Kilduff anticipating a Euro adventure

CIARAN Kilduff knows what it takes to succeed in Europe and he is confident that this current Dundalk team has what it takes.

The 27-year-old was part of the Shamrock Rovers team which reached the Europa League group stages in 2011 and he feels Stephen Kenny’s side have the ability to repeat that feat.

Having only joined the Lilywhites after the side’s Champions League defeat to BATE Borisov last season, Kilduff will be hoping to make his European debut for the club when they take on Iceland’s FH Hafnarfjardur this week.

The Kilcock man had originally been hoping to be involved in those clashes with the Belarusian outfit but saw his transfer to the Lilywhites held up by St Pat’s.

Now he is eager to make up for lost time after initially fearing he would miss out on Europe again when he suffered a broken back against his old club back in April.

‘I’m chomping at the bit,’ he told The Argus.

‘When I had the setback with my back I remember thinking to myself could I get back for Europe. I ended up being back a month early and I’ve given a lot of credit to the backroom team and medical team for that but for me Europe has always been something I had one eye on.

‘They’re probably the most memorable nights, certainly the good ones. Winning the league is obviously the bread and butter and it’s what you have to do to get these opportunities but it should be a great occasion and I don’t see why we can’t make a good first of it this year.’

While last week saw both St Pat’s and Cork City advance in Europe, Kilduff insists Dundalk’s route via the Champions League gives an Irish club the most likely chance of making a splash like Rovers did in 2011.

‘This is the way to do it,’ he said.

‘Your chance is in the Champions League and if you can get through a round you have a chance to do it then. No one has ever done it the other way through the Europa League.

‘When I did it with Shamrock Rovers we went in as champions and we beat Tallinn and got our opportunity eventually against Partizan Belgrade and we took it. What it gives to staff and players and fans is great but even this game alone is great to look forward to.

‘The lads still talk about BATE last year and those memories are probably a bit bittersweet. It was a great experience for them though going toe to toe with a top team who went on to the Champions League then.

‘It’s an opportunity and this is another one. The fans should enjoy it and hopefully we can get the job done for them because it would be great to get a run in Europe this year. Obviously there is one or two of us in that dressing room who know how great it can be and what’s on the other side.’

Kilduff admits he knows very little about Wednesday night’s opponents but he insists that Dundalk have the qualities to punish any side coming to Oriel.

‘It’s nice to have had the week to prepare. Obviously they’re going to be strong opposition as champions of their country but until you actually get on the pitch to see what they’re about it’s hard to get a good knowledge of how difficult an opponent they will be.

‘You’d imagine they’re going to be strong because no one isn’t at this level. It’s a Champions League qualifier and there’s no such thing as a soft touch in it but we’ll be prepared and I’m sure we’ll be well prepped on what’s to come.

‘They won’t like to come here. I’m sure it’ll be a full house with a great atmosphere and hopefully we can take something over there.

‘You don’t know what their plans are going to be. They won’t know much about us, the same way we don’t know much about them. We’re kind of both in the dark a bit so there might be a bit of feeling each other out for a while but hopefully we can get the job done and go over there with something.

‘We’re capable of beating anyone, especially in this country, on our day,’ he said.

Kilduff goes into Wednesday’s game on a high after coming off the bench to score a 92nd winner in last Tuesday’s 4-3 win over Longford Town and he feels that goal was vital to keep him in Stephen Kenny’s thoughts after his fellow striker David McMillan scored his second hat-trick in the space of four days in the same match.

‘It was massive,’ he said of his goal.

‘I was disappointed to miss the Derry game and then my strike partner goes and gets three and I’m sitting there wondering what could have been. Davy has been brilliant with back-to-back hat-tricks but I told him he was going to get another one because when you get one they come like buses. I was delighted for him though and for myself to come on and get the winner was a sweet feeling and it marked a good night’s work for the front two.

‘The thing about it is that both of us know there’s always an opportunity for the other one. Some people go on about who he is going to pick and who is the better one but I think that’s foolish because the manager is getting the best out of both of us.

‘There has been games where I’ve come on and scored the winner and games where he has scored the winner and it’s just the way it seems to work here. We’re getting our fair share of goals though and for the two of us to have the four goals between us was a great night’s work.

‘It wasn’t a nice feeling losing before the break, especially having three weeks to stew on it but we’ve come back with three straight wins. You can’t ask for much more and we can go into the European game now all guns blazing,’ he said.