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Irish Independent
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Dundalk FC made to sweat it out despite Gbemi Arubi double against Wexford
Dundalk might have strengthened their advantage at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division table on Friday night to six points, but the performance against Wexford FC was another reminder that we can't expect this side to do anything easy between now and the end of the season. While Ciarán Kilduff's side deservedly remain favourites for promotion, they once again managed to make difficult work of winning a game which they dominated. That's not to say there wasn't a number of positives to take from a victory that coincided with Cobh Ramblers being held to a 2-2 draw away to Finn Harps. Gbemi Arubi's double was the first time he has managed such a feat in his career. His first-half brace was also the first time that Dundalk had scored two goals in the opening 45 minutes at home in over 12 months - since the 4-2 victory over Drogheda United on July 12 2024. Indeed, on only two other occasions this season have the Lilywhites struck two or more in the first half – the 3-1 victory over Bray Wanderers in the Carlisle Grounds in March and the 2-1 win away to Cobh in May. The quality of Arubi's second and Keith Ward's goals were also worth the admission, but how soft goals were given up to the opposition remains a worry. Dundalk once again dominated pretty much every attacking metric but, as has been the norm of late, they're having to work far harder than their opponents to actually put the ball in the net. While three goals was a good return – particularly coming on the back of back-to-back blanks in the 2-0 defeats against Bray Wanderers in the league and Sligo Rovers in the FAI Cup – the fact that the three points was even in question entering the closing stages was somewhat alarming. Friday night, on the whole, was a great night for Dundalk – back to winning ways, three goals (two of the highest quality) and an extension of their lead at the top. However, the fact fans were left sweating on the outcome – not for the first time – was a reminder that if Dundalk are going to finish top, they're unlikely to do it by steamrolling their way to the title. Bar a small number of games, Kilduff's men haven't won many matches convincingly. Until they manage to turn their dominance into goals, they're unlikely to do so either, and you'd have to wonder whether it will happen at all. Yet two-thirds in Dundalk are on top, with a bit of room for error. There are definitely worse positions to be in. Having failed to score in their last two matches, the home side got off to a dream start when Arubi fired them in front after just 96 seconds, finishing from close range after Wexford goalkeeper Paul Martin was only able to parry clear Eoin Kenny's header from Daryl Horgan's cross. Dundalk continued to dominate and deservedly doubled their lead on the half-hour mark, with Arubi meeting Declan McDaid's flicked-on header with a superb first-time effort that flew past Martin to the right-hand corner. Stephen Elliott's side were gifted a route back into the game five minutes after the restart when Lilywhites keeper Enda Minogue let a punt forward from defence slip through his body, allowing half-time substitute Muhammad Haris to tap home his first goal at senior level against his old club. It looked like the Lilywhites had steadied the ship when Keith Ward volleyed to the net after a McDaid cross was headed up in the air by Dean Larkin on 63 minutes, but a nervous finish was ensured when Mikie Rowe finished from close range three minutes from the end after Larkin's header had kept a cross alive. Despite Larkin going close in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the home side were able to see it through, however, to take advantage of Cobh's slip-up in Ballybofey. Dundalk: Minogue; Wilson, O'Keeffe, Leonard, Tracey (Mulligan 90); Dervin, Groome (Paraschiv 56); McDaid, Kenny (Ward 56), Horgan (R Vaughan 78); Arubi (Ebbe 78). Wexford: Martin; McCarthy, Larkin, McCourt, Crawford (Browne 64); Harnett (Haris HT), O'Brien (Levingston 58); Rowe, McCormack, Oluwabiyi (Wasilewski 64); Dobbs (Flynn 71). ATTENDANCE: 1,632
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Wexford FC suffer defeat in Dundalk to lose further ground in play-off race
A first-half double from Gbemi Arubi put the Lilywhites in control, but Wexford got a real foothold in the game when substitute Muhammad Haris halved the deficit shortly after the interval. However, Keith Ward restored the two-goal cushion in the 63rd minute and, although Mikie Rowe pulled one back late on, the visitors couldn't force an equaliser, leaving them seven points adrift of fifth-placed Treaty United. Stephen Elliott named an unchanged eleven from the previous weekend's 4-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup and the visitors again got off to a nightmare start – something that has happened too often this season. There was little over 90 seconds on the clock when the hosts struck the front through Arubi. Daryl Horgan turned smartly to his right and whipped in an inviting delivery. Former Wexford player Eoin Kenny headed the cross towards goal and, although Paul Martin made the save, the alert Arubi was on hand to finish from close range. The lively attacker quickly threatened to grab a second when he broke clear, but his shot was well blocked by Dean Larkin. After a difficult opening, Wexford had their first sight of goal in the 11th minute when Ben McCormack found Ajibola Oluwabiya, and the winger curled a right-footed effort over the crossbar from just outside the 18-yard box. Mikie Rowe then cut inside but was well off target with his left while, at the other end, Aodh Dervin showed good feet before getting a shot away, but his long-range effort was always rising. After Dervin dragged another effort wide, Dundalk did grab their second goal just before the half hour mark and they did so in style. Declan McDaid