📰 Match Report | UCD 0–1 Dundalk FC

Photo By Gerry Scully

📍 UCD Bowl

📆 Friday, August 1st, 2025

🏆 SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division – Matchday 26

Horgan Holds His Nerve as Lilywhites Edge UCD in Dramatic Finish

Dundalk FC maintained their six-point lead at the summit of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division with a hard-fought 1-0 win over UCD at the Bowl on Friday night, thanks to Daryl Horgan’s first-ever penalty goal in regular time and a crucial late penalty save from Enda Minogue, It may not have been pretty, but it was priceless.

🎯 Horgan Hits From the Spot

Heading into the first match of a testing Bank Holiday double-header, Ciarán Kilduff’s men knew how important it was to back up last week’s dramatic 3-2 win over Wexford with another three points in Dublin and despite riding their luck at times, they did just that.

Dundalk started brightly and nearly took the lead inside five minutes when Andy Paraschiv’s glancing header from a Declan McDaid cross thudded off the woodwork. But UCD, despite their position in the table, looked confident and came close themselves shortly after, as Adam Verdon’s whipped free-kick crashed off the underside of the bar.

Photo By Gerry Scully

The breakthrough came in first-half stoppage time and it arrived under contentious circumstances. As Horgan’s corner swung into a packed box, referee Mark Houlihan pointed to the spot for what appeared to be a foul by Eanna Clancy. With little hesitation, Horgan stepped up and coolly sent Dara Kavanagh the wrong way to register his first-ever goal from the spot in normal time and give the visitors a half-time lead they would desperately need.

Photo By Gerry Scully

🧤 Minogue the Hero

Photo By Gerry Scully

UCD threw everything at Dundalk in the second half, with Clancy and Ciarán Behan going close before Adam Wells forced Minogue into a fingertip save. Then came the drama. With just a minute left on the clock, a bouncing ball struck Horgan’s arm in the area and Houlihan once again pointed to the spot, this time for the hosts.

Up stepped Adam Brennan, but his low effort was brilliantly saved by Minogue’s outstretched foot. A frantic goalmouth scramble followed, but the whistle blew for a Dundalk free-out, and the Lilywhites were able to breathe again.

Photo By Gerry Scully

🤝 Dundalk Connection in the UCD Team

Photo By Sportsfile

There was a proud moment late on at the UCD Bowl as Ryan McBrearty, a 17-year-old student, made his return from injury by coming off the bench for UCD. The talented young defender is the nephew of former Dundalk FC CEO Peter Halpin, who played a key role in helping steady the club during a challenging period.

A class act on and off the pitch, Halpin’s hard work helping to get Dundalk FC back on the right track still shows and this was a great moment for a family with deep ties to the club.

📋 Lineups

Dundalk FC:Enda Minogue; Conor O’Keeffe, Olamide Animasahun, Vinnie Leonard, John Ross Wilson; Aodh Dervin, Harry Groome (Kenny 67); Declan McDaid (Tracey 78), Andy Paraschiv (R Vaughan 78), Daryl Horgan (Ward 93); Gbemi Arubi (Ebbe 67).Goal: Horgan (45+2 pen)

UCD:Dara Kavanagh; McManus, Lennox (McBrearty 80), Clancy (Osagie 79), Wells; Verdon, Behan (Dignam 85); McCullagh (Norval 80), Brennan, Raggett (Smith 59); Doyle.

Referee: Mark Houlihan

Highlights

Up Next: Longford Visit Oriel

The Lilywhites are back in action this Monday as they welcome Longford Town to Oriel Park for the Bank Holiday fixture to complete the double-header. With momentum now firmly back on their side, Kilduff’s men will be hoping to make it three wins on the bounce and stretch their lead even further as the title race heads into the business end.

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