| Club: | Dundalk |
| Season: | 2013 |
| Manager: | Stephen Kenny |
| League: | Premier Division |
| League Result: | Runners-up |
| Cup1: | FAI Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Semi-Final |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Round 2 |
| Cup5: | Leinster Senior Cup |
| Cup5 Result: | Quarter-final |
| League Topscorer: | Patrick Hoban (14) |
| Season Topscorer: | Patrick Hoban (18) |
| Highest Attendance: | 3,324 (vs. Drogheda United, 8 September 2013)[1] |
| Pattern B1: | _thinblackstripes |
| Pattern So1: | _dundalk16h |
| Leftarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Body1: | FFFFFF |
| Rightarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts1: | 000000 |
| Leftarm2: | 0000FF |
| Pattern B2: | _collarblue |
| Pattern So2: | _1bluestripe |
| Body2: | FFFF00 |
| Rightarm2: | 0000FF |
| Shorts2: | 0000FF |
| Socks2: | FFFF00 |
| Prevseason: | 2012 |
| Nextseason: | 2014 |
Dundalk entered the 2013 season having spent the 2012 season rooted in the relegation play-off spot. The club had been put up for sale,[2] and, with the assistance of a Supporters Trust, it was taken over by local businessmen Andy Connolly and Paul Brown (owners of the team's official sponsors, Fastfix). They subsequently managed to remain in the top-flight by winning a promotion/relegation play-off.[3] With the takeover complete and the club saved, the new owners turned to Stephen Kenny - out of work since being sacked by Shamrock Rovers - to become the new manager ahead of the season.[4] 2013 was Dundalk's fifth consecutive season in the top tier of Irish football, their 78th in all, and their 87th in the League of Ireland.
When the 33 round League programme commenced on 8 March 2013, neither supporters nor pundits were sure what to expect,[5] and Dundalk failed to win any of the first five home matches. But with Kenny's team clicking into gear as his ideas took hold, they rose up the table to mount an unexpected title challenge, eventually finishing second - a defeat to eventual champions St. Patrick's Athletic ultimately costing them the title.[6]
In the cup competitions, they exited in both the second round of the League Cup,[7] and the quarter-final of the Leinster Senior Cup,[8] to Shamrock Rovers. They reached the semi-final of the FAI Cup and were defeated 1–0 away to 'Louth Derby' rivals, Drogheda United, in a tempestuous game - referee Anthony Buttimer sent off two Dundalk players inside half an hour, and Drogheda took the lead from the penalty spot after the second red card. But the nine men of Dundalk prevented Drogheda scoring again.[9]
Sources:[10]
| Name | Date of Birth | Position | Debut season | League appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 September 1981 | GK | 2009 | 33 | 0 | |
| 6 January 1991 | DF | 2013 | 28 | 1 | |
| 4 November 1986 | DF | 2013 | 13 | 2 | |
| 7 March 1991 | 2013 | 32 | 1 | ||
| 27 December 1990 | MF | 2012 | 19 | 1 | |
| 15 January 1986 | MF | 2013 | 22 | 3 | |
| John Dillon | 2 August 1988 | MF | 2013 | 29 | 5 |
| 22 February 1993 | MF | 2012 | 20 | 2 | |
| 13 June 1987 | FW | 2013 | 22 | 1 | |
| Keith Ward | 12 October 1990 | MF | 2013 | 17 | 1 |
| 9 April 1990 | FW | 2013 | 30 | 7 | |
| 17 April 1988 | DF | 2013 | 30 | 4 | |
| 17 July 1991 | MF | 2013 | 31 | 7 | |
| 28 July 1991 | FW | 2013 | 28 | 14 | |
| Darren Meenan | 1 October 1991 | MF | 2013 | 28 | 0 |
| 10 December 1988 | FW | 2003 | 21 | 5 | |
| 27 May 1983 | DF | 2013 | 28 | 0 | |
| Stephen McDonnell | 28 June 1992 | MF | 2012 | 11 | 0 |
| Francis McCaffrey | 22 April 1993 | MF | 2013 | 7 | 0 |
| Jordan Keegan | 5 February 1992 | MF | 2013 | 6 | 0 |
| Eoghan Osbourne | 5 March 1992 | DF | 2011 | 5 | 0 |
Source:[11]
Source:
Source:
| Month | Nationality | Player | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| July |  Ireland | Patrick Hoban | [12] |
| August | Ireland | Richie Towell | [13] |