2020 Season Preview: Dundalk

Manager: Vinny Perth

Stadium: Oriel Park

Players in: Cammy Smith (Dundee United), Greg Sloggett (Derry City), Darragh Leahy (Bohemians), Will Patching (Unattached).

Players out: Robbie Benson (St Patrick’s Athletic), Dean Jarvis (Larne), Cameron Dummigan (Crusaders), Dylan Hand (Longford Town), Aaron McNally (Longford Town), Ross Treacy (Drogheda United), Stephen Folan.  

Extratime.ie Key Man: Michael Duffy

Four trophies in one year for Michael Duffy and his Dundalk teammates, one can certainly look back on 2019 as a year to remember for the former Glasgow Celtic winger.

However, similarly to his Lilywhite teammates, Duffy will be left wondering what might have been had they been victorious in the FAI Cup final against Shamrock Rovers.

It wasn’t to be however, but Duffy will certainly be looking to makes amends at Oriel in 2020 – with potentially his biggest ear yet in a Lilywhite jersey.

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Darragh Leahy

Joining Vinny Perth’s Champions from Bohemians, Ireland under-21 full-back Darragh Leahy certainly comes with a high pedigree to Oriel Park.

And while he has been nursing an injury during pre-season, the Dubliner has impressed when given the opportunity to do so.

The former Coventry City star is definitely not an unknown in the League of Ireland – but 2020 may see him push on to even higher levels at Dundalk, although his place in the starting XI will be no guarantee.

How they did last season:

League:

In a remarkable season filled with drama, the Oriel Park outfit finished as champions again, their fifth title in six seasons.

Dundalk bounced back from a shaky and injury laden start, during which many commentators wrote them off as eventual winners.

In April, they found themselves looking at a 13-point gap to make up on then-leaders Shamrock Rovers.

However, the Lilywhites went on a rampaging record unbeaten streak of 31 games to finish an emphatic 11 points top of the pile.

FAI Cup:

The one that got away. The Lilywhites reached the Aviva for a fifth year in a row with all away draws, against Cobh Ramblers, Waterford, Derry City and Sligo Rovers.

And on the day of days at the Aviva Stadium – the Lilywhites were unable to secure their treble, as they were denied by Stephen Bradley’s Hoops on penalties.

EA Sports Cup:

The first major piece of silverware of the season was the EA Sports Cup and the whispers of a treble started to louden.

Dundalk defeated St Patrick’s Athletic, UCD and Bohemians before meeting Derry City in the Brandywell for the final.

Twice they fell behind to the Candystripes and twice drew it level. It took extra time, penalties and sudden death to separate the two with Dundalk emerging victorious.

What to expect this season:

The expectations remain quite clear at Oriel Park ahead of the 2020 season, and Vinny Perth will be acutely aware of that mandate.

Perth, the former assistant to Stephen Kenny at the Co. Louth venue secured a domestic double in his first year of senior management, but he will be ruing their missed opportunity for a treble.

The Lilywhites were bested by Shamrock Rovers in November’s FAI Cup final – but they will be buoyed by their Unite the Union win over Linfield a week later.

In terms of pushing on, Dundalk know that their Europa League campaign – while it lasted until August, was a missed opportunity.

And that, will certainly be something that they know that they can work on for 2020. In addition, they will also have to compete with the ever re-emerging force of Shamrock Rovers in the league title race.

Group stage qualification in Europe, coupled with yet another dominant domestic display will certainly suffice in Dundalk this year, but the question asked will be – can they do it?

On top of that, it will be interesting to see how a number of their new recruits do in Darragh Leahy, Greg Sloggett and Cammy Smith as the Lilywhites look to strengthen and copper-fasten their dominance in this term.    

Title Odds: EVS.

First game: Derry City (Home).