Having a ball!

stage tonight to come on and get one. I’m just relieved to play a part.

“A lot of people in my family and the manager here put a lot of faith in me and put positive thoughts in my head before the match.

“I was rushed back. I did my LCL and I was out for over three weeks. The physio here, Fearghal Kerin, is one of my best friends and together with Sam Rice they put in their work and they got me back early. The manager said to me before I left the dressing room wouldn’t it just be written if you came on and scored the winner. I could only get an equaliser so I owe him one now I suppose.

“I probably shouldn’t have played last Friday but I just needed to get myself on the pitch for match sharpness. I couldn’t hit a barn door on the night. One went in off my head and we won 1-0 so you can pick the positives out of it but on another night I could have had five.

“That’s just being critical but that game maybe stood to me. I know I didn’t play the 90 tonight but match sharpness can’t be recreated. No matter how many times Paddy Barrett kicks you in training, it doesn’t amount to a match.

“It’s hard to put it into words. It was just a special night for us. I obviously enjoyed it but I think we deserved it as well.

“Their goal wasn’t against the run of play but it wasn’t like it came from sustained pressure either. It was an error by Gary Rogers, which is very rare. The wheels looked to be coming off a bit then when Stephen unfortunately picked up a second yellow and it looked like one of those nights that turned on 15 minutes but thankfully I got my head on a great ball by Daryl Horgan. We rode our luck then for the last 10 minutes but it’s just a special feeling and a special night. To get the first point in Europe from an Irish team is something that will be remembered and we’ve made another little piece of history tonight.”

With a record of having yet to lose a match for Dundalk on the 12 occasions he has scored since joining the club in July 2015, Kilduff is now hoping there is more to come from both he and the team.

“It’s a nice run. I don’t know how it’s still going though with that last 10 minutes. We really rode our luck out there but it’s another goal for me. I think I’ve eight in all competitions now for the season and we’ve got a league campaign coming thick and fast and a lot of games coming up so hopefully I’ll be able to add a few more to it,” he said.

An incredible journey continues for Dundalk, with Kilduff’s own tale another intriguing part of a brilliant story that is far from over yet.