Dundalk entered the 2026 League of Ireland Premier Division season after being promoted as champions from the First Division the previous year. Ciarán Kilduff was the club's first-team manager going into the new term, his second season in charge. US-based businessman Chris Clinton acquired John Temple's shareholding during the close season to become the club's majority shareholder.
2026 is Dundalk's 100th season in the League of Ireland.
Season summary Vinnie Leonard was bought by Norwich City in February for a reported €400,000 up front and "significant add-ons", which would be the club's record transfer fee received. He remained with the club until the UK transfer window opened in the summer.
Pre-season coincided with the Leinster Senior Cup Round 4 Group Stage. Dundalk were the holders and topped the group with two wins from three. They later defeated Shelbourne in the quarter-final before losing to St. Patrick's Athletic in the semi-final.
The League season began on 6 February 2026. However, Dundalk's opening match (a visit to defending League Champions Shamrock Rovers) was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, meaning they started the season with an away match to Derry City the following week instead. They ended the first series of matches in fourth position, having lost just one game.
They remained in fourth at the end of the second series, despite a return of five points from the last six matches. They briefly moved into third place in the third series, but suffered a drop in form after the transfer of first-team regulars Eoin Kenny and Gbemi Arubi to English sides in the summer transfer window. They picked up just two points from the next seven league matches and were defeated by Derry City in the quarter-final of the FAI Cup.
The club celebrated its League of Ireland centenary on 21 August with a home match against Galway United, 100 years to the day after their debut match away to Fordsons. They were defeated 2–1, the same scoreline as the Fordsons match 100 years earlier.
First-Team Squad (2026) Sources: Note: Substitute appearances in brackets
No.Nat.NameDOBPos.DebutLeagueFAI CupLeinster CupTotalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1 Enda Minogue GK 202527010102902 Conor O'Keeffe DF 20254 (1)00010603 Bobby Burns DF 202630 (3)22 (1)1103734 Mayowa Animasahun DF 202119 (3)020102505 Harvey Warren DF 202611 (7)000202006 Aodh Dervin MF 202424 (6)130303617 Daryl Horgan FW 20143211101 (1)135128 Harry Groome MF 202511 (19)12 (1)1413739 Gbemi Arubi FW 202519 (4)800112499 Cian Dillon FW 20268 (1)1220011310 Leo Gaxha FW 20253 (9)02 (1)21 (1)017211 Ronan Teahan MF 202620 (7)41 (1)01030412 Luke Mulligan MF 20241022316313 GK 20090 (1)020205014 Norman Garbett MF 20240 (1)000203015 Vinnie Leonard DF 20242 (1)000003015 Trevor Clarke DF 20268 (2)11 (1)10012216 Eoin Kenny FW 202319 (3)5002224716 Egor Vassenin DF 20263 (4)02 (1)00010017 Shane Tracey MF 20256 (15)1222025318 Keith Buckley MF 202624 (7)00 (1)00 (1)033019 Sean Spaight DF 20242 (2)0204 (1)011020 Sammy Safaei GK 2025000 (1)0001021 Danny Mullen FW 20267 (5)30 (1)12 (1)116522 Tyreke Wilson DF 202621 (4)4100026423 Aaron Keogh MF 20250 (1)00 (2)1306124 Rob Cornwall DF 202616 (3)1200 (1)022125 Shay Casey MF 2025000 (1)0314126 Max Ferguson FW 2026000 (1)01 (2)04027 Declan McDaid FW 202512 (20)4301 (1)237629 TJ Molloy FW 20240000303031 John Ross Wilson DF 202521 (2)10 (1)02026139 Conor Kearns GK 20266000107044 Tom Grivosti DF 20267 (1)0000080
Competitions
Premier Division
League table
FAI Cup
Second round
Third round
Quarter Final
Leinster Senior Cup
Round 4 Group A TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsDundalk320110646Shelbourne32018626St Peter's Athlone31027823Athlone Town310249–53
Quarter Final
Semi Final
Awards Player of the Month MonthPlayerReferenceMay Daryl HorganJune Eoin Kenny
Footnotes
References