Dundalk FC is delighted to confirm that John Mountney has returned to the club.
The 28-year-old spent nine seasons at Oriel Park between 2012 and 2020, making a total of 305 appearances – 33 of those in Europe – before moving to St Patrick’s Athletic last winter.
With five SSE Airtricity League titles, three FAI Cups, three League Cups, two FAI President’s Cup, a Unite the Union Challenge Cup and a Leinster Senior Cup to his name, Mountney is one of the most decorated players in the club’s history.
The Boy from Bohola moved to Dundalk as an 18-year-old in 2012 and has been in the town ever since and, speaking to dundalkfc.com after finalising the deal, he said it was great to be ‘home’.
“It feels great to be back,” said Mountney. “There is a great buzz around the place and it feels good to be home. I’ve always had an emotional attachment to Dundalk.
“I’ve lived here for so long and even last year I commuted to Dublin, so there was always a thought in the back of my mind and when Stephen O’Donnell came back as head coach, I was waiting for a phone call, hoping I’d get the chance to come back.
John Mountney. Photo by Ciaran Culligan
“There is a good core of players, and some big personalities signed, and they are excited by Stephen coming. They and have the boy between the teeth for next year. There is a real hunger to be successful again.”
Mountney has lived with, played with and been coached by Stephen O’Donnell over the past eight seasons and the Lilywhites head coach said he was delighted to be back in tandem with the Mayo-man again.
“I’m thrilled to get John back in the building, from a personality standpoint, a culture standpoint and a football standpoint,” said O’Donnell.
“He was having a very good season at St Pat’s last year and his last game for the club, ironically enough, proved to be at Oriel Park where he picked up a bad knee injury. Since then, his rehab has been very good and his recovery is going smoothly.
“With the size of the squad we are going to go with, it will be important to have players with versatility and John gives us that. In the main, he played at full-back also tear but he can also play wide right, as he did with Dundalk, and in midfield.”
Mountney is the 11th player to sign a contract with the Lilywhites over the past 12 days, following Patrick Hoban, Robbie Benson, Daniel Kelly, Darragh Leahy, Paul Doyle, David McMillan, John Martin, Peter Cherrie, Keith Ward and Greg Sloggett.
