2025 Dundalk F.C. season
| 2025 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | John Temple | ||
| Head coach | Ciarán Kilduff | ||
| Stadium | Oriel Park | ||
| League of Ireland First Division | 1st | ||
| FAI Cup | Second round | ||
| Leinster Senior Cup | Semifinals | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Dean Ebbe (9 goals) All: Dean Ebbe (9 goals) | ||
| Biggest win | Dundalk 6–1 Athlone Town (8 August 2025) | ||
| Biggest defeat | Bray Wanderers 2–0 Dundalk (11 July 2025) | ||
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Dundalk entered the 2025 League of Ireland First Division season after being relegated from the Premier Division the previous year. Ciarán Kilduff was the club's new first-team manager going into the new term, having been appointed during the close season.[1]
2025 is Dundalk's 99th season in the League of Ireland and their first season in the First Division since winning promotion in 2008.
Season summary
Following the financial crisis that engulfed the club towards the end of 2024,[2] Dundalk were at risk of not receiving a licence to compete in 2025. Following new owner John Temple's efforts to get the debt situation under control, which meant that the club's holding company avoided examinership, they were belatedly awarded a licence to compete in the First Division.[3]
Their playing season began with the 2024–25 Leinster Senior Cup. Like all Leinster-based League of Ireland teams, they entered at the group stage (Round 3), where they were drawn in Group B with Shamrock Rovers, Malahide United, and Usher Celtic.[4] They topped the group to progress to the Quarter-finals. In the process, TJ Molloy-Murray became the club's youngest goalscorer at 15 years and 10 months, breaking by six months a record set by Peter McParland in 1950.[5]
The First Division league schedule began on 14 February 2025 with a 1–0 home win over Athlone Town.[6] Dundalk led the way from the start, picking up 25 points from 27 in the first series of matches. They remained undefeated in the second series but a return of four wins and five draws allowed the chasing pack to stay in touch. In the third series, they suffered their first defeats of the season but six wins allowed them to maintain a six-point lead going into the final set of matches.
In August, Sean Keogh was transferred to Brighton, in what was reported as a 'record sale' (therefore in excess of the €175,000 received for Daniel Kearns in 2011).[7][8]
In the FAI Cup, they were knocked out in the second round by Sligo Rovers.[9]
First-Team Squad (2025)
Sources:[10] Note: Substitute appearances in brackets
| No. | Nat. | Name | DOB | Pos. | Debut | League | FAI Cup | Leinster Cup | Totals | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||
| 1 | 
|
Enda Minogue | 12 January 2002 | GK | 2025 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 2 |
|
Conor O'Keeffe | 19 September 1993 | DF | 2025 | 13 (2) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| 3 |
|
Sean Keogh[a] | 15 April 2006 | DF | 2024 | 20 (1) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| 4[b] |
|
Mayowa Animasahun | 8 August 2003 | DF | 2021 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| 5 |
|
Sean McHale[c] | 28 March 2005 | DF | 2025 | 10 (9) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| 6 |
|
Aodh Dervin | 21 July 1999 | MF | 2024 | 25 (1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 (2) | 1 | 30 | 2 |
| 7 |
|
Daryl Horgan | 10 August 1992 | FW | 2014 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 31 | 7 |
| 8 |
|
Harry Groome | 9 November 2001 | MF | 2025 | 23 (3) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| 9 |
|
Dean Ebbe | 16 July 1994 | FW | 2025 | 20 (7) | 9 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 10 |
| 10 | 
|
Leo Gaxha | 27 July 2002 | FW | 2025 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 (2) | 1 | 21 | 6 |
| 11 |
|
Gbemi Arubi | 26 May 2004 | FW | 2025 | 9 (11) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 23 | 6 |
| 12 |
|
Luke Mulligan | 13 November 2007 | MF | 2024 | 4 (8) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| 14 | 
|
