Stephen O’Donnell has added some new members to his backroom staff ahead of the 2024 League of Ireland season.

Sean Fogarty, who spent the last year at English Premier League club Burnley, has taken up the role of goalkeeping coach following the departure of Dermot O’Neill at the end of last season.

After two-and-a-half years in Denmark with FC Midtjylland, Ciaran O’Reilly joins the club as strength and conditioning coach, replacing Sami Dowling.

“Sean and Ciaran are two progressive young coaches and when you look at the clubs they have come from, it shows the ambition and the kind of structures we are looking to put in at Dundalk,” said O’Donnell.

A former netminder with Bray Wanderers, Fogarty, who is also the goalkeeping coach for the Republic of Ireland MU16 squad, spent four years at St Patrick’s Athletic before moving to Burnley as the club’s lead academy goalkeeping coach in November 2022.

“I would have crossed paths with Sean when I was at Pat’s,” said O’Donnell. “He was the academy goalkeeper coach there and he is very thorough and his attention to detail and dedication are fantastic.

“Dermot O’Neill’s retirement left us with a void and we are delighted that Sean has come in to fill that.”

Dundalk FC lead physio Danny Miller, strength and conditioning coach Ciaran O’Reilly and sport scientist Paul Gavin. Top: Goalkeeping coach Sean Fogarty. Photo: Ciaran Culligan

O’Reilly, who holds an MSc in Sports Performance from the University of Limerick, had spells at Limerick FC, Treaty United and New Zealand club Wellington Phoenix before moving to Denmark in 2021.

“It’s a bit of a coup taking Ciaran from a club like FC Midtjylland, who are top of the Danish league,” said O’Donnell.

“He has picked up massive experience working with the first team there and his wealth of knowledge, for a young coach, is phenomenal.”

STATSports’ Paul Gavin will fill the sports scientist position that was held by Claire Dunne for the past two seasons.

“All three of the lads have integrated with the staff and the players very well and brought a lot of new ideas to the table, which is what you want from members of the coaching staff,” said O’Donnell.