2019 Dundalk F.C. season


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.

Season summary

The new season's curtain raiser - the President's Cup - was played on 9 February in Turners Cross between Dundalk and Cork City, the runners-up in both league and cup the previous year. Dundalk won on a 2-1 scoreline. The 36 round League programme commenced on 15 February 2019, and was completed on 25 October 2019. Dundalk retained their title with four games to spare, sealing the title in Oriel Park with a 3-2 victory over Shamrock Rovers on 23 September 2019. They had already won the League Cup, defeating Derry City on penalties in the Brandywell nine days earlier. Chasing a domestic Treble, they were defeated in a penalty shoot-out in the FAI Cup final by Shamrock Rovers. But they ended the season with a comprehensive 7–1 aggregate victory over Northern Irish champions, Linfield, in the inaugural Champions Cup – bringing the trophy haul in Perth's rookie season to four.
In Europe Dundalk entered the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. After being seeded in the draw, they faced Riga, drawing the home leg in Oriel Park 0-0. The away leg in Riga was the club's 70th match in European football, which also finished 0-0. After extra-time failed to separate the sides, they won 5-4 in a sudden-death penalty shootout – their first in Europe, becoming the first Irish side to win a tie in that manner. They were knocked out in the second qualifying round by Qarabağ when a 1-1 home draw was followed by a 3-0 defeat away in Baku, which saw them receive a bye into the Europa League Third qualifying round. Their interest in Europe for the season ended there, with a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Slovan Bratislava. Both Qarabağ and Slovan subsequently reached the group stage of the Europa League.

First-Team Squad (2019)

Sources:'''
Squad No.NameDate of BirthPositionDebut seasonLeague appearancesGoals
1 25 September 1981GK2015350
2 11 July 1991DF2014331
3 4 November 1986DF2013222
4 15 March 1994DF2017284
5 27 December 1990MF2012290
6 4 October 1995MF2019161
7 28 July 1994MF20173412
8 22 February 1993MF2012236
9 28 July 1991FW20133413
10 30 September 1996MF2017262
11 26 September 1992MF2016242
12 12 November 1996FW2018298
14 17 April 1988DF2013232
15 Stephen Folan14 January 1992DF201800
16 11 October 1993MF2019253
17 2 June 1996DF2019141
18 7 May 1992MF2016131
20 14 January 1992GK201910
21 Daniel Cleary9 March 1996DF2018232
22 31 October 1992MF201950
27 Daniel Kelly21 May 1996MF2019339
28 Lido Lotefa18 April 2000FW201930
29 Dylan Hand15 March 1999DF201910
30 Ross Treacy26 September 1998GK201800
33 1 June 1992DF2018191
44 7 March 1991DF201381

Competitions

President's Cup

Source:

Premier Division

FAI Cup

Source:
;First Round
;Second Round
;Quarter Final
;Semi Final
;Final

League Cup

Source:
;Second Round
;Quarter Final
;Semi Final
;Final

Champions Cup

Source:
Dundalk won 7–1 on aggregate.

Leinster Senior Cup

Source:
;Fourth Round

Europe

Champions League

;First qualifying round
0–0 on aggregate. Dundalk won 5–4 on penalties.
;Second qualifying round
Qarabağ won 4–1 on aggregate.

Europa League

;Third qualifying round

Awards

Player of the Month

SWAI Personality of the Year

SWAI Goalkeeper of the Year

Footnotes