Gary Gannon’s 89th-minute goal completed 2023 finalists Usher Celtic’s comeback as they recovered from Eoin Kenny’s second-half opener to stun Dundalk with a 2-1 win in Leinster Senior Cup Group B at Oriel Park on Monday night.
Dundalk dominated possession in the first half and should have been in front before the midway point of the period but captain Daryl Horgan had a shot cleared off the line and then Dean Ebbe was denied a second goal in two games by ‘keeper Shane Finegan.
Ciarán Kilduff’s side had further opportunities and they eventually made the breakthrough in the 61st minute when Keith Ward – on his first appearance since returning – floated in a corner that was hammered to the net by Kenny for his first goal of the season.
20 January 2025; Harry Groome of Dundalk in action against Keith Ashmore of Usher Celtic during the Leinster Senior Cup match between Dundalk and Usher Celtic at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
However, Usher battled back and they equalised through Graham Curran’s 70th-minute penalty. Aodh Dervin, Leo Gaxha and Kenny all had efforts after that as Dundalk looked to regain the lead, but they were left stunned close to the 90 when sub Gannon finished from close range.
Dundalk had a loud penalty appeal turned down in the 92nd minute when Gaxha was bundled over in the box, but they could not find a leveller through lengthy injury-time as Kilduff suffered his first competitive defeat in charge of the club.
The manager made six changes to the team that beat Malahide United 4-0 at Oriel Park on Friday night. Sammy Safaei, Seán Spaight, Vinnie Leonard, Harry Groome, Gbemi Arubi and Ward replaced Peter Cherrie, Conor O’Keeffe, Seán McHale, Dervin, Kenny and Gaxha.
20 January 2025; Calvin Douglas of Usher Celtic in action against Dean Ebbe of Dundalk during the Leinster Senior Cup match between Dundalk and Usher Celtic at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
Dundalk started brightly and Andy Paraschiv had a shot comfortably saved before Ebbe’s strike was blocked in the box shortly after. In the 12th minute, Horgan found space for a shot on the edge of the box but he fired wildly off target.
On 19 minutes, the home side should have taken the lead. Usher ‘keeper Finegan advanced to collect the ball but it bounced favourably for Horgan who rounded him only to see his shot cleared off the line by the well-positioned Declan Brennan.
Just a couple of minutes later, Dundalk had an even better opening. Seán Keogh’s cross went through the legs of Brennan and into the path of Ebbe who was denied by the foot of Finegan. The Lilywhites kept the move alive but Usher eventually dealt with the danger.
20 January 2025; Sean Keogh of Dundalk in action against Usher Celtic players, from left, Paul Murphy, Jordan Buckley and Keith Ashmore during the Leinster Senior Cup match between Dundalk and Usher Celtic at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
On 29 minutes, Horgan delivered a corner to the back post which was met well by Leonard but it was straight at the ‘keeper.
Four minutes before the break, Arubi delivered a pinpoint cross from the right for Paraschiv in the six-yard box but he was unable to get power on the ball to trouble Finegan. Moments later, Mayowa Animasahun met Horgan’s corner but failed to hit the target.
Dundalk made a triple substitution at the break. O’Keeffe, Kenny and Scott Brady came on for Keogh, Animasahun and Horgan. Paraschiv moved to right-back as O’Keeffe, who took over the captain’s armband, partnered Leonard in the centre and Spaight moved to left-back.
20 January 2025; Eoin Kenny of Dundalk celebrates after scoring during the Leinster Senior Cup match between Dundalk and Usher Celtic at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Gerry Scully/Dundalk FC.
On 58 minutes, Paraschiv broke into the box and laid the ball back for Ebbe but he lifted it over the bar.
Dundalk finally broke the deadlock on 61 minutes when Ward’s corner was hammered to the net by Kenny. Kilduff had already prepared two substitutes and they were introduced straight after the goal as Dervin and Gaxha came in for Arubi and Groome.
After that, Leonard picked out Dervin with a long pass over the top but the midfielder was denied by a combination of Calvin Douglas and Finegan.
Usher then equalised in the 70th minute. Dervin was deemed to have fouled Douglas in the box and Curran stood up to dispatch the spot-kick beyond the reach of Safaei.
20 January 2025; Andy Paraschiv of Dundalk during the Leinster Senior Cup match between Dundalk and Usher Celtic at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
Dundalk stepped it up in search of a winner and, soon after being pegged level, a combination of Paraschiv and Dervin set up Ebbe who controlled neatly but saw his strike blocked well by substitute Nathan Bell.
On 77 minutes, Dervin connected sweetly with the ball after a headed clearance dropped to him, but Finegan got behind it well. On 87, Kenny had a penalty appeal turned down after he appeared to be tripped in the box by Gannon, with Gaxha picking up the loose ball and firing a strike that Finegan was equal to.
In the next attack, Kenny made room for a shot but Finegan again got behind it. Moments later, Usher grabbed what would be the winner, when Wayne Walker broke into the box on the left and squared for Gannon who got in between Leonard and Spaight to knock the ball past Safaei.
20 January 2025; Jordan Buckley of Usher Celtic is tackled by Mayowa Animasahun of Dundalk during the Leinster Senior Cup match between Dundalk and Usher Celtic at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
On 92 minutes, Gaxha, who was impressive from the bench having also caught the eye as a starter on Friday, eased his way past Bradley Kamdoum down the right, an attack which ended when Kamdoum clipped the Dundalk No10 from behind in the area but the referee was not interested.
The result means that Dundalk, Usher Celtic and Shamrock Rovers are all on three points in Leinster Senior Cup Group B, with the Lilywhites’ final group game coming on Friday 7th February when they travel to face Rovers in Roadstone.
DUNDALK FC: Sammy Safaei, Seán Spaight, Mayowa Animasahun (Scott Brady HT), Vinnie Leonard, Seán Keogh (Conor O’Keeffe HT), Harry Groome (Leo Gaxha 62), Andy Paraschiv, Daryl Horgan (C) (Eoin Kenny HT), Keith Ward, Gbemi Arubi (Aodh Dervin 62), Dean Ebbe. Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (GK), Muhammad Haris.
USHER CELTIC: Shane Finegan, Graham Curran, Paul Murphy (Nathan Bell 58), Declan Brennan, Luke Brady, Wayne Walker (Bradley Kamdoum 90), Keith Ashmore (Brian Wokocha HT), Leroy Staunton (C), Calvin Douglas, Olasubomi Olamide Falase (Gary Gannon HT), Jordan Buckley. Subs not used: Karl Lynam (GK), Darren McDonnell, David White.
REFEREE: Mark Moynihan.
