Dundalk Schoolboys League clinch Kennedy Cup Shield

The Dundalk Schoolboys League U14 team embarked on an exciting journey to Limerick last week for the prestigious 2025 Kennedy Cup. 

The action kicked off on Monday evening as the team faced one of the tournament’s favourites, DDSL, in their opening group game.

Day 1: Narrow defeat to DDSL

The match started brightly for Dundalk when Shane Reilly set up Tony O’Kane, who expertly struck a long-range shot into the top corner, giving Dundalk a 1-0 lead after just two minutes.

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Dundalk controlled much of the first half and deservedly went into halftime with the lead. 

However, DDSL came out stronger in the second half, equalizing within four minutes and eventually taking the lead with 13 minutes remaining.

Dundalk pushed for an equalizer late in the game, with Owen Pepper coming agonizingly close when he broke through the DDSL defence, but his one-on-one effort narrowly missed the target. 

Despite the 2-1 defeat, there were plenty of positives for the team to build on.

Day 2: Tough loss to Limerick Desmond

The following day, Dundalk faced Limerick Desmond at noon. Unfortunately, Limerick Desmond proved too strong for Dundalk, racing to a 3-0 lead by halftime.

Despite a much-improved second half, Dundalk was unable to find the breakthrough, and Limerick secured a 4-0 victory.

After a quick lunch, Dundalk regrouped and prepared for their final group game against WWEC in the evening. 

This time, they were determined to finish the group stage on a high. Tony O’Kane opened the scoring with a fine finish from a Harry Rogers cross.

Thirteen minutes later, Harry Rogers turned goal scorer, running onto a Shane Reilly pass and slotting home to make it 2-0 at halftime. 

In the second half, Dundalk continued to dominate with goals from Shane Reilly and Sean Watters, making it 4-0.

WWEC managed a consolation goal late in the game, but Dundalk’s 4-1 win earned them a spot in the Shield Quarterfinals against Limerick County.

Day 3: Shield quarter-final win against Limerick County

In the Shield Quarterfinals, Dundalk faced Limerick County with a 4pm kickoff. The match was tightly contested in the first half, with both teams struggling to keep possession.

However, Dundalk had the clearer chances and went into the break at 0-0. 

The breakthrough came in the 51st minute when Tony O’Kane found the back of the net with a composed finish from the right after a flick-on from Shane Reilly.

Just eight minutes later, Dundalk doubled their lead when Oisin Cunningham rose highest to head in a Tony O’Kane corner. 

With minutes remaining, Dundalk held firm defensively, earning a 2-0 victory and securing their place in the semifinals.

The team's first clean sheet of the tournament was a testament to their resilience. Special thanks were given to the travelling supporters for their fantastic encouragement.

Day 4: Semi-final victory over Longford

Dundalk’s semi-final clash against Longford started off on the front foot, with Shane Reilly once again providing the assist for Tony O’Kane, who calmly slotted home to give Dundalk a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute.

Seven minutes later, Sean Watters doubled the lead, pouncing on a rebound from a Shane Reilly shot. 

Dundalk extended their lead to 3-0 just two minutes later when Tony O’Kane scored a sensational 25-yard free kick.

Longford hit back with a goal in the 26th minute, and after the break, they pulled another goal back in the 51st minute to make it 3-2.

Dundalk had chances to extend their lead, but Longford came close in the dying minutes, forcing a brilliant save from goalkeeper Jamie O’Hagan to keep the score at 3-2. 

The final whistle blew, and Dundalk had booked their place in the final against Kilkenny.

The final

Dundalk capped off their impressive run with a victory over Kilkenny to secure the Kennedy Cup Shield title.

The squad, which includes key players such as Jamie O’Hagan, Shane Reilly, Tony O’Kane, Harry Quinlivan, and Oisin Cunningham, has shown incredible resilience and skill throughout the tournament.

The boys gave it their all in the final, and their performance over the past few days has proven that they are a team capable of competing with the best in the country.

Squad: Jamie O’Hagan, Blake Myles, Harry Quinlivan, Oisin Cunningham, Logan McCartney, Jamie Joyce, Tom Johnston, Shane Reilly, Tony O’Kane, Harry Rogers, Sean Watters, Mikey Casey, Ryan Callan, Paddy Upton, Killian McKeown, Tadhg O’Neill, Fionn Reilly, Calum Murphy, Alex Glogowski, Owen Pepper.