1994–95 Dundalk F.C. season explained

Club:Dundalk
Season:1994–95
Manager:Dermot Keely
League:Premier Division
League Result:1st (champions)
Cup1:FAI Cup
Cup1 Result:Quarter-final
Cup2:League Cup
Cup2 Result:Runners-up
Cup5:Leinster Senior Cup
Cup5 Result:Runners-up
League Topscorer:
Stephen Kelly (9)
Season Topscorer:
Stephen Kelly (11)
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Pattern B1:_vneckblack&red
Pattern Ra1:_blackborder
Pattern So1:_3_stripes_red
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Body1:FFFFFF
Rightarm1:FFFFFF
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Prevseason:1993–94
Nextseason:1995–96

Dundalk entered the 1994–95 season coming off a poor 1993–94, in which a general decline on and off the pitch reached a nadir – when they had missed out on the "Top Six" round-robin format that decided the title. They had also gone out early in both the FAI Cup and the League of Ireland Cup. Manager Dermot Keely was entering his first full season in charge, having replaced Turlough O'Connor early the previous season. It was Dundalk's 69th consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football.

Season summary

In pre-season, veteran Gino Lawless was awarded a testimonial, and Manchester United were the visitors. In front of a packed Oriel Park, Dundalk took a 2–0 lead, and Eddie van Boxtel saved an Eric Cantona penalty, before United ran out 4–2 winners.[1] Manager Dermot Keely, a Jim McLaughlin protege who had won the Double in 1978–79 as a player at Oriel,[2] had to rebuild the squad due to its age profile, despite a worsening financial position.[3] Early in the new season, however, the financial issues came to a head, and a number of local businessmen formed a new Interim Company to take the club over, saving it from bankruptcy.[4]

Dundalk had started the season poorly, but a steady improvement in results saw them climb the league table. They reached finals in both the League Cup, (losing 2–1 on aggregate),[5] and the Leinster Senior Cup (losing 2–1), and in the FAI Cup they were defeated in the quarter-final.[6] With seven games to go in the League as many as eight clubs were in contention, but Dundalk were the most consistent, and Keely steered his team to a ninth league title on a final day of drama. They defeated Galway United at home, then, with players and supporters waiting on the pitch to hear the results of Shelbourne's and Derry City's matches, news filtered through that both had failed to win, confirming Dundalk as Champions - their third title in eight seasons. The trophy presented was that won in 1991, as the new trophy lay unopened in Athlone, where Derry City had been favourites to win out on the day. Notably, despite winning the title, nobody at Dundalk won a monthly or end of season award.[7] [8]

First-Team Squad (1994–95)

Sources:[9]

No.NameYearsLeagueFAI CupLeague CupLeinster CupTotalGoals
1 Eddie van Boxtel1991–199619031230
21977–199510244200
3 James Coll1989–199524360330
41994–199629240352
5 Mick Doohan1993–199933361438
61994–199630371410
7 Brian Byrne1994–199927372398
8 Tom McNulty1984–200029240352
91992–199724370347
10 Stephen Kelly1993–1996323714311
11 Mick Byrne1994–19968301117
121994–199515343250
13 Matt Britton1992–199620364334
141994–199513042193
15 Brian Irwin1991–199516052234
161993–19965224130
171994–199511142186
181994–199510031149
19 Peter Withnell1994–1999700072

Competitions

League Cup

Source:

Group
  • Quarter-final
  • Semi-final
  • FinalCork City won 2–1 on aggregate
  • Leinster Senior Cup

    Source:[10]

    First Round
  • Quarter-final
  • Semi-final
  • Final
  • FAI Cup

    Source:[10]

    First Round
  • Second Round
  • Quarter-final
  • Premier Division

    Source:[10]

    League table

    References

    Bibliography
    Citations

    Notes and References

    1. News: Ince perfect . 2 December 2019 . Sunday Independent . 31 July 1994.
    2. News: Keely is just the man to lead Dundalk back to top . Philip . Quinn . . 5 November 1993 . 23 April 2019 . Irish Newspaper Archives.
    3. News: Season at Oriel "ends with a whimper" . 21 September 2019 . . 2 April 1994 . 24. Irish Newspaper Archives.
    4. News: New backers save Dundalk from the threat of closure! . Paul . Hyland . . 4 November 1994 . 23 April 2019 . Irish Newspaper Archives.
    5. News: Stuart . Charlie . League Cup win perfect tonic for Cork City . 17 December 2019 . . 23 January 1995.
    6. News: Stuart . Charlie . Derry Delight . 17 December 2019 . . 10 March 1995.
    7. News: Wild scenes of celebration at Oriel Park . John . Brennan . . 24 April 1995 . 23 April 2019 . Irish Newspaper Archives.
    8. News: Keely manages a miracle at Oriel . Noel . Dunne . . 24 April 1995 . 23 April 2019 . Irish Newspaper Archives.
    9. Book: Murphy . Jim . A Dundalk FC Miscellany . 2013 . Self-published . Ireland . 287.
    10. Book: Murphy, Jim. 2003 . History of Dundalk FC - the First 100 Years . Dundalk . Jim Murphy . 475.