Dundalk manager Ciarán Kilduff was delighted that his players were able to “deliver three points in a highly-emotional night”, as they kicked off the 2025 SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division season with a 1-0 win over Athlone Town at Oriel Park on Friday night.
The Lilywhites were ahead at half-time thanks to 16-year-old Vinnie Leonard’s 36th-minute header, and they should have been at least 2-0 up by the hour mark, with attacker Leo Gaxha fluffing his lines when left with an empty goal.
Captain Daryl Horgan was twice denied by goalkeeper Matthew Connor, while forward Eoin Kenny saw two efforts go narrowly wide, as their lead somehow remained at just one goal going into the final stages of the match.
Kilduff’s side had to show all of their defensive strength to keep Athlone out, although the Midlanders’ former ‘keeper Enda Minogue was never tested in the home goal, and the manager admitted afterwards that it “felt good to see that out at the end” after a period of pressure.
14 February 2025; Dundalk manager Ciarán Kilduff, left, celebrates with Mayowa Animasahun of Dundalk after their side’s victory in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division match between Dundalk and Athlone Town at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
Kilduff on the win…
“The objective was to try to win the game. We know they’re a team who have recruited quite well, they’re a team who will be up there challenging and competing, and we knew we probably couldn’t have had a tougher opening night.
“To win the game, we’re delighted. You can tell in there afterwards that the lads are very happy with their night’s work. But we know we could have killed the game off at the start of the second half with the chances that we created.
“You don’t and you end up having to see it out then. It can get nervy, but credit to the lads. We’re such a brand-new team and we needed every bit of experience from the likes of Horgs (Daryl Horgan), all of these lads to drag us over the line there at the end.
“Even Wardy (Keith Ward) coming on, a bit of experience and that. We needed everything in our armoury just to get over the line tonight. There were only three points up for grabs tonight and we got them, so we’re happy enough with that.”
14 February 2025; Dundalk manager Ciarán Kilduff before the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division match between Dundalk and Athlone Town at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
On a lull in the game after a bright start…
“They have good players, really good players. We’re a massive club but there is no-one we can ever not respect in this league. Any teams can hurt you if you drop off.
“It was a huge, emotionally charged night. You could see the fans. It was a huge thing for us. There has been a huge journey even to get us here. I think that lull probably comes with, we come out of the traps fast and then you realise the whole thing settles down then, it’s just a game of football.
“We had periods of the game where I thought we were really good, periods of the game where we probably stepped off. But it’s probably to be expected when you’re such a new group and it’s the first game of the season. You’re looking for perfection and it’s probably not fair on the lads.
“I think to a man tonight, to see that out and to deliver three points in a highly-emotional night, we knew we wanted to win tonight – that was the objective. We knew this was a big occasion in the season for everybody involved with the club.
“To win on the night, keep a clean sheet, we could have scored a few more, but we’re delighted. It’s three points.”
14 February 2025; Vinnie Leonard of Dundalk after the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division match between Dundalk and Athlone Town at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
On most people thinking Vinnie Leonard was still in Spain…
“He was in Spain! We just got him home on Wednesday. I had to ring the Irish camp before he went, saying he’d be important for me to get back. He got in on Wednesday. I was slagging him yesterday (Thursday), a 16-year-old getting a massage off the physios there yesterday evening, I was like ‘how far he’s come’.
“But it doesn’t get any better than this for Vinnie. He’s away with his country during the week, we get him home, he togs out tonight and scores the winner. As I said to him in there, and before the game, he has to enjoy this period of his career now.
“It has been a week for young goalscorers and young lads making the headlines, and I’m delighted for Vinnie tonight that he’s come up with a big goal for us to get us up and running.”
On Vinnie taking his chance after Seán McHale’s injury against Malahide United…
“Seán is going to be a huge player for us down the line as well. Seán picked up a pre-season injury and that has set him back. We’re going to need everyone – we’re not going to win anything with 11.
“Vinnie coming back tonight, I thought he was excellent. He got Player of the Match here against Drogheda in the Malone Cup as well, he was excellent. We’re going to need everyone, and thankfully Vinnie has been taking his chances of late and he’s come up with a big one for us tonight.”
31 January 2025; Dundalk goalkeeper Enda Minogue, wearing a protective facemask, during the Jim Malone Cup match between Dundalk and Drogheda United at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
On Enda Minogue not conceding a goal yet…
“Don’t tell him that! You’ve jinxed him now! It’s something I spoke to Enda about before the game. We know the importance of clean sheets. But Enda is no fool to think that that’s what it’s going to be.
“It’s not just up to him, he has two centre-halves in front of him and two full-backs. I thought Conor O’Keeffe and Seán Keogh were excellent tonight at winning their headers and individual battles.
“The players they were up against tonight are top-quality players. We had to dig in at times and we did. It wasn’t picture-perfect tonight by any stretch, but we did say before the game it starts with a clean sheet and to get that gave us the basis to go on and win the game.”
14 February 2025; Conor O’Keeffe of Dundalk celebrates at the final whistle of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division match between Dundalk and Athlone Town at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile.
On how hard it was to watch the last ten minutes…
“Time flies when you’re having fun, but time was definitely standing still at times. You’re trying to make the subs and get the right players on, they’re making loads of subs and they’re throwing on attackers.
“At the end, they were playing six up top. Some of the lads touched on it afterwards, it felt good to see that out at the end. It would have been a right sickener if you conceded late after the chances we had created.
“Long story short, we’re happy with the night’s work. Could I watch the end of it? Yeah, I could, but I wished it would have been a little bit easier. But, hopefully, that will come in weeks to come.”