Norman Garbett | 27 February 2004 | MF | 2024 | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 15[d] |
|
Vincent Leonard | 21 March 2008 | MF | 2024 | 25 (1) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| 16 |
|
Eoin Kenny | 30 December 2005 | FW | 2024 | 21 (6) | 6 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 (1) | 2 | 31 | 8 |
| 17 |
|
Keith Ward | 12 October 1990 | MF | 2011 | 12 (14) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 3 |
| 18 | 
|
Peter Cherrie | 1 October 1983 | GK | 2009 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 19 |
|
Sean Spaight | 25 January 2009 | DF | 2024 | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 20[e] |
|
Sammy Safaei | 9 March 2005 | GK | 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 |
|
Muhammad Haris[f] | 2008 | MF | 2025 | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 22[g] | 
|
Ethen Vaughan | 5 November 2001 | DF | 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 23[h] |
|
Andy Paraschiv | 15 February 2007 | MF | 2025 | 8 (17) | 2 | 0 (1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| 24[i] |
|
T.J. Molloy-Murray | 4 April 2009 | FW | 2024 | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 25[j] | 
|
Aidan Russell Vargas | 12 May 2006 | MF | 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 |
|
Shane Tracey | 4 April 2006 | MF | 2025 | 6 (10) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 27 |
|
Declan McDaid[k] | 22 November 1995 | FW | 2025 | 3 (3) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| 29 | 
|
Rohan Vaughan[l] | 3 October 2005 | FW | 2025 | 1 (3) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 31 |
|
John Ross Wilson[m] | 13 December 1998 | DF | 2025 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Competitions
Win Draw Loss
First Division
| 14 February 2025 Round 1 | Dundalk | 1–0 | Athlone Town | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Vincent Leonard  37' |
Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 2,600 (est.) Referee: Marc Lynch |
| 21 February 2025 Round 2 | Finn Harps | 0–1 | Dundalk | Ballybofey, County Donegal |
| 19:45 | Report | Sean Keogh 2' |
Stadium: Finn Park Attendance: 1,420 Referee: Declan Toland |
| 28 February 2025 Round 3 | Kerry | 0–1 | Dundalk | Tralee, County Kerry |
| 19:45 | Report | Dean Ebbe 25' Leo Gaxha  36' |
Stadium: Mounthawk Park Attendance: 1,195 Referee: Glen Geraghty |
| 8 March 2025 Round 4 | Dundalk | 2–2 | Treaty United | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Dean Ebbe 27' Aodh Dervin 80' |
Report | Martin 85' Devitt 90' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 2,264 Referee: Darragh White |
| 14 March 2025 Round 5 | Bray Wanderers | 1–3 | Dundalk | Bray, County Wicklow |
| 19:45 | Murphy 90' pen. |
Report | Daryl Horgan 8' Dean Ebbe 11'Eoin Kenny 31' |
Stadium: Carlisle Grounds Attendance: 1,650 Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan |
| 21 March 2025 Round 6 | Dundalk | 2–1 | Longford Town | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Dean Ebbe 29' pen. Eoin Kenny 79' |
Report | Murtagh 19' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 2,030 Referee: Ryan Maher |
| 28 March 2025 Round 7 | Dundalk | 3–0 | Wexford | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Leo Gaxha 66', 78' Sean Keogh 70' |
Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,926 Referee: Declan Toland |
| 4 April 2025 Round 8 | UCD | 0–1 | Dundalk | Belfield, Dublin |
| 19:45 | Report | Leo Gaxha 63' |
Stadium: UCD Bowl Attendance: 657 Referee: Alan Franklin |
| 11 April 2025 Round 9 | Dundalk | 1–0 | Cobh Ramblers | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Jonas Häkkinen 57' o.g. |
Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,834 Referee: Aaron O’Dowd |
| 18 April 2025 Round 10 | Treaty United | 1–1 | Dundalk | Garryowen, Limerick |
| 19:45 | Mahdy 78' |
Daryl Horgan 69' |
Stadium: Markets Field Attendance: 1,283 Referee: Eoghan O'Shea |
| 21 April 2025 Round 11 | Dundalk | 1–1 | Finn Harps | Dundalk |
| 17:00 | Vincent Leonard 81' |
Report | McLaughlin 90' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,761 Referee: Gavin Colfer |
