Jon Daly makes triumphant return to Richmond Park as Dundalk shock St Pat’s in five-goal thriller

“Stephen Kenny, he’s one of our own,” echoed out from the away section in the corner of Richmond Park.

Having led the Lilywhites to four league titles and two FAI Cups, the Oriel faithful will always be grateful to the man who made them dream, but here it was the nightmare start Kenny’s St Patrick’s Athletic made to this Bank Holiday clash which had the Dundalk fans in full voice early on.

With Dundalk boss Jon Daly returning to the club who sacked him just 27 days ago, to face the ex-Ireland manager who replaced him just over a fortnight ago, it was the drama on the pitch which ultimately wrote the headlines here as the 3,934 in Inchicore were treated to no less than five goals in a breathless opening half.

A stunning free-kick by Jamie Gullan was followed by Ryan O’Kane’s strike – helped by a Danny Rogers error – as the Lilywhites struck twice inside the opening four minutes, before Gullan bagged his second from distance mid-way through the half to put the visitors in the driving seat.

A shell shocked Saints side needed a lifeline and it came via the penalty spot five minutes later as Chris Forrester pulled one back before Jamie Lennon cut the deficit to the minimum just after the half-hour mark.

But the big second-half comeback wasn’t to be for the FAI Cup holders as Daly left his former employers with all three points as his Lilywhites move to within seven points of eight-placed St Pat’s with two games in hand.

The victory, Dundalk’s first on the road this season, sees Daly’s men lift themselves off rock-bottom and into ninth, while it was St Pat’s first defeat to the Louth side since March 2023.

It took Dundalk just 97 seconds to open the scoring as Gullan found the top corner with a simply fabulous free-kick from distance. Jamie Lennon’s foul on Cameron Elliott was questioned by the home support in the build-up, but the travelling fans didn’t care as Dundalk, in their black and pink shirts, wheeled away in celebration.

There were still some fans taking their seats in the stands when Dundalk doubled their lead barely two minutes later. After a fine break by Archie Davies following Jake Mulraney’s poor set-piece, O’Kane picked up possession, jinked by his man and tried his luck from just inside the area.

His effort appeared routine for Rogers but the shot squirmed underneath the Saints ‘keeper and despite scrambling back, the ball crossed the line.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts on 22 minutes as Gullan struck again for his fifth of the season. Horgan, who was having a field day on the right flank in the opening half, did well to find Gullan in acres of space who, with a quick look up, struck the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Dundalk were in cruise control, St Pat’s hadn’t left first gear in a nightmare start.

The goals didn’t stop there, but this time it was the hosts who pulled one back. Mulraney’s fine cross found Luke Turner at the back post whose shot appeared to be blocked by the arm of Horgan.

St Pat’s needed a cool head after such a remarkable start to the night with club stalwart Forrester stepping up and making no mistake from the penalty spot. Game on.

On 35 minutes, Kenny’s men dragged themselves back into the contest and reduced the deficit to the bare minimum through a rocket by Lennon from close range. Richmond Park had found their voice again.

The Saints were well back in the game but it was the visitors who almost restored their two-goal lead seconds before the break as Gullan was denied a first-half hat-trick through Redmond’s excellent block.

The first big chance of the second half came via Brandon Kavanagh’s superb free-kick, which found an unmarked Conor Keeley at the back post but the defender’s header failed to hit the target.

With midfielder Kian Leavy switched to a left-back role, the hosts rallied and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession for much of the second half but failed to create anything clear-cut to really test Dundalk netminder Ross Munro.

There was a memorable moments 15 minutes from time as 18-year-old Eoin Kenny, son of Stephen, was introduced for Dundalk and entered the fray against his dad’s side for his eighth appearance of the season, as he forced Munro into a good save minutes later.

A moment of magic from Forrester saw the midfielder find substitute Jason McClelland late on, but his dangerous cross across the face of goal could not be met by a red shirt.

That was as close as Kenny’s men came to a leveller before Gullan was again denied a hat-trick by a superb save from Ross Munro.

As the final whistle signalled the end of this breathless clash, the Dundalk boss raised his fists in celebration, shook hands with his successor and walked over to acknowledge the exuberant away support. It’s a huge result for their hopes of avoiding relegation, but for Daly himself, this one will taste sweet.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers, McLaughlin (Palmer 58), Redmond, Keeley, Turner (Nolan 70); Lennon, Forrester; Melia, Leavy, Mulraney (McClelland 77); C Kavanagh (B Kavanagh 58).

Dundalk: Munro; Davies, Johnson, Boyle, Bradshaw; Horgan, Muller, Doyle (Mountney 63), O’Kane (Durrant 63); Elliott (Kenny 75), Gullan (Animasahun 84).

Ref: R Hennessy.