2015 Dundalk F.C. season

Last updated

Dundalk
2015 season
TrophiesInOriel2015.jpg
President’s Cup, FAI Cup, Leinster Senior Cup & League of Ireland Champions trophy on display in Oriel Park in 2015
Manager Stephen Kenny
Premier Division 1st (Champions)
FAI Cup Winners
League Cup Semi-final
President's Cup Winners
Leinster Senior Cup Winners
Champions League 2Q
Top goalscorerLeague:
Richie Towell (25)

All:
Richie Towell (26)
Highest home attendance3,957 (vs. Shamrock Rovers, 1 September 2015) [1]
  2014
2016  

Dundalk entered the 2015 season as the reigning League Champions from 2014, having won the title for the first time since 1995, and were also the League Cup holders. 2015 was Stephen Kenny's third season at the club as manager. It was Dundalk's seventh consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 80th in all, and their 89th in the League of Ireland.

Contents

Season summary

The new season's curtain raiser - the President's Cup - was played on 28 February in Oriel Park between Dundalk and St Patrick's Athletic - the winners of the FAI Cup the previous year. Dundalk won on a 2-1 scoreline - their first success in the competition. [2] The 33 round League programme commenced on 6 March 2015, and was completed on 30 October 2015. Dundalk retained the title for the first time in their history, sealing it with three games to spare. [3] They subsequently won the 2015 FAI Cup Final with a 1-0 victory over Cork City after extra time. An opportunity to win the club's first domestic Treble was passed up when a largely reserve side lost the League Cup semi-final in a penalty shoot-out. [4] However they also won the Leinster Senior Cup, defeating Shamrock Rovers 3-1 in the final. The trophy haul for the year made the 2015 season the most successful in their history. [5]

In Europe they were knocked out at the first hurdle, losing to BATE Borisov in the Champions League second qualifying round when, after scoring an away goal in a 2-1 defeat, they were unable to score the goal in Oriel Park that would have sent them through to the next round. [6]

First-Team Squad (2015)

Sources: [7]

Squad No.NameDate of BirthPositionDebut seasonLeague appearancesGoals
1 Flag of Ireland.svg Gary Rogers 25 September 1981 GK 2015310
2 Flag of Ireland.svg Sean Gannon 11 July 1991 DF 2014321
3 Flag of Ireland.svg Brian Gartland 4 November 1986 DF 2013276
4 Flag of Ireland.svg Andy Boyle 7 March 1991 DF 2013331
5 Flag of Ireland.svg Chris Shields 27 December 1990 MF 2012300
6 Flag of Ireland.svg Stephen O'Donnell 15 January 1986 MF 2013242
7 Flag of Ireland.svg Daryl Horgan 10 August 1992 MF 2014339
8 Flag of Ireland.svg John Mountney 22 February 1993 MF 2012333
9 Flag of Ireland.svg David McMillan 14 December 1988 FW 20143312
10 Flag of Ireland.svg Ronan Finn 21 December 1987 MF 2015335
11 Flag of Ireland.svg Kurtis Byrne 9 April 1990 FW 2013140
12 Flag of Ireland.svg Shane Grimes9 March 1987 DF 200540
14 Flag of Ireland.svg Dane Massey 17 April 1988 DF 2013324
15 Flag of Ireland.svg Paddy Barrett 22 July 1993 DF 2015110
16 Flag of Ireland.svg Ciarán Kilduff 29 September 1988 FW 2015124
17 Flag of Ireland.svg Richie Towell 17 July 1991 MF 20133225
19 Flag of Ireland.svg Sean Maguire 1 May 1994 FW 201560
21 Flag of Ireland.svg Darren Meenan1 October 1991 MF 2013283
22 Flag of Romania.svg Gabriel Sava 15 September 1986 GK 201430
28 Flag of Ireland.svg Georgie Poynton 8 September 1997 MF 201320

Competitions

President's Cup

Source: [8]

28 February 2015 Dundalk 2–1 St Patrick's Athletic Oriel Park
TBC GMT Horgan Soccerball shade.svg 36' Towell Soccerball shade.svg 38' Report Forrester Soccerball shade.svg 35'Attendance: 1,800 (estimate)
Referee: Tomas Connolly

