Kilduff hails Dundalk progress after hard-fought Derry win
The Lilywhites victory against Derry City followed another notable home result against Shamrock Rovers
Dundalk FC manager Ciaran Kilduff hailed a “big win for the club” after his side overcame Derry City 2-1 at Oriel Park to strengthen their hold on a top-four position heading into the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division’s mid-season break.
The victory followed another notable home result against Shamrock Rovers and continued the sense of momentum around a club still rebuilding following last season’s promotion.
“We’re trying to find our way back. We’ve beaten Shamrock Rovers and Derry here now in our last two home games, so we’re delighted,” Kilduff told The Democrat.
Dundalk set the tone from the opening whistle, pressing aggressively and forcing Derry onto the back foot in difficult conditions.
Kilduff revealed afterwards that the intensity of his side’s start had been a deliberate part of the game plan, with Derry having faced Shelbourne on Monday before returning to action on Friday night.
“It was hard in the heat, and that was something we wanted to do,” he said.
“We were aware that they played on Monday and Friday of last week, so we needed to make it hard here. We needed it to be fast. You see the quality of the goal they got.
“They have that technical quality, but by making it heavy for them and dragging them in, knowing that they had heavy legs — I was up there on Monday night watching them play Shelbourne in a really tough, heavy game — we approached it that way, and thankfully we were able to sustain it.”
The opening goal was the highlight of a slick attacking display from Dundalk’s front three, with Gbemi Arubi, Eoin Kenny and Daryl Horgan combining brilliantly before the latter finished expertly into the bottom corner.
Kilduff was particularly pleased with both the execution and the planning behind the move.
“It’s a brilliant goal,” he said. “Into Gbemi, linked off to Eoin. It’s a great weighted through ball from Eoin, and Daryl’s put it in the net. It’s a well-worked goal.
“It was an area that we wanted to hurt them in. We felt we could get down the sides of them, but it’s a brilliant finish as well.”
While Dundalk ultimately secured the points, Kilduff admitted he was left frustrated by several officiating decisions.
The home side saw a strong penalty appeal waved away late in the first half, while Derry striker Josh Thomas escaped what Dundalk felt should have been a second yellow card following a challenge on goalkeeper Enda Minogue before the hour mark.
“I’m just thankful tonight I’m not here ruing all of those decisions,” Kilduff said.
“I thought it was a red card as well, for a second yellow. I thought it was a penalty not given. But then, on the flip side, we hit the crossbar.
“I think Decky misses a one-on-one, Eoin misses a point-blank one. We had chances ourselves, maybe, to put the game out of reach.
“I don’t want to be just bemoaning the ref, but I did think we should have had a penalty, and I did think they should have been down to 10.”
The Dundalk manager tempered those criticisms by acknowledging the pressure officials face in a heated contest.
“I was frustrated with a couple of things, and we’ve been hurt against Derry before here — two 2-2 draws — and you don’t want a decision to hurt you more than anything, and thankfully it didn’t tonight,” he said.
“My frustration might have been at a couple of things, but I’m not saying they have an easy job either.
“They were probably at it just as much as us, but tempers and passion were high at that moment.”
Dundalk’s response to Cameron Dummigan’s spectacular equaliser proved decisive.
Having surrendered their lead on 59 minutes, the hosts restored it almost immediately through Arubi, whose sixth league goal of the season drew him level with Horgan as the club’s leading scorer.
Kilduff felt the speed of the reaction demonstrated both character and resilience, particularly given the limitations on his bench.
“It was brilliant,” he said. “And that’s a great reaction, great character, great belief. We didn’t go under. We reacted.
“It’s not necessarily the lads’ fault, but I was hoping it didn’t take a goal for us to react ourselves. We did look a little bit vulnerable for a few minutes. They changed shape.
“Our bench was stacked tonight, but it wasn’t stacked with fit players. Teahan got 20 minutes, Danny Mullen had 20 minutes, Bucko’s carrying an injury.
“We had a few lads that, maybe on a different night, you might have been able to tweak something with.
“We were probably a little bit stretched there in terms of what we could do, but we found a way, reacted, and then managed the game home.”