| 26 April 2025 Round 12 | Longford Town | 0–3 | Dundalk | Longford |
| 19:30 | Report | Dean Ebbe 55', 63' Andy Paraschiv 88' |
Stadium: Bishopsgate Attendance: 823 Referee: Mark Houlihan |
| 2 May 2025 Round 13 | Athlone Town | 0–0 | Dundalk | Athlone, County Westmeath |
| 19:45 | Report | Stadium: Athlone Town Stadium Attendance: 684 Referee: Lucas Keating |
| 12 May 2025 Round 14 | Dundalk | 2–2 | Bray Wanderers | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Sean McHale 19' Gbemi Arubi 90' |
Report | Cantwell 31' Doyle 68'Warren 89' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,874 Referee: Daniel Murphy |
| 16 May 2025 Round 15 | Cobh Ramblers | 1–2 | Dundalk | Cobh, County Cork |
| 19:45 | Griffin 54' |
Report | Daryl Horgan 37' Gbemi Arubi 45' |
Stadium: St Colman's Park Attendance: 1,356 Referee: Darragh White |
| 23 May 2025 Round 16 | Dundalk | 2–0 | Kerry | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Leo Gaxha 43' Daryl Horgan 68' |
Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,586 Referee: Lucas Keating |
| 30 May 2025 Round 17 | Wexford | 2–3 | Dundalk | Crossabeg, County Wexford |
| 19:45 | Levingston 16' Rowe 42' |
Leo Gaxha 13' Dean Ebbe 78' Luke Mulligan 87' |
Stadium: Ferrycarrig Park Referee: Glen Geraghty |
| 13 June 2025 Round 18 | Dundalk | 1–1 | UCD | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Harry Groome 26' |
Report | Adam Verdon 34' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,587 Referee: Aaron O'Dowd |
| 20 June 2025 Round 19 | Dundalk | 1–1 | Treaty United | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Harry Groome 86' |
Report | Walsh 90' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,428 Referee: Lucas Keating |
| 23 June 2025 Round 20 | Finn Harps | 1–0 | Dundalk | Ballybofey, County Donegal |
| 19:45 | Lomboto 61' pen. |
Report | Stadium: Finn Park Referee: Daniel Murphy |
| 27 June 2025 Round 21 | Dundalk | 1–0 | Cobh Ramblers | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Gbemi Arubi 13' |
Report | Coleman 90' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,487 Referee: Oliver Moran |
| 4 July 2025 Round 22 | Kerry | 0–4 | Dundalk | Tralee, County Kerry |
| 19:45 | Report | Harry Groome 20' Eoin Kenny 600'Keith Ward 90'Andy Paraschiv 90' |
Stadium: Mounthawk Park Attendance: 960 Referee: Lucas Keating |
| 11 July 2025 Round 23 | Bray Wanderers | 2–0 | Dundalk | Bray, County Wicklow |
| 19:45 | Murphy 43' pen. Bishop 90' |
Report | Stadium: Carlisle Grounds Attendance: 1,712 Referee: Declan Toland |
| 25 July 2025 Round 24 | Dundalk | 3–2 | Wexford | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Gbemi Arubi 3', 30' Keith Ward 63' |
Report | Haris 50' Rowe 87' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,632 Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan |
| 1 August 2025 Round 25 | UCD | 0–1 | Dundalk | Belfield, Dublin |
| 19:45 | Report | Daryl Horgan 45' pen. |
Stadium: UCD Bowl Attendance: 579 Referee: Mark Houlihan |
| 5 August 2025 Round 26 | Dundalk | 4–1 | Longford Town | Dundalk |
| 17:00 | Eoin Kenny 15' Dean Ebbe 34', 61'Declan McDaid 85' |
Report | Hand 79' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,328 Referee: Darragh White |
| 8 August 2025 Round 27 | Dundalk | 6–1 | Athlone Town | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Gbemi Arubi 11' Eoin Kenny 28', 59'Rohan Vaughan 81', 90'Keith Ward 90' |
Report | Oyenuga 9' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,611 Referee: John Sconnie Walsh |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dundalk | 27 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 50 | 20 | +30 | 61 | Promotion to 2026 League of Ireland Premier Division |
| 2 | Cobh Ramblers | 27 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 50 | 25 | +25 | 55 | Qualification for League of Ireland Premier Division play-off |
| 3 | Bray Wanderers | 27 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 46 | 36 | +10 | 50 | |
| 4 | UCD | 27 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 30 | 25 | +5 | 42 | |
| 5 | Treaty United | 26 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 41 | 29 | +12 | 35 | |
