Dundalk players finally receive wages after club cashflow crisis

Eoin Kenny of Dundalk, centre, celebrates with Daryl Horgan, left, and John Mountney

Daryl Horgan admits a Dundalk victory on Friday at Waterford would be extra special due to the financial uncertainty engulfing the club.

The former Ireland international and his teammates finally received last week’s delayed wages amid a cashflow crisis due to ownership fragility.

Brian Ainscough, the 80% majority shareholder of the Lilywhites, this week confirmed the Irish Examiner report about the various options being explored to ensure the club can complete the season.

It’s understood that, despite talks with an initial party breaking down a fortnight ago, several other prospective buyers have contacted the Dublin-born businessman, based in Boston for the last 40 years.

He’s currently immersed in a legal wrangle with the entity he purchased the club from last December, adamant the full financial exposure he inherited wasn’t disclosed.

For the previous two years, Dundalk were in the local ownership of StatsSports duo Sean O’Connor and Alan Clarke, along with previous co-owner Andy Connolly, after they’d brokered a takeover deal in late 2021.

As a cloud hangs over the club’s existence, never mind their 15-year stay in the Premier Division, fans have raised €16,545 through a GoFundMe page. The monthly wage bill for players, staff and officials is approximately €120,000.

Jon Daly’s side remain bottom of the table and without a win in two months travelling to face European qualification chasing Waterford.

“It’s been a really, really difficult two weeks for everyone,” said Horgan, who won 17 caps up to 2021.

“The situation with the wages has been far from ideal but that has been sorted for the meantime and we have a massive game to play tomorrow.

“It’s been hard for everybody, especially for our fans who love the club, but their response has been unbelievable, as you can see with the GoFundMe that was set up.

“To see people going out of their way to help out is an absolute credit to the fans and the players really appreciate it. It’s a huge plus to have that backing because we know they love the club and that this is the last thing anyone in Dundalk wants to see happen.

He added about the motivation for the RSC encounter: “You go out every Friday night wanting to win a game of football but after all that has gone on this week, I think it would mean a bit more in Waterford.

“People have put their hands in their pocket and it shows the real community element that exists in Dundalk, and at all League of Ireland football clubs.

“We’ll have to see what happens going forward but at the minute we need everyone to stick together, fans, players, staff, everyone and three points on Friday night would be a big way of bringing us all together.” 

Also in league action are the two Rovers, Shamrock hosting Sligo in RTÉ’s televised broadcast. The Hoops’ quest for an unprecedented fifth title in a row seems over but a win would lift them to within a point of third-placed Sligo with two games in hand.

"Nobody has to remind us how big of a challenge it is to go to Tallaght but the surface is always in top shape and that suits our style of play,” stressed Sligo manager John Russell.

"It's vital we play to our strengths for this one and impose ourselves on the game from early on."