Premier Division

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1 Dundalk (C)3323917823+5578Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round [lower-alpha 1]
2 Cork City 33191045725+3267Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round
3 Shamrock Rovers 33181145627+2965
4 St Patrick's Athletic 33184115234+1858
5 Bohemians 33158104942+753
6 Longford Town 331091441531239
7 Derry City 33981632421035
8 Bray Wanderers 33961827512433
9 Sligo Rovers 337101639551631
10 Galway United 33942039612231
11 Limerick (R)33781846732729Qualification to Relegation play-offs
12 Drogheda United (R)33771932623028Relegation to League of Ireland First Division
Source: League of Ireland, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored. [9]
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Dundalk qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015 FAI Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

FAI Cup

Source: [8]

Second Round
Third Round
21 August Galway United 1–4 Dundalk Eamonn Deacy Park
Report Attendance: 761
Referee: Robert Rogers
Quarter Final
Semi Final
Final
8 November 2015 Dundalk 1–0 (a.e.t.) Cork City Aviva Stadium
15:30 Richie Towell Soccerball shade.svg 107' Report Attendance: 25,103
Referee: David McKeon

League Cup

Source: [8]

Second Round
7 April 2015 Dundalk 1–0 Shelbourne Oriel Park
19:45John Mountney Soccerball shade.svg 11' Report Attendance: 697
Referee: Rob Harvey
Quarter Final
18 May 2015 UCC 0–5 Dundalk The Mardyke
20:00 Report Ciaran O'Connor Soccerball shade.svg 3'
Jake Kelly Soccerball shade.svg 13'
Paddy Barrett Soccerball shade.svg 36'
Paddy Barrett Soccerball shade.svg 55'
Kurtis Byrne Soccerball shade.svg 78'
Attendance: 650 (Est.)
Referee: David Keeler
Semi Final
3 August 2015 Galway United 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)
Dundalk Eamonn Deacy Park
17:00Alex Byrne Yellow card.svg 113' Report Ronan Finn Yellow card.svg 44'
Darren Meenan Yellow card.svg 78'
Referee: Ray Matthews
Penalties
Stephen Walsh Soccerball shad check.svg
David O'Leary Soccerball shad check.svg
Jake Keegan Soccerball shad check.svg
Colm Horgan Soccerball shad check.svg
Ronan Finn Soccerball shade cross.svg
David McMillan Soccerball shade cross.svg
Daryl Horgan Soccerball shad check.svg
John Mountney Soccerball shad check.svg

Leinster Senior Cup

Source: [8]

Fourth Round
10 February 2015 Dundalk 2–1 UCD Dundalk
19:45 GMT Ronan Finn Soccerball shade.svg 74'
David McMillan Soccerball shade.svg 83'
Report Dylan Watts Soccerball shade.svg 15'Stadium: Oriel Park
Referee: Robert Harvey
Quarter Final
16 March 2015 Wexford 0–3 Dundalk Wexford
19:45 GMT Report Ciaran O'Connor Soccerball shade.svg 16'
Shane Grimes Soccerball shade.svg 57'
Shane Grimes Soccerball shade.svg 88'
Stadium: Ferrycarrig Park
Semi Final
Final
26 October 2015 Dundalk 3–1 Shamrock Rovers Dundalk
19:45 GMT Kurtis Byrne Soccerball shade.svg 53'
Kurtis Byrne Soccerball shade.svg 56'
Chris Shields Soccerball shade.svg 90+5'
Report Aaron Dobbs Soccerball shade.svg 81'Stadium: Oriel Park
Attendance: 963
Referee: Simon Rogers

Europe

Champions League

Source: [8]

Second qualifying round
BATE Borisov Flag of Belarus.svg 2–1 Flag of Ireland.svg Dundalk
Karnitsky Soccerball shade.svg 11'
Yablonskiy Soccerball shade.svg 38'
Report McMillan Soccerball shade.svg 32'
Attendance: 11,421
Dundalk Flag of Ireland.svg 0–0 Flag of Belarus.svg BATE Borisov
Report
Attendance: 3,103

BATE Borisov won 2–1 on aggregate.

