INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP | Dundalk Quintet Continue to Impress on International Duty

It was another proud international break for Dundalk FC, with four of the club’s young stars, Seán Spaight, TJ Molloy, Vinnie Leonard, and Callum Woods, continuing to make their mark for their respective nations, while Eoin Kenny earned further experience at U21 level for Northern Ireland.

At Under-17 level, Spaight and Molloy played crucial roles as the Republic of Ireland secured a perfect record in their UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign in Austria. Spaight was a standout in defense, playing every minute across the three matches and captaining the team in a 2-0 win over hosts Austria that sealed top spot in Group 6. Molloy, meanwhile, showed his attacking quality, providing an assist in the opening 2-0 win over Kosovo before scoring in the 3-0 victory against the Faroe Islands.

TJ Molloy Goal

Vinnie Leonard represented Ireland’s World Cup-bound U17 squad in Spain as they rounded off preparations for next month’s tournament in Qatar. After missing the first game against Poland due to Dundalk’s league decider with Finn Harps, Leonard returned to the starting lineup in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland, putting in a composed defensive display in the final warm-up before the World Cup.

Callum Woods featured in both of Northern Ireland U17s’ friendlies against Portugal and the USA in Murcia, Spain. The young defender impressed at the back as Andy Waterworth’s side tested themselves against two high-caliber opponents ahead of their upcoming UEFA Euro qualifiers in Cyprus later this month.

Adding to the club’s international representation, Eoin Kenny continued his excellent progress with the Northern Ireland U21s during their Euro qualifying campaign. The Dundalk striker started in the 2-0 win over Malta, testing the goalkeeper on multiple occasions and going close to scoring twice in a dominant performance. He also came off the bench in the narrow 2-1 defeat to Germany at The Oval, furthering his development at U21 level as Tommy Wright’s side continue their push for qualification.

From U17s to U21s, Dundalk’s young players are shining brightly on the international stage, demonstrating the strength and depth of talent emerging from Oriel Park.