MCHALE JOINS DUNDALK ON LOAN
Dundalk FC are delighted to announce the signing of promising young centre-half Seán McHale on a season-long loan deal from Saint Patrick’s Athletic.
The deal between the clubs was completed on Friday afternoon, with the 19-year-old Meath native, who currently has exams at Maynooth University, set for his second loan spell away from the Saints having spent last year with Wexford.
The former Corduff and Shelbourne youngster joined St Pat’s in January 2022 and won the Under-19 League in his first season. He also represented the Ireland Under-17s and Under-18s that year.
After featuring for Wexford in 2024 pre-season, McHale joined them on loan last February, scoring what would be the winner on his debut, playing on the left side of a back three, with a second-half header as they beat UCD 2-1 in Dublin.
The left-footed defender suffered an injury after that match and missed close to two months, a full round of fixtures, before returning in early May.
Between then and the end of the season, he appeared in 24 of their 27 games, scoring in a win over Kerry towards the end of the campaign as Wexford reached the playoffs, where they lost out 1-0 on aggregate to Athlone Town, whose winner came from now Dundalk striker Dean Ebbe.
Speaking on his latest signing, the 16th confirmed member of his squad for the 2025 SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division season, Lilywhites manager Ciarán Kilduff said it is “a great coup for the club”.
“Seán is one that I’ve been pursuing since I took the job,” Kilduff told dundalkfc.com. “He has got great attributes. St Pat’s rate him highly as well and the fact I could get him in for the season is a great coup for the club.
“Going forward, he’s going to be a great addition, both in the dressing-room and on the pitch, so I’m delighted to have him.
“I would have seen him play against Athlone and he was playing for Maynooth University, which is close to home for me, and I would have had a direct link with Maynooth University, so I’ve seen him play a lot of games. We scouted him well and he ticked the profile of the type of player that we were looking for.
“There were a couple of conversations with Pat’s and Stephen Kenny. They rate him as highly as we do. Where we’re at in our build and where they’re at, it was a perfect opportunity for Seán to come in with us and strengthen our group.”
24 October 2024; Sean McHale of Wexford during the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division Play-Off semi-final first leg match between Athlone Town and Wexford at Athlone Town Stadium in Westmeath. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile.
McHale started pre-season with St Pat’s and will be ready to go when Dundalk begin competitive action against Malahide United in the Leinster Senior Cup at Oriel Park next Friday night, 17th January, kick-off 7.45pm.
Kilduff says that his and Dundalk’s relationship with Saints manager Stephen Kenny was not key to the deal being done, and he is excited for the defender to show supporters what he can do.
“It wasn’t a favour or anything like that, not at all,” Ciarán said. “Seán had been out on loan from Pat’s to Wexford last year, so he was one you were looking at as a young up-and-coming player and maybe they were heavy in that position.
“I obviously know Stephen well, it was a conversation that I had with him, I was picking his brain on his availability and then dealing with Pat’s separately, Ger O’Brien and people like that in the club, and was thankfully able to get the deal done.
“Seán is physical, he played in the league last year, he’s ambitious, he’s fit, he’s strong, and I think he’s going to add a lot to the way we want to play. The league we’re in, all of those attributes are important, as well as being in the league last year, that experience.
“He had a very, very good season as well with Wexford and scored a couple of goals, so he can be a threat in both boxes. He’s a perfect fit with the young, hungry players who look at this as a huge opportunity joining Dundalk, and getting some valuable game-time for him and his career.
“I got him on loan, but I would have been happy to sign him either. He is someone that I’ve targeted, that I wanted to bring into the club, and thankfully I was able to do that. He’s on a two-year with St Pat’s and will be a Dundalk player until the end of 2025.”
2025 Dundalk FC Squad
Enda Minogue
Peter Cherrie
Conor O’Keeffe
Mayowa Animasahun
Seán McHale
Vinnie Leonard
Seán Keogh
Luke Mulligan
Aodh Dervin (Vice-Captain)
Harry Groome
Daryl Horgan (Captain)
Norman Garbett
Gbemi Arubi
Dean Ebbe
Leo Gaxha
Eoin Kenny
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