Awards

Player of the Month

MonthNationalityPlayerReference
MarchFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland David McMillan [10]
AprilFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland Richie Towell [11]
MayFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland Daryl Horgan [12]
SeptemberFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland Richie Towell [13]
NovemberFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland Richie Towell [14]

PFAI Player of the Year

PlayerReference
Flag of Ireland.svg Richie Towell [15]

FAI League of Ireland Player of the Year

PlayerReference
Flag of Ireland.svg Richie Towell [16]

SWAI Personality of the Year

PersonReference
Flag of Ireland.svg Richie Towell [17]

RTÉ Sports Team of the Year

TeamReference
Flag of Ireland.svg Dundalk F.C. [18]

Footnotes

    Related Research Articles

    Dundalk F.C. Association football club in Ireland

    Dundalk Football Club is a professional association football club in Dundalk, Ireland. Dundalk compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division—the top tier of football in the Republic of Ireland—and are the highest-ranked Irish side in European football as measured by UEFA club coefficients. They are the second most successful club in the League's history, and the most successful in the Premier Division era.

    Gabriel Sava Romanian professional footballer (born 1986)

    Gabriel Sava is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Warrenpoint Town in the NIFL Premiership. He was born in Bacău and played youth football for Lazio, before beginning a career in Ireland in 2001. Throughout his career there, he has played for Drogheda Town, Bray Wanderers, Monaghan United, Drogheda United, Dundalk and Bray Wanderers. He has made three appearances in the UEFA Europa League throughout his career and was a member of Dundalk's squad when they became the first Irish side to reach the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League in August 2016.

    David McMillan (footballer) Irish footballer

    David McMillan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a Forward for League of Ireland side Dundalk. He has previously played for UCD, St Patrick's Athletic, Sligo Rovers, St Johnstone, Hamilton Academical and Falkirk. He is currently the League of Ireland's all-time leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League and was joint top-scorer in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round. McMillan has also been named League of Ireland Premier Division Player of the Month on three occasions.

    The 2012 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 28th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The division featured 12 teams. Sligo Rovers were champions, winning their first top league title since 1976–77. Drogheda United finished as runners-up.

    Sean Gannon (footballer) Irish footballer

    Sean Gannon is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland Premier Division. He previously played for Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic and has won 7 league winner's medals in his career so far. Gannon has featured regularly in European competition for Dundalk and was part of their team that became only the second Irish side ever to reach the group stage of the Europa League in August 2016.

    Seán Hoare Irish footballer

    Seán Hoare is an Irish professional footballer playing for League of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers

    Andy Boyle Irish professional footballer

    Andrew Boyle is an Irish professional footballer, who primarily plays as a centre-back. Boyle currently plays for Dundalk. He has previously played for League of Ireland sides Dundalk, UCD and Shelbourne, Scottish club Dundee English Club Preston North End and on loan at Ross County. With Dundalk, Boyle was the team's vice-captain and was part of the first Irish side to reach the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League in August 2016 and qualified for the Europa League group stages. Boyle also played regularly in 2020–21 UEFA Europa League group stage.

    2016 Dundalk F.C. season Dundalk 2016 football season

    Dundalk entered the 2016 season as the reigning League Champions and FAI Cup holders from 2014, having won the 'Double' for the first time since 1987–88. 2016 was Stephen Kenny's third season at the club as manager. It was Dundalk's seventh consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 80th in all, and their 89th in the League of Ireland.

    The 2019 League of Ireland Premier Division is the 35th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The league began in February 2019 and concluded in October 2019. Fixtures were announced in December 2018.

    Georgie Poynton is an Irish professional footballer playing for League of Ireland Premier Division club, Shelbourne. He has previously played for Waterford for a season, St Patrick's Athletic for 2 months as well as his first senior club Dundalk for 5 years including a season on loan at Bohemians.

    2019 Dundalk F.C. season Dundalk 2019 football season

    Dundalk entered the 2019 season as the reigning League Champions and FAI Cup holders from 2018. They had a new management team of Vinny Perth and the returning John Gill, after Stephen Kenny had resigned to accept the Republic of Ireland U-21 manager's role. The 2019 season was Dundalk's 11th consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 84th in all, and their 93rd in the League of Ireland.

    2018 Dundalk F.C. season Dundalk 2018 football season

    Dundalk entered the 2018 season as the League Cup holders from 2017, having won that competition and finished as runners-up in both league and FAI Cup. In January the club was taken over by United States-based investors, who had identified the club's European progress as a commercial opportunity. 2018 would turn out to be Stephen Kenny's sixth and final season as manager. He resigned one month after the end of the season to accept the Republic of Ireland U-21 manager's role, and was replaced by his assistant, Vinny Perth for 2019. The 2018 season was Dundalk's 10th consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 83rd in all, and their 92nd in the League of Ireland.

    Dundalk entered the 2017 season as the reigning League Champions from 2016, having won the title for the third year in a row, and having come off a successful Europa League run that saw them become the first Irish club to both win points and win a match in the group stage of European competition. 2017 was Stephen Kenny's fifth season at the club as manager. It was Dundalk's ninth consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 82nd in all, and their 91st in the League of Ireland.

    The 2014 League of Ireland Cup Final was the final match of the 2014 League of Ireland Cup, called the EA Sports Cup for sponsorship purposes, a knock-out association football competition contested annually by clubs affiliated with the League of Ireland. It took place on 20 September 2014 at Oriel Park in Dundalk, and was contested by Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers. Dundalk won the match 3–2 to win the competition for the fifth time.

    Dundalk entered the 2014 season having finished as runners-up in 2013. 2014 was Stephen Kenny's second season at the club as manager. It was Dundalk's sixth consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 79th in all, and their 88th in the League of Ireland.

    Dundalk entered the 2013 season having spent the 2012 season rooted in the relegation play-off spot. The club had been put up for sale, and, with the assistance of a Supporters Trust, it was taken over by local businessmen Andy Connolly and Paul Brown. They subsequently managed to remain in the top-flight by winning a promotion/relegation play-off. With the takeover complete and the club saved, the new owners turned to Stephen Kenny - out of work since being sacked by Shamrock Rovers - to become the new manager ahead of the season. 2013 was Dundalk's fifth consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 78th in all, and their 87th in the League of Ireland.

    The 2020 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as the SSE Airtricity League for sponsorship reasons, was the 36th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division.

    History of Dundalk F.C. (2002–present) Aspect of history

    The History of Dundalk Football Club (2002–present) covers the period from the aftermath of the 2001–02 season, when Dundalk had won the FAI Cup, but were also relegated to the League of Ireland First Division, to the end of the most recently completed season. It also includes short articles about some of the events that are an integral part of the club's recent history.

    2020 Dundalk F.C. season Dundalk 2020 football season

    Dundalk entered the 2020 season as the reigning League Champions and League of Ireland Cup holders from 2019. It was manager Vinny Perth's second season as manager until his dismissal following Dundalk's exit from Europe in the first qualifying round of the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League. He was then replaced by Head Coach Filippo Giovagnoli. The 2020 season is Dundalk's 12th consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 85th in all, and their 94th in the League of Ireland.

    The 2021 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division for sponsorship reasons, is the 37th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top Irish league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1985. Shamrock Rovers are the defending champions, having won their sixth league title the previous season.

    References

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    3. Donnelly, Dave. "League Report: Shamrock Rovers 1 - 1 Dundalk". www.extratime.ie. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
    4. Dolan, Josh. "FAI Cup Final Report: Cork City 0-1 Dundalk A.E.T." www.extratime.ie. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
    5. Fisher, Ciaran. "Leinster Senior Cup Final Report: Dundalk 3 - 1 Shamrock Rovers". www.extratime.ie. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
    6. Fisher, Ciaran. "Champions League Report: Dundalk 0-0 BATE Borisov". www.extratime.ie. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
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    11. "No prizes for guessing the Airtricity League Player of the Month for April". www.the42.ie. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
    12. "Daryl Horgan player of the month for May". www.rte.ie. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
    13. "Richie Towell named Player of Month for September". www.rte.ie. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
    14. "TOWELL NAMED SWAI PLAYER OF THE MONTH". www.dundalkfc.com. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
    15. "Towell named PFAI Player of the Year". www.the42.ie. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
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    17. "Richie Towell is the Irish Soccer Writers' Personality of the Year for 2015". www.the42.ie. 9 January 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
    18. "DUNDALK SECURE RTÉ SPORT TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD". www.dundalkfc.com. 20 December 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2019.