It was another double for Dundalk - the fourth in their history - but, with the champagne still fizzing, man of the match Patrick McEleney was setting targets for next year.

The Derryman headed home the winning goal to offer further evidence that coming back to Oriel Park in July after a tough spell at Oldham was the right call.

He had gone to England on the back of his brilliant form for the Lilywhites in the Premier Division and, most notably, the Europa League. And it's Europe that remains the top ambition for McEleney, who believes Dundalk are now back to their very best.

"I think we're getting back to where we were when we got into the Europa League and that's going to be in our sights next year," he told RTÉ Sport.

"Obviously the league and cups are our bread and butter but our sights will be on Europe. That's where we want to do well."

Reflecting on his crucial goal, which arrived 17 minutes from time off a superb Sean Gannon cross, he added: "I get slagged so much about not heading the ball! I was due one. I think I'd only scored one in my career and to be fair I wasn't playing that great.

"I needed something like that. I'm over the moon. It was an unbelievable cross. Ganno has that in his locker. I just took off into the box, there was a big space and i t was like, 'he can this on my head if he hits it right'. I'm buzzing."