WU19 Dundalk FC 0-2 Peamount United

WU19 head coach Jason McConville says he is more than happy with his side’s start to the new EA SPORTS LOI Academy campaign.

After a very successful debut season at U17 level in 2022, the club decided to enter an U19 team for the first time this year and McConville is delighted with how his young squad have taken to life at an older age group.

The WU19s opened their campaign with a 2-1 win away to Bray Wanderers on March 5th with Shauna Bell and Molly Williams (pictured above) on target.

“Bray went in front just before the break but we equalised through Shauna just before half time and in the second half we dominated the game,” said McConville. “Molly put us in front and we could have scored more. It was a really good performance.”

That was followed by a 2-0 defeat at home to an experienced Peamount United side at Oriel Park on Saturday and although he was disappointed with the result, McConville said the bigger picture was very positive.

“We always knew it was going to be a big step up to U19 level this season,” he said after the game. “Seven of the players on the pitch for us today were still eligible for U17 football and we had a 15-year-old, Maggie Holland, playing at centre-back.

“Peamount had two or three players from their first team playing against us so it was a great experience for our players and we matched them for most of the game so, from a development point of view, we’re really happy with how things have started.”

Next up: Shelbourne, AUL Complex, Sunday, March 19th, 2pm.

DUNDALK FC WU19: Caoimhe Magee, Kerry Ann Gavin, Laura Woods, Ciara Whyte, Sarah Byrne, Molly Williams, Madeleine McKinley, Demi Kelly, Maggie Holland, Shauna Bell, Stephanie Cunningham. Subs: Kelly Pease, Abigail Martin, Zara Farrell, Hannah Cooney, Charlotte Fogarty, Ellie Smyth, Robyn Chidgey, Jessy Arogundade, Rebecca Crowley.

WU17: Dundalk FC 2-5 DLR Waves

The WU17 team slipped to a 5-2 defeat against DLR Waves in their first game of the EA SPORTS LOI Academy season at Oriel Park on Saturday afternoon.

Ernesta Marut put Bernard Freeman’s side in front after nine minutes but the visitors turned the game on its head with two goals from Laura Dunne and Anna Butler before Hannah Crowley made it 2-2 just before the interval.

Butler restored DLR’s advantage with 20 minutes to play and with Dundalk pushing hard for an equaliser, they were hit with two very late sucker punches by Aoife Fennell and Leah Jennings as the visitors left with all three points.

Next up: Bohemians, Saturday, March 18th, Oscar Traynor, Dublin, 12pm.

DUNDALK FC WU17: Laura Fanning, Rebecca Rogan, Robyn Shanley, Niamh Norton, Leona Hanney, Jennifer Freeman, Kelly Leddy, Erin Shannon, Wendy Benedo, Hannah Crowley, Ernesta Marut. Subs: Emma Goodman, Ava McGeer, Sarah McCaffrey, Siu Kirby, Naomi Dowd, Jessica Cox, Caragh Fitzharris.