Before they flew out to Qatar for the World Cup, one of the notable aspects about the Republic of Ireland Under-17s was the sheer number of first-team club minutes amassed by the players.
All in all, the side that reached the last-16 in November, had collectively played more than 13,000 minutes at senior club level, which was far more than many of their European peers at the competition.
One centre-back was responsible for just over 3,000 of that total. That was Dundalk's Vinnie Leonard, who had made himself a mainstay during the Lilywhites' successful 2025 promotion campaign.
Recent reports had suggested that a deal that would eventually take the youngster to Premier League outfit Brighton and Hove Albion was imminent. Norwich City have also been credited with apparent interest in acquiring Leonard.
However, earlier this week, Dundalk manager Ciarán Kilduff had poured cold water over suggestions that the Seagulls were his definitive destination.
But speaking to RTÉ Sport at the launch of the new League of Ireland season on Wednesday, Kilduff suggested there may be movement soon regarding the future of a player that will only turn 18 in March.
"Vinnie's a high potential youngster and he's obviously very committed to Dundalk. He's only 17, he has to do his Leaving Cert this year," he said at Whelan's in Dublin.
"He's a top, top player and it's not that any of those reports are untrue. There's just that many people and clubs interested in him that there's a whole lot happening.
"At this moment, nothing has been officially agreed. I know we're getting close to the deadline and that in England.
"Do I foresee something happening? Yes. Can I tell you which club yet? Not with any definition. There's a lot going on around it.
"But Vinnie is a high potential player, one that we're happy to be keeping at the club till at minimum the summer. But yeah, there's a lot of interest in a player of that quality."
In any case, due to the Brexit rules that preclude Irish players from moving to the UK before they turn 18, Leonard will be at Dundalk for the first half of the season.
The U17 World Cup squad also had another Dundalk player in it in the shape of Sean Spaight, who only turned 17 three days ago.
It points to the emphasis on youth last season although Kilduff acknowledges that without the prior relegation to the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division, the duo and others might not have been fast-tracked so quickly.
"Vinnie has a year of men's football under his belt, a starring one. He scored goals, he kept clean sheets," he said.
"He was a huge player for why we became champions in the First Division. That's invaluable for someone his age which he then backed up with a World Cup qualification and the performances speak for themselves.
"He's earned this opportunity. But I suppose, it was relegation that gave him the opportunity. Maybe young players wouldn't have got the opportunity if Dundalk had been in the Premier Division.
"Maybe I wouldn't have been in a position (to play them), where you're going with experience at the time. So it was always like a perfect storm for Vinnie where opportunity came and he took it with both hands. So he deserves all the success I've no doubt he's going to get, and the club are proud of him.
"But we have games coming up in the next couple of weeks so it's important not to get side-tracked."
Kilduff has introduced extra experience for the coming season in the Premier Division to supplement club legend Daryl Horgan.
Ex-Bohemians men Keith Buckley (33) and Rob Cornwall (31) have been brought in, while Shelbourne's title-winning goalkeeper Conor Kearns has arrived on loan.
"I've played in this division myself, it's come on a lot even since then and a lot of the players that I've gone for have Premier Division experience and they'll help what we have there," he said.
"We have a highly talented, motivated group but adding that little bit of know-how, and as you called it 'experience', around. It's going to make a big difference I feel and knowing what we're going into this year with our eyes open."
It promises a level of stability which seemed to briefly desert the club in the weeks after promotion had been celebrated.
Towards the end of October, speculation had intensified that Kilduff would walk away from Oriel Park amid unrest at boardroom level. He was also briefly linked with the then-vacancy at Waterford.
However, just days later, came confirmation that the 37-year-old Kildare man had signed a new two-year rolling contract to stay at Dundalk.
"No not particularly," Kilduff replied when asked if he had been close to leaving for Waterford at any point.
"My availability probably would have affected that. I was very adamant about staying at Dundalk.
"But I'm an ambitious manager and I wanted to be able to make sure that we were going to be able to do it in a sustainable manner and once the club had assured me and I got those assurances. We got our (Premier Division) licence. It was an easy, obvious decision.
"We're confident about things, we've got a great ownership going now at the minute in terms of we've got a new pitch, new lights. Things look and feel good around the club now and hopefully, we're all optimistic about what's ahead."
