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Academy Round-Up | August 16th–17th
- Dundalk FC
- 7 minutes ago
- 4 min read
It was another eventful weekend for Dundalk FC’s academy sides, with strong performances across the age groups in both league and cup action. From emphatic wins to late drama, the Lilywhites once again showed resilience, quality, and plenty of character.
Saturday, August 16th
MU15s: Drogheda United 0–3 Dundalk
The MU15s produced an emphatic away victory over Drogheda United on Saturday, putting in a commanding all-round performance.
From the first whistle, Dundalk dictated the tempo, moving the ball with confidence and stretching Drogheda’s defence. Their dominance was rewarded when Luke Cullen opened the scoring, finishing off a sweeping team move.
Josh Weldon then took centre stage, showing his finishing touch with a superb brace that sealed the result. The Lilywhites remained solid at the back, ensuring a clean sheet to cap off a fine team display.
The victory underlined the squad’s quality and togetherness as they continue their campaign in style.
Sunday, August 17th
WU19s: Longford Town 0–6 Dundalk
On the main pitch at Bishopsgate, Dundalk’s WU19s recorded a stunning 6–0 victory against a well-organised Longford Town side.
The Lilywhites flew out of the blocks, with Alica Maher and Sarah Byrne both netting twice to give Dundalk a commanding lead. Ernesta Marut added to the tally with another fine finish, while Michelle Kudju completed the scoring to round off a comprehensive win.
There was also a solid debut performance from Aoife Barry, who slotted seamlessly into the side, contributing to what was an excellent overall squad performance.
MU17s: Dundalk 1–2 Longford Town
Dundalk’s MU17s were left frustrated after a narrow defeat to Longford Town in a tightly contested league clash at Oriel Park.
The first half saw Dundalk grow into the game, and their patience was rewarded in the 36th minute when Tomas Stoskus beat his man down the wing and cut the ball back for Jack Martin, who in turn teed up Oisin Smyth to finish at the back post.
The Lilywhites continued to dominate possession after the break, but Longford equalised with a spectacular half-volley from distance. Dundalk almost restored their lead when Taiye Odusanya rattled the crossbar, before late drama struck in the final minute.
Goalkeeper Aaron O’Donoghue was adjudged to have fouled an attacker in a 50/50 challenge, and despite Dundalk protests, the referee awarded a penalty. Longford converted to snatch the three points in cruel fashion.
It was a tough result to take for Dundalk after a strong display, but one that showed their ability to dominate games and create chances.
MU14s: Dundalk 3–3 Shelbourne (Dundalk win on penalties)
Oriel Park was the stage for a dramatic MU14 Cup quarter-final on Sunday as Dundalk came from three goals down to beat Shelbourne on penalties after a thrilling encounter.
The Lilywhites started brightly, dominating the opening 15–20 minutes and creating several dangerous opportunities from set-pieces, but couldn’t find the breakthrough. As the game wore on, Shelbourne grew into the contest and began to take control, scoring three times across a 40–50 minute spell to establish what looked like an unassailable 3–0 lead.
But Dundalk showed immense character and belief to mount a stunning fightback. Aaron O’Brien struck first to give his side hope, before Luciano Ngene and Braden McCarney both found the net in quick succession. The three goals arrived within a 15-minute blitz to drag the tie level at 3–3 and send the Oriel crowd into full voice.
With the momentum now firmly in their favor, Dundalk pushed for a winner but the tie went to extra-time and then penalties. New goalkeeper Joe Byrne produced a superb performance throughout, making crucial saves during the match and stepping up again in the shootout.
Penalty takers Ryan Musgrave, Massimo Ngene, Aaron O’Brien, Charlie Franzoni, and Kyle Woods all converted with composure, while Byrne saved one of Shelbourne’s efforts to seal victory and spark celebrations.
It was a game full of drama, yellow cards, a red card for Shelbourne, and penalty appeals at both ends, but Dundalk’s composure and resilience proved decisive.
Special mentions went to Cory Mulholland, who superbly marked one of the league’s top strikers out of the game, and to Kyle Woods, who impressed after dropping into center-half. Logan and Franzoni also worked tirelessly to keep Dundalk ticking over, while Byrne’s heroics in goal were vital.
The comeback win sends the MU14s into the semi-finals after what was a true Oriel Park classic.
Summary
It was another weekend filled with positives across Dundalk’s academy. The MU15s and WU19s impressed with emphatic wins, the MU17s were unlucky in defeat after a strong display, and the MU14s delivered a dramatic comeback to book their place in the cup semi-finals.
From Weldon’s brace to Marut’s continued scoring form and Byrne’s penalty heroics, the future looks bright for the Lilywhites.
