Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny has warned his side that last season's double-winning campaign counts for nothing as the chasing pack prepare to hunt down the reigning champions.
The Lilywhites were outstanding in their march to SSE Airtricity League and FAI Cup glory, swatting aside all-comers to finish the campaign laden with silver.
The winter capture of Patrick McEleney from Derry City and Robbie Benson from UCD has offset the loss of talisman Richie Towell, who earned a move to English Championship side Brighton and Hove Albion off the back of a stunning year at Oriel Park.
However, Kenny talked up the improvements Dundalk's rivals have also made in the close season, and alerted his charges that they're facing an enormous challenge to stay at the top ahead of the league kick-off on Friday 4 March. The holders start the following day at Bray Wanderers.
“The players did terrifically well last season," Kenny told RTÉ Sport at the launch of this year's SSE Airtricity League. "Every single year you have to improve yourself again. No one is under any illusions.
"There’s been an incredible level of commitment and level of consistency from the players over the last couple of seasons. But there’s no let-up.
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"We know we’re going to play close to 50 games this year in a 36-week period and every single game we’re going to have to be absolutely focused and ready to go.
“We only lost one game in the whole of last season [at home to Bohs] but that’s gone now. There’s no point in dwelling on last season, it’s gone. We have to go and do it again.
"A lot of the teams have strengthened – Cork, Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick’s, Bohemians – all the teams have strengthened and we’ll have to earn the right to win every game."
Dundalk exited the Champions League qualifiers at the second hurdle last year, being edged out by a BATE Borisov side who went on to beat Roma in the group stages.
Kenny is desperate to go one better this time around, but is wary of taking his eye off the ball domestically.
“I made that mistake after winning the league with Bohemians - just focusing on Europe. You’ve to focus on every game," he said.
"We are planning for July, how we prepare for the Champions League qualifiers. BATE Borisov took four points off Roma in the group stages. We ran them close, that was the toughest draw we could have got.
"We’re not seeded, we will meet someone ranked considerably above us. But it’s a barrier... we want to win that game and give ourselves a chance to get into the Europa League."