glanced a header towards Arubi and the frontman blasted a sweet first-time effort to the corner of the net, giving goalkeeper Paul Martin no chance. The hosts were threatening to run riot and, after good work from Arubi, Daryl Horgan tried to pick out McDaid, but he was denied by good defending from James Crawford. Wexford weathered the storm and when Michael McCarthy played a long ball forward for Aaron Dobbs to run on to in the 38th minute and the striker was taken down by goalkeeper Enda Minogue, it briefly looked like the visitors would have a route back into the game. However, the offside flag was quickly up for what was a marginal call, so the referee didn't have a decision to make. Muhammad Haris, who only recently joined Wexford from the Lilywhites, was introduced for the start of the second-half and he quickly came back to haunt his former side as he brought the visitors back into the contest in the 50th minute. Another former Dundalk player, Robbie McCourt, played a hopeful ball forward which Minogue inexplicably allowed to slip from his grasp, and Haris had the simple task of rolling to the net for his first League of Ireland goal. Unfortunately, the wind was soon taken out of Wexford's sails when another substitute, experienced campaigner Keith Ward, grabbed Dundalk's third goal in the 63rd minute. A dangerous McDaid cross was only cleared as far as Ward and the playmaker fired a stunning volley that flew past Martin and into the net. Having started the second-half well it was a bitter blow for the Slaneysiders but, to their credit, they kept plugging away and Dean Larkin steered a McCormack free-kick narrowly wide moments later. Arubi and Ward were both off target with efforts as the hosts tried to put the contest to bed, while McDaid couldn't generate enough power on a header from a Horgan cross. Wexford managed to just about stay in the game though and, after McCormack shot wide, they were right back in the contest in the 87th minute when Mikie Rowe grabbed a lifeline. McCourt clipped a free-kick to Calum Flynn, with the substitute lifting the ball across the box and when it fell to Dean Larkin, he nodded on to Rowe, who applied a tidy finish past Minogue for his 16th league goal of the season. Aodh Dervin's strike deflected wide off McCourt as Dundalk threatened a quick response, but Wexford almost rescued an unlikely share of the spoils in the 94th minute as Dean Larkin got his head to a Cian Browne long throw, but the ball drifted narrowly wide of the far post. It was Wexford's second successive 3-2 defeat to the league leaders, having suffered the same fate in their previous meeting in Ferrycarrig Park at the end of May. Wexford will be hoping to get a much-needed win when they host Finn Harps on Friday and the Donegal side should be in high spirits, having held high-flying Cobh Ramblers to a 2-2 draw at the weekend. Dundalk: Enda Minogue; John Ross Wilson, Conor O'Keeffe, Vinnie Leonard, Shane Tracey; Aodh Dervin, Harry Groome; Declan McDaid, Eoin Kenny, Daryl Horgan; Gbemi Arubi. Subs. – Andy Parashiv for Groome (56), Keith Ward for Kenny (56), Rohan Vaughan for Horgan (78), Dean Ebbe for Arubi (78), Luke Mulligan for Tracey (90+1), also, Peter Cherrie, Sammy Safaei, Seán Spaight, T.J. Molloy. Wexford FC: Paul Martin; Michael McCarthy, Dean Larkin, Robbie McCourt, James Crawford; Matthew O'Brien, Kaylem Harnett, Ben McCormack; Mikie Rowe, Aaron Dobbs (capt.), Ajibola Oluwabiyi. Subs. – Muhammad Haris for Harnett (HT), Darragh Levingston for O'Brien (58), Cian Browne for Crawford (64), Filip Wasilewski for Oluwabiyi (64), Calum Flynn for Dobbs (71), also, Alex Moody, Zayd Abada, Ryan Butler, Patrick Manning. SSE AIRTRICITY FIRST DIVISION P W D L F A Pt Dundalk 24 15 7 2 39 18 52 Cobh Ramblers 24 14 4 6 41 24 46 Bray Wanderers 23 14 1 8 39 29 43 UCD 24 10 6 8 27 23 36 Treaty United 24 9 7 8 38 25 34 Wexford FC 24 7 6 11 28 33 27 Longford Town 23 6 7 10 22 39 25 Finn Harps 24 5 9 9 26 31 24 Kerry FC 24 6 3 14 24 41 21 Athlone Town 24 3 8 13 18 39 16
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Dundalk survive scare to extend lead at First Division summit
First Division: Dundalk 3 (Arubi 2 & 30, Ward 63) Wexford FC 2 (Haris 50, Rowe 87) Dundalk survived an almighty scare before getting back to winning ways against Wexford at Oriel Park to extend their lead at the top of the First Division table to six points. Having failed to score in their 2-0 defeat to Bray Wanderers a fortnight ago or the previous week's FAI Cup defeat to Sligo Rovers, Ciarán Kilduff's side got off to a dream start when Gbemi Arubi fired them in front after just 96 seconds, finishing from close range after Wexford goalkeeper Paul Martin was only able to parry clear Eoin Kenny's header. The home side continued to dominate and deservedly doubled their lead on the half-hour mark, with Arubi meeting Declan McDaid's flicked-on header with a superb first-time effort that flew past Martin. Stephen Elliott's side were gifted a route back into the game five minutes after the restart when Dundalk goalkeeper Enda Minogue let a punt forward from defence slip through his body, allowing half-time substitute Muhammad Haris to tap home. It looked like the Lilywhites had steadied the ship when Keith Ward volleyed to the net after a McDaid cross was headed up in the air on 63 minutes, but a nervous finish was ensured when Mikie Rowe finished from close range three minutes from the end after Dean Larkin's header had kept a cross alive. Despite Larkin going close in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the home side were able to see it through, however, to take advantage of second-place Cobh Ramblers being held away to Finn Harps. Dundalk: Minogue; Wilson, O'Keeffe, Leonard, Tracey (Mulligan 90); Dervin, Groome (Paraschiv 56); McDaid, Kenny (Ward 56), Horgan (R Vaughan 78); Arubi (Ebbe 78). Wexford: Martin; McCarthy, Larkin, McCourt, Crawford (Browne 64); Harnett (Haris HT), O'Brien (Levingston 58); Rowe, McCormack, Oluwabiyi (Wasilewski 64); Dobbs (Flynn 71). Referee: Kevin O'Sullivan.
RTÉ News
27-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
First Division: Dundalk down Cobh Ramblers to get back on track
Dundalk opened up a four-point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division table as Gbemi Arubi's third goal of the season proved decisive in securing a third win of the campaign against Cobh Ramblers at Oriel Park. Ciarán Kilduff's side came into the game on the back of their first defeat of the season away to Finn Harps on Monday, knowing that a win for the Cork outfit would see them knocked off the summit. However, a stunning bicycle kick from Arubi – back in the side after four weeks out injured – proved the difference as the Lilywhites claimed what could be a huge result in their pursuit of an immediate return to the top flight. Mick McDermott's side are by no means out of the running but a third straight defeat against their nearest challengers was damaging, with added salt rubbed in the wounds by the late dismissal of Cian Coleman. Kilduff had asked for a response from his side in Harps defeat on Monday and he certainly got it with Arubi opening the scoring with a scream after just 13 minutes. Cobh failed to deal with Luke Mulligan's cross from the right with the ball helped down out of the air by Dean Ebbe before Eoin Kenny's attempt to control saw it break for the ex-Shelbourne player to send a superb bicycle kick past Timo Martin having reacted quicker than Jonas Hakkinen. Mulligan then had a long range effort drift to the right and wide before Arubi was denied a second on 21 minutes when his close range effort was saved by Martin after Vinnie Leonard had kept Sean Keogh's deep free kick alive at the back post. Cobh then had what proved to be their only attempt of the half a minute later when Barry Coffey slipped Cian Murphy in only for the striker to be denied by the alert Enda Minogue, who was quick off his line to block. The hosts then almost doubled their lead on 33 minutes when Horgan beat Hakkinen on the left before standing up a cross to the back post that left Martin floundering only to drift wide with Ebbe unable to get a touch as he flung himself towards the ball. Arubi and Keogh then both had long range efforts before the break with the first saved by Martin before the latter drifted just over. The visitors did have a half chance within three minutes of the restart when Coffey found space on the left but his effort was deflected tamely into the arms of Minogue. Dundalk then should have doubled their lead on 50 minutes when Horgan beat Hakkinen on the left before squaring to Ebbe for what should have been a simple tap-in but he got his angles all wrong and screwed a shot well wide. Cobh then had a big chance of their own two minutes later when Coffey released Murphy in behind Leonard but his toe-poked effort was blocked by Minogue before the defender scrambled it clear. Hakkinen then had a deep cross touched over by Minogue at full stretch on 61 minutes before Coffey headed over from Luka Le Bervet's cross two minutes later. The Louth men were next to threaten on 70 minutes when Arubi beat both Niall O'Keeffe and Shane Griffin to get a shot away which drifted just to the left and wide. Substitute Andy Paraschiv then volleyed just wide on 75 minutes before forcing a save from Martin with a shot from just outside the box moments later. Kenny then had a great chance to wrap things up five minutes from time when he was released by Leonard but after cutting inside Coleman, his left foot shot was easily saved by Martin. The Luxembourger then kept his side in it with a big stop on 91 minutes to turn Horgan's shot out for a corner after he had been slipped in by Arubi. Cobh's evening then took a turn for the worst two minutes later when Coleman was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence following a foul on Aodh Dervin. That allowed Dundalk to run down the clock to secure what could be a huge result in the First Division title race. Dundalk: Enda Minogue; Luke Mulligan (Sean McHale 71), Mayowa Animasahun, Vinnie Leonard, Sean Keogh; Aodh Dervin, Keith Ward (Andy Paraschiv 59); Eoin Kenny, Dean Ebbe (Harry Groome 59), Daryl Horgan; Gbemi Arubi. Cobh Ramblers: Timo Martin; Jonas Hakkinen, Cian Coleman, Shane Griffin, Luka Le Bervet (John O'Donovan 86); Niall O'Keeffe (Jason Abbott 71) Dale Holland (Sam Bellis 65); Matthew Whelan, Barry Coffey, Shane Griffin; Cian Murphy (Brendan Frahill 86).
