FULL TIME: With a stunning 5-0 victory over St. Patricks Athletic, Dundalk FC not only earned their first victory of the year but also made a statement. Rayhann Tulloch, Daniel Kelly, Louise Annesley, Patrick Hoban, and Conor Malley all scored to give Stephen O'Donnell's team the ideal victory. Patrick Hoban moved one step closer to Joey Donnelly's record on the night he made his 200th league appearance for the club. This certainly clarified some questions about Dundalk's lackluster start to the year, which has drawn some criticism.

YELLOW: Chris Forrester booked for a late challenge.

SUB: Wasiri Williams comes on for Leahy

GOAL: Connor Malley with an excellent individual goal as he latched onto a pass and took his time to slot it past the keeper from the edge of the area.

CLOSE: Dundalk nearly add a fifth with Keith Ward breaking down the right and his effort just goes wide of the far post.

SUB: Dundalk makes further changes with Cameron Elliott coming on for Tullock and Ryan O'Kane coming on for Hoban.

3,487 is in attendance here at Oriel Park tonight.

CLOSE: Keith Ward's deft pass, Pat Hobans slight header, and a fantastic volley from John Martin that just goes over!

SUB: Double change for the Saints as Conor Carty comes on for Kreida and Thijs Timmermans comes on for Mulraney.

SUB: Double change for Dundalk as Keith Ward and John Martin come on for Daniel Kelly and Johannes Yli-Kokko.

CLOSE: That was the best chance for the Saints as a cross to the back post was met by Grivosti but his shot flashed across the face of the goal and wide.

Another change for St. Pats as Eoin Doyle makes way for Serge Atakayi

YELLOW: Daniel Kelly is also booked for removing his shirt in the Dundalk celebrations.

YELLOW: Two challenges and two yellow cards as Eoin Doyle and Vladislav Kreida are booked

The second change for the night for the Saints as Tom Grivosti is on for Sam Curtis.

GOAL: Greg Sloggett with the perfect through ball and Daniel Kelly races away and slots it under the keeper - I did not see this coming!

GOAL: An initial shot from range by Hayden Muller was only parried by Odomusu and Rayhann Tulloch was on hand to tap it home from close range.

SECOND HALF: We are back underway at Oriel Park, St. Pats restart proceedings.

There is a change at halftime for the Saints as Thomas Lonergan replaces Jamie Lennon.

HALF TIME: Dundalk stormed to a 2-0 lead thanks to Hoban and Annesley which was the perfect start for the home side. St. Pats have come back into it but Nathan Sheppard really has been the last line of defense.

YELLOW: Tulloch for Dundalk and Curtis for St. Pats are both booked after a bit of play-acting by Pat's full-back.

POST: Mulraney's free kick strikes the Dundalk frame and leaves Sheppard in no man's land, Dundalk defends their lines and eventually clears the danger following a corner, Dundalk if they want to keep the two-goal cushion need to see it out until half time.

CHANCE: Up the other end Rayhann Tulloch has an excellent run and cuts in to find himself one on one with the keeper that has to save with his feet, what a goal that would have been.

CHANCE: An excellent cross into the area and Leahy and Mulraney compete for the cross, Leahy gets the final touch which just goes wide of the post, and it's a corner to Pats which Nathan Sheppard collects at the far post.

Nathan 'The Great Wall of Wales' Sheppard rises highest twice to punch St. Pats attacks away.

Jake Mulraney with an excellent run down the right cuts onto his left foot but the shot was tame.

CLOSE: An excellent cross into the area by Greg Sloggett was met by Leahy but it's well saved and the follow-up corner sees Yli-Kokko strike from range but it goes over.

Mulraney and Nathan Sheppard close down for the ball after the Saints striker was released, Mulraney was late but Sheppard looks ok to continue. It was a giant clash between the two.

GOAL: Dundalk was patient in the build-up but a clever through ball over the top from Rayhaan Tulloch finds Louise Annesley slotting it past Odomusu to double Dundalk's lead.

Excellent block from Andy Boyle to stop Mark Doyle as he stole the ball off Malley and the striker's effort was perfectly blocked to avoid Sheppard having to work.

GOAL: Daniel Kelly earns a free kick on the right-hand side which Conor Malley takes, the ball evades Kelly but diving in at the near post is Patrick Hoban and it flies past Odomusu.

There is a bit of bite in this one - Chris Forrester and Daniel Kelly are showing their metal amongst the rest as both sides look to exert this early dominance.

KICK OFF: We are underway at Oriel Park, Dundalk kick us off.

ARRIVALS: Here come the teams! Dundalk FC and Pats come out to a big crowd here at Oriel, the Shed has lit up and some 550 or so Saints fans have made the way down the M1!

OUR JOHN: John Mountney is a long-term absentee for Dundalk but fans of his former club St Pat's are understood to have a get well soon poster prepared for him this evening. A nice touch for a man who suffered an ACL injury here playing for Pat's in a 4-1 league win in August 2021

200 NOT OUT: Patrick Hoban captains Dundalk tonight on what is his 200th league appearance for the club. Hoban has scored nine career goals against St Pat’s but hasn’t won in his last 5 times scoring against them.

APPEARANCE MAKER: Hayden Muller starts the 10th game of his professional career tonight. All seven of his starts prior to joining Dundalk came during a loan spell at St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership

APPEARANCE MAKER: Andy Boyle is making his 325th league appearance in Irish football tonight. It is 13 years ago this weekend – March 5th, 2010 – since he made his Premier Division debut for UCD in a 3-0 win away to Drogheda Utd who were managed by current St Pat’s board member Alan Mathews.

REFEREE WATCH: Tonight's referee is Paul McLaughlin. He takes charge of a Dundalk game for the 55th time in his career tonight – more than he has refereed any other side.

HEAD TO HEAD: Dundalk has won just two of the last 11 meetings with Pat’s. That was a 2-0 win at Richmond Park just before the break in May 2021 when a Sam Bone OG was followed up with a goal from David McMillan and the 1-0 win in the game here in May when Daniel Kelly scored the only goal.

HEAD TO HEAD: It’s the 231st meeting between Dundalk and St Patrick’s Athletic this evening. Dundalk has won 96, drawn 55, and lost 79 of the previous 230 meetings

HEAD TO HEAD: It’s league meeting number 160 between the pair tonight. Dundalk has won 60, drawn 46, and lost 53. There hasn’t been a scoreless draw in this fixture at Oriel Park since June 2014.

TEAM NEWS: Stephen O'Donnell makes four changes to the side which lost to Bohemians last week with Leahy, Yli-Kokko, Kelly and Tulloch coming in for Davies, Doyle, Lewis and O'Kane.

TEAM NEWS: St Pat's make two changes from their win over Shelbourne with Eoin Doyle and Mark Doyle coming in for Serge Atakayi and Thomas Lonergan, both of whom are on the bench.

Good Evening from Oriel Park - it's cold, it's crisp but it's the perfect night for football! Ciaran Callan to take you through tonight's actions as the Saints take on the Lilywhites at the home of football.