Dundalk FC are delighted to announce that Eoin Kenny has signed a new contract at Oriel Park, as manager Ciarán Kilduff brings his 2025 squad to 11 players.
The young striker, who turns 19 at the end of this month, was born in Derry but grew up through the Lilywhites’ trophy-laden spell under his dad Stephen between 2013 and 2018 and spoke about the love for what is his club.
The former Rock Celtic youngster has progressed steadily through the ranks at Dundalk and has now made over 30 senior appearances for the club, while also spending a beneficial loan period at Wexford last year.
Kenny had considered his options with the club having been relegated to the First Division, but he says that he has been hugely impressed by Kilduff and he feels that he can make him “a better player”, as he looked forward to “something special”.
“I’m delighted to sign back. It was a disappointing end to last season, but we’ve brushed that aside and it looks like a completely fresh start this season,” Kenny told DFCTV.
“It’s obviously still the same Dundalk we love, but it’s like signing for a new club the way everything has been sold to us. I’ve been really impressed by the management, and the setup for the coming year looks as good as it can be.
“I’m delighted and I’ll look to push on from my own personal performances last season and hopefully do well.
“I think there’s potential to create something really special. Our aim, everyone’s aim is to win the league, to get promotion. That’s the first thing we want to do – get Dundalk back in the Premier Division. I think the journey to do that can really be something special.
“It is a massive negative and it’s heartbreaking to get relegated, but it does create the potential for something really special this season, and a season that all the players, and I’m sure most of the fans, won’t forget, if we do well. But obviously there’s a lot of work to do before that happens.”
On Kilduff, who scored the two goals that brought Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk four points in the UEFA Europa League group stages in 2016, Eoin added: “He’s been brilliant. I’ve been impressed with him.
“Growing up a Dundalk fan, I would have watched him, famous goals in Europe, Alkmaar and Maccabi, so already I was impressed by that. He was a striker, I’m a centre forward as well, similar profiles I’d say, tall and that, so I think that’s something I could learn off. He could make me a better player.
“Apart from that, his conversations as a coach, you can tell. He won the league with Athlone. You can tell he means the business and the setup he has is as serious as it can be. I’ve been really impressed by him and I’m looking forward to playing under him.”
Kenny played and scored in the First Division in the second half of the 2023 season which he spent on loan at Wexford, and his progression continued with his first senior goals in the top flight for Dundalk this year against Saint Patrick’s Athletic and Galway United.
“I scored my first competitive Dundalk goals last season which was something I was proud of,” Eoin said. “I probably could have got more. I hit the bar a few times; I was disappointed maybe not to get more.
“I know goals were something that we lacked last season. That’s something this season I’ll be looking at. I’ll have personal targets for myself to get a certain amount of goals. I wouldn’t put targets on it, I’m just looking to do as well as I can.
“I’m not going to go into every game just thinking goals, goals, goals. They’ll come, if you work hard for the team, the other players will create chances for you and you will score. I’m just focussing on doing the best for my team and scoring as many goals as I can.”
Kenny was also full of praise for the club’s supporters.
“The supporters last season were immense – it’s hard to even describe,” the 18-year-old said. “We were on a really poor run towards the end of the season, week after week, and every game they were there, full voices, big support.
“I remember one sticks out, away in Sligo, a far journey, the support was unbelievable. The town breathes football so I know they’ll be out in their numbers again this season despite being in the First Division, and potentially new away trips that they’ve never been to.
“That could create memories as well.”
3 June 2024; Eoin Kenny of Dundalk with St Patrick’s Athletic manager, and his dad, Stephen Kenny after the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk at Richmond Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.
Player Profile
Eoin Kenny (born: 30 December 2005) is the son of legendary Dundalk manager Stephen and has been based locally since his family moved to the town at the end of 2012.
Kenny played with Rock Celtic and with the Dundalk Schoolboys League in the Kennedy Cup, before progressing to the Academy setup at Oriel Park where he featured for the Lilywhites’ underage sides, including for the Under-20s this season.
In March 2023, at 17, Kenny – who has been part of underage squads for both the Republic and the North – signed a professional contract with Dundalk, and then in the summer transfer window made a loan move to Wexford, where he netted in both the league and FAI Cup.
He returned to Oriel where he was part of the first-team plans from 2024 pre-season, with Kenny scoring the very first goal of the year on the Carrick Road when blasting in against Drogheda United in the Malone Cup/Leinster Senior Cup clash in February.
Kenny made his League of Ireland debut for the Lilywhites when coming off the bench late on against Bohemians at Dalymount Park in mid-April, and in total featured 25 times, including nine starts, in the Premier Division, scoring twice.
2025 Dundalk FC Squad
Enda Minogue
Conor O’Keeffe
Mayowa Animasahun
Seán Keogh
Aodh Dervin
Harry Groome
Daryl Horgan
Gbemi Arubi
Dean Ebbe
Leo Gaxha
Eoin Kenny
Video by Chris Clarke, signing photos by Gerry Scully.
2025 SEASON TICKETS, INCLUDING CLUB 500 ACCESS, ARE ON SALE!
