Ciaran Kilduff to the rescue as Dundalk win again

Wexford Youths 1 Dundalk 2: Sub Ciaran Kilduff rescued champions Dundalk with an 84th minute winning goal to deprive Wexford Youths of their first point in this SSE Airtricity Premier Division clash at Ferrycarrig Park last night.

It has not been the most testing of starts for Dundalk but Stephen Kenny’s men have delivered a clear message of their three-in-a-row intentions, and not even the departure of their leading scorer Richie Towell has dampened their scoring threat.

Dundalk played flowing football from the start as they laid siege to the Youths goal forcing two corner kicks inside the opening 10 minutes which they failed to utilise with the ball on each occasion ending wide, but they still had delivered a clear message as to their intent.

The champions should have taken the lead on 18 minutes but David McMillan pulled his shot into the side netting.

Youths were finding it difficult to threaten an attack of their own.

Dundalk’s pressure yielded a free-kick dead centre 30m out with Patrick McEleney forcing a fine save out of keeper Graham Doyle.

Daryl Horgan then tried his luck from 35m but the diving Doyle one-handed the ball clear to safety.

Youths lifted the stage with a mazy Paul Murphy run through the centre but his lay-off to Danny Furlong saw the ace striker pull the ball to the left and wide. The deadlock was eventually broken in the thirty-third minute when John Mountney broke down the left and his perfect cross was firmly headed down past a helpless Graham Doyle in the goal by David McMillen’s classy finish.

Wexford Youths were struggling to find any rhythm with passes going astray as Dundalk controlled in midfield while Mountney was dangerous down the left flank as he continually tested the back four with fine runs and crosses into the danger zone but the visitors had to be content with a 0-1 interval lead.

Wexford Youths almost bagged a 53rd minute equaliser but Danny Furlong’s header from a Danny Ledwith free kick went just over the top. Dundalk were threatening to double their lead but it was the Youths who responded with keeper Rogers just pushing a 72nd minute Paul Murphy free kick away for corner, that resulted in a goalmouth scramble before Dundalk cleared to safety.

Paul Murphy’s corner kick was forced over the line by Stephen Last on 80 minutes as Youths grabbed an equaliser after a period of incessant pressure.

But substitute Kilduff rescued his side with a downward header that keeper Doyle fluffed allowing the ball to slip over the line and secure victory for the champions.

WEXFORD YOUTHS: Graham Doyle, Craig Wall, Ryan Delaney (Craig McCabe 75), Lee Grace, Stephen Last, Andy Mulligan (Jonny Bonner 62), Eric Molloy, Aiden Friel, Danny Ledwith, Danny Furlong, Paul Murphy.

DUNDALK: Gary Rogers, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Chris Shields, Daryl Horgan, John Mountney, David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 74), Ronan Finn, Patrick McEleney (Robbie Benson 77), Dane Massey, Paddy Barrett.