League of Ireland: Shamrock Rovers v St Pat's; Shelbourne v Drogheda – all tonight's action as it happens
Live |
It's an extra evening in the League of Ireland with two big Premier Division games up for decision as the four teams with European campaigns to come later in the season face off.
Follow all the action as