Dundalk FC has announced a decision to terminate the contract of Stephen O’Donnell, the club’s manager, and protégé, Patrick Cregg. A former captain for the club, O’Donnell re-joined Oriel Park as manager in December 2021 and successfully led the team to European qualification during his initial season. In 2023, the team completed the season in the fifth position under his leadership.
“I cannot overstate the difficulty of this decision,” stated Brian Ainscough, Dundalk FC’s owner. “Stephen, a respected figure at Dundalk and a gifted emerging coach, will always be part of our legacy. Nonetheless, football is all about the results; our lacklustre performance at the beginning of the season, unfortunately, brought us to this point.”
The final blow might have been the club’s 4-1 defeat to Derry City on the preceding Friday. Their sluggish start to the season has left them languishing at the bottom of the Premier Division, failing to procure a win in their first eight matches.
In reaction to the news, O’Donnell expressed sadness. “This is indeed a heartbreaking day for Padge and me. I am extremely passionate about Dundalk FC and the town it represents. Our sole aim was to ensure the club’s prosperity; we gave our best effort to achieve that ambition. I take pride in what we accomplished over the last two years, especially the European qualification and our decent run the previous season.”
Until a new manager is appointed, Liam Burns, the first-team coach, and Brian Gartland, Head of Football Operations, will oversee the squad.