Dundalk FC are out to maintain their place at the summit of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division table when they take on Kerry FC in an early-season top-of-the-table clash at Mounthawk Park on Friday night, kick-off 7.45pm.
It’s a historic first meeting of the clubs, with Kerry having joined the League of Ireland in 2023, and will see their former forward Leo Gaxha return to face his hometown team for the first time as a Dundalk player.
The Lilywhites have made the perfect start to their promotion push with back-to-back 1-0 wins over Athlone Town at Oriel Park and Finn Harps at Finn Park, although their frontmen have yet to fire, with teenage defenders Vinnie Leonard and Seán Keogh scoring the all-important goals.
Those league victories have added to two in the Leinster Senior Cup, meaning that manager Ciarán Kilduff has won four of his five competitive matches in charge of Dundalk, scoring ten goals and conceding none in those wins. His sole defeat was by Usher Celtic last month.
With Bray Wanderers and Wexford, who both won on the opening weekend, seeing their fixtures postponed last week, Dundalk took over at the top of the table after just two games, with Kerry on the same night earning a good point with a scoreless draw at Cobh Ramblers.
Dundalk opened their campaign on Valentine’s Night with a narrow home win over Athlone thanks to Leonard’s 36th-minute header, although it was a match where Kilduff’s side should have been much more comfortable on the scoreboard by the final whistle.
Last Friday, they had a dream start in Donegal when Keogh fired in a sweet second-minute free-kick but it was a match that developed into a real battle in typically difficult conditions at Finn Park, with Dundalk showing a real defensive steel to hold out for a precious three points.
The Louth men showed an appetite for goals in a couple of their Leinster Senior Cup outings, hitting eight without reply against Malahide United and Shamrock Rovers, but so far their forward line – including Eoin Kenny who hit three goals in pre-season – have yet to ignite.
Kerry, meanwhile, currently sit in second place having taken four points from their opening two games, and, like Dundalk, have yet to concede a goal.
They opened their season a fortnight ago with a 2-0 win over Harps at Mounthawk thanks to goals in either half from ex-Lilywhite Joe Adams and Niall Brookwell. Adams was later sent off in that game and misses this test against his former club, where he spent the 2022 season.
Last week, they travelled to Saint Colman’s Park to face a Cobh side who were on a high after a stunning late comeback win at Treaty United on the opening day, and came away with a solid point after the sides were unable to make a breakthrough.
That result sees Dundalk enjoy a two-point lead at the top going into this weekend, with Kerry knowing they will leapfrog them with a win, in what is a fascinating early-season clash in the race for promotion.
Team News
Kilduff will be without defender Ethen Vaughan (hamstring) who is a “medium to long-term” absentee, but otherwise has a fully-fit squad to choose from for the trip to Kerry.
New Zealand winger Norman Garbett, who celebrates his 21st birthday on Thursday, has fully recovered from his long-term hamstring injury and made his first appearance of the season when coming off the bench late on in last week’s win in Donegal.
Ticket Info
Dundalk’s allocation of tickets for the match are SOLD OUT. Safe travel to all of our supporters making the long trip.
Match Officials
Referee: Glen Geraghty
Assistants: Conor Harkin and Paudie Hayes
Fourth Official: Mark Houlihan
