking good. Yeah, I would imagine both of them will be available for Friday. That's a testament to the group.
"Mayowa is a huge player for us. If Mayowa is fit and ready, of course, we'll do everything we can to get him on the pitch.
"But look at that group of players, Bobby (Burns), Rob (Cornwall), etc. They've been absolutely outstanding. Tyreke and JR (Wilson), both full-back positions, have been great.
"Whoever we put out there, it'll be great, maybe for a change. It'll be good to have some selection headaches in terms of we still have Seán Speight pushing and knocking down the door as well.
"It's great to have competition in those areas. I learned a hard lesson probably earlier in the season.
"I don't pick a team now in stone until a Thursday evening because you can pick something early in the week, and someone gets injured in training on Thursday, and you rip up the script.
"Hopefully Mayo and Gbemi get through another session on Thursday, and they're available, and then we'll pick the best team available to hopefully go and try and win the game on Friday."
Kilduff also highlighted the attacking threat available to him and the influence Arubi can have when fit.
"Of course, and look at Danny (Mullen) himself. He's such a predator. I think he's over 100 career goals to his name, and he himself will be the first one to say he could have had a hat-trick.
"Then, obviously, I thought we had a stonewall penalty from Daryl Horgan. We've hit the post with Ronan Teahan, and we've scored late, along with a few other chances in there.
"We have always been one of the top scorers in this division all year, and that's kind of the approach we'll be taking again.
"But, Gbemi, Danny, Daryl, Eoin (Kenny), Deckie (McDaid), all of these players are entrusted to go and hopefully put the ball in the net.
"They've done that a lot this year, and we'll just hopefully keep creating for them."
There was mixed news elsewhere on the injury front, with Harvey Warren facing a lengthy spell out while Conor O'Keeffe edges closer to a return.
"Harvey is probably long-term. He didn't get a great scan. Thankfully, he is healing, so there hopefully won't be a surgery, but you're looking at multiple months.
"Conor O'Keeffe is back on the pitch from next week, and we're going to try and build him up slowly. He had a little bit of a calf issue.
"He was dealing with his concussion thing as well. He had a little bit of a breakdown with his calf, but that seems to be all alleviating.
"I would say, with a bit of luck, he'll be back in full training in the next seven to ten days, and then after that, integrating him back into squads."
Transfers
Attention is also beginning to turn towards the transfer window, although Kilduff says assessing the current squad remains the immediate priority.
"I suppose nailing down what's in the building. You mentioned Eoin and Gbemi, and a lot of these players are obviously attracting interest.
"Vinnie's (Leonard) moved on as well, Conor Kearns obviously injured, Harvey Warren's injured, Conor O'Keeffe is on the way back.
"I suppose it's figuring out what you have before you know what you need. Of course, we'll have to look for one or two, but it'll have to make sense in terms of the monetary value.
"We still are the only newly promoted team. Eighteen months ago, we were going through a wall a little bit.
"Lucky to keep the doors open, so now all of a sudden we're not going to live beyond our means.
"But of course, we know that reinforcements might be needed. I think it's a key game for us on Friday.
"When we come out the other side of that, we'll know probably where we are as a club and what we're going to be aiming for.
"Of course, I don't have one player in my head that I'm close to completing or anything like that.
"I think figuring out that we can keep what we have, and if we do lose one or two, like we have already with Vinnie and an injury, we'll have to be able to react. But there will be reinforcements."