Dundalk earned their biggest home win of the season against Longford Town at Oriel Park to maintain their six-point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division table.
Dean Ebbe scored in either half with Eoin Kenny and Declan McDaid also on target as Ciarán Kilduff’s side made it two wins from two over the Bank Holiday weekend having previously only managed three points out of a possible 12 on previous double game-week weekends.
There were some nerves late on when Oisin Hand pulled a goal back for Wayne Groves’ men but, in truth, the Lilywhites were full value for their three points.
While Cobh Ramblers' comfortable home win over Wexford meant they didn’t extend their lead, the league leaders did open an eight point gap between themselves and Bray Wanderers, who drew 2-2 away to Finn Harps.
With a strong breeze behind them, the home side started on top with Aodh Dervin going close to breaking the deadlock against his home town club on five minutes with a left-foot shot from just outside the box that came back off the inside of the post.
The breakthrough would arrive on 15 minutes. Longford looked like they had got out of jail when Rohan Vaughan was denied by the feet of Harry Halwax after being teed up by Daryl Horgan but Dervin kept the rebound alive before picking out Kenny at the edge of the box. The 19-year-old then fired high to the net for his first home goal since scoring the winner against the Midlanders at Oriel Park in March.
What a strike from Eoin Kenny! 😮
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) August 4, 2025
A brilliant half-volley finds the roof of the Longford Town net. pic.twitter.com/YC23N5S0D6
Horgan then had an effort pushed clear by Halwax shortly after before the visitors had a couple of good chances to level. The first arrived on 24 minutes when a mistimed clearance by Mayowa Animasahun allowed Fran Campbell to get a shot off that was tamely into the arms of Peter Cherrie.
The striker then went even closer three minutes after being slipped in by Dean George but this time he was denied by the right foot of the veteran goalkeeper before George pulled the rebound wide.
That was to prove costly as Dundalk doubled their lead on 34 minutes. Kenny picked the ball up on the right before driving past six Longford players into the box. His eventual left-foot shot was weak but was seized upon by Ebbe, who slid in to squeeze the ball to the bottom right hand corner for his eighth goal of the campaign.
Kenny went close to putting the result beyond doubt within three minutes of the restart but his curling effort from inside the box was just the wrong side of the post.
The Co Louth side had two further big chances in quick succession after that with JR Wilson’s header pushed onto the crossbar by Halwax before Vinnie Leonard’s follow up rattled the underside of the bar.
The third would arrive on the hour mark when Keith Ward’s corner was headed down by Leonard, with Ebbe on hand to rifle past Halwax from the edge of the six yard box.
Vaughan had another big chance to add to his side’s lead on 73 minutes after being played in by Kenny but Halwax was quick off his line to snuff out the danger.
Harry Groome then pulled an effort wide after being teed up by McDaid three minutes later.
To their credit, Longford did manage to pull a goal back on 78 minutes with Hand rising highest to glance Kyle Robinson’s corner to the net.
They then went close to reducing the deficit to one three minutes later when Mohammed Boudiaf let fly with a shot from just outside the box that cannoned back off the inside of the post.
Daniel Norris had another chance soon after when he beat the advancing Cherrie to a 50/50 ball at the edge of the Dundalk box but his effort too was just wide.
The result was put beyond doubt five minutes from time when Kenny found space on the right to cross for McDaid to bundle home his first goal for Dundalk to ensure the three points.
Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; John Ross Wilson, Mayowa Animasahun (Conor O’Keeffe 74), Vinnie Leonard, Shane Tracey; Aodh Dervin, Keith Ward (Harry Groome 74); Eoin Kenny, Dean Ebbe (Declan McDaid 62), Daryl Horgan (Andy Paraschiv 62); Rohan Vaughan (Gbemi Arubi 81).
Longford Town: Harry Halwax; Osaze Irhue (Emre Topcu 36), Oisin Hand, Eric Yoro (Andrew Spain 6), Dean O’Shea; Pharrell Manuel (Kyle Robinson 66), Sean Moore; Dean George (Daragh Murtagh 66), Daniel Norris, Mohamed Boudiaf; Francis Campbell (Stefan Ugbesia 66).
Referee: Darragh White.
Elsewhere, Cobh Ramblers kept the gap at the top at six points with a dominant 4-0 win over Wexford FC at St Colman's Park.
The game was more or less done and dusted at half-time, Shane Griffin and Cian Coleman scoring within six minutes of one another around the half-hour mark, before Cian Murphy found the net on the stroke of the interval to leave it 3-0 at the break.
Shane Griffin heads Cobh Ramblers into the lead! 🐏 pic.twitter.com/CjzWMivQil
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) August 4, 2025
A James Crawford own goal rounded off the win for the home side, who maintained their grip on second spot with a second victory in four days.
Cian Curtis's 98th-minute equaliser snatched a draw for Bray Wanderers away to Finn Harps in Ballybofey.
Bray, currently vying for Cobh for second spot in the table, trailed 2-0 until midway through the second half, Barry McNamee giving the hosts the lead with an own goal from James Duggan shortly after the resumption plunging the promotion chasers into a hole.
However, Max Murphy's goal gave the lifeline on the 69th minute. It looked to be in vain until Curtis's late, late equaliser after meeting a corner at the near post with a well-directed glancing header.
Late drama in Donegal! 😮
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) August 4, 2025
Cian Curtis equalises for Bray Wanderers in the 98th minute! pic.twitter.com/XkIF4d1P9O
Ewan Lee's 84th-minute equaliser saw Kerry FC grab a draw away to Treaty United in a derby clash at Market's Field.
Patrick Ferry gave Treaty the lead midway through the first half before Lee's leveller gave the visitors a draw, nudging them above Longford Town and into eighth spot on goal difference.
Athlone Town remain rooted to the foot of the table after a 2-1 loss at home to UCD, Cole Omorehiomwan's lead goal on the hour being cancelled by Adam Brennan and a late winner from Hugh Smith.