| 6 | Wexford | 27 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 30 | 39 | −9 | 30 | |
| 7 | Finn Harps | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 35 | −5 | 28 | |
| 8 | Kerry | 26 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 29 | 43 | −14 | 25 | |
| 9 | Longford Town | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 25 | 48 | −23 | 25 | |
| 10 | Athlone Town | 27 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 20 | 51 | −31 | 17 |
Updated to match(es) played on 8 August 2025. Source: SSE Airtricity League of Ireland First Division
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
FAI Cup
| 18 July 2025 Second round[n] | Dundalk | 0–2 | Sligo Rovers | Dundalk, County Louth |
| 19:45 | Report | James McManus 51' Jake Doyle-Hayes 54' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 2,038 Referee: Aaron O’Dowd |
Leinster Senior Cup
Third Round Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Usher Celtic | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Malahide United | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | –11 | 0 |
| 17 January 2025 Matchday 1 | Dundalk | 4–0 | Malahide United | Dundalk, County Louth |
| 19:45 | Daryl Horgan 11' Dean Ebbe 38'Aodh Dervin 52'Aidan Russell Vargas 90+1' |
Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,219 Referee: David Dunne |
| 20 January 2025 Matchday 2 | Dundalk | 1–2 | Usher Celtic | Dundalk, County Louth |
| 19:45 | Eoin Kenny 62' |
Report | Graham Curran 70' (pen.) Gary Gannon 90' |
Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,021 Referee: Mark Moynihan |
| 7 February 2025 Matchday 3 | Shamrock Rovers | 0–4 | Dundalk | Citywest, Dublin 24 |
| 20:00 | Report | TJ Molloy 13' Eoin Kenny 16'Daryl Horgan 29'Leo Gaxha 53' |
Stadium: Roadstone Academy Attendance: unreported Referee: Neil Doyle |
Quarter Final
| 25 March 2025 Quarter Final | Dundalk | 3–0[o] | North End United | Dundalk, County Louth |
| 19:45 | Stadium: Oriel Park |
Footnotes
- ^ transferred to Brighton on 1 August 2025
- ^ player used shirts No. 24 and 45 in Leinster Senior Cup
- ^ on season-long loan from St Patrick's Athletic
- ^ player used shirt No. 22 in Leinster Senior Cup
- ^ player used shirt No. 30 in Leinster Senior Cup
- ^ player transferred to Wexford 1 July 2025 after Round 21
- ^ player used shirt No. 20 in Leinster Senior Cup
- ^ player used shirt No. 5 in Leinster Senior Cup
- ^ player used shirt No. 4 in Leinster Senior Cup
- ^ player used shirt No. 22 in Leinster Senior Cup
- ^ player signed 1 July 2025 ahead of Round 22
- ^ player signed on loan from QPR ahead of Round 24
- ^ signed 14 June 2025 ahead of Round 22
- ^ League of Ireland clubs entered the competition in the Second round
- ^ North End United could not field a team and Dundalk were awarded a walkover
References
- ^ "Ciaran Kilduff named new Dundalk boss". rte.ie. RTÉ. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Rogers, James (6 September 2024). "Could Dundalk FC fold? Manager Jon Daly in the dark as wages go unpaid". Irish Examiner.
- ^ "Statement - Dundalk". leagueofireland.ie. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ Dempsey, Andrew. "Leinster Senior Cup draw made with group stage format to return". extratime.com. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Newberry, Niall. "Lilywhites progress". irishnewsarchive.com. Dundalk Democrat. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
- ^ O'Connor, Tom. "Dundalk 1 Athlone Town 0". extratime.com. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
- ^ Rogers, James. "Dundalk set to receive club-record transfer fee for Sean Keogh from Brighton". rte.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ Newberry, Niall. "Brighton-bound Keogh leaves with Dundalk manager's full blessing". dundalkdemocrat.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ Rogers, James. "Clinical Sligo avoid another early FAI Cup exit in Dundalk". rte.ie. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ^ "Dundalk FC Squad 2025". dundalkfc.com. 19 January 2025. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
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