KENNY'S JUNE JOY! Young Gun Tops the Poll

VERSATILE 20 year-old forward Eoin Kenny of Dundalk has been named as the SSE Airtricity Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the month for June. He came out on top of the voting over Harry Wood (Shelbourne) with Kian Leavy of St Patrick’s Athletic in third place.

Kenny topped the poll by virtue of more second preference votes after both amassed 32 votes each. With each receiving the same number of first preference votes, the count went to the second preferences with Kenny just receiving two more in one of the tightest votes in recent memory with all six nominees receiving a fair spread of votes.

Also on the June shortlist were Adam Brennan of Shamrock Rovers who made his senior Irish debut against Canada recently, Harry Vaughan of Bohemians who was capped at U21 level against Croatia and the evergreen Padraig Amond of Waterford who became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the League of Ireland for 98 years.

Kenny continued to impress in the Lilywhites colours and was in fantastic form in the month under review with some man of the match performances against Bohemians and Waterford where he also contributed two goals, including an important winner against the Gypsies.

His form over the month has won him a move and a three-year contract at Fratton Park with Portsmouth.

Eoin is a son of former Republic of Ireland boss, Stephen Kenny and a brother of current Miss Ireland, Caoimhe Kenny.

He was born in Derry and played his youth football with Foyle Harps and Rock Celtic before joining the Lilywhites in 2020 before a loan move took him to Wexford in 2023.

Prior to winning the SWI monthly gong, Eoin won the First Division title and promotion with Dundalk last year and also picked up a Leinster Senior Cup winners’ medal with the Lilywhites in 2024/25.

He made a total of 91 appearances for the Oriel Park side, scoring 18 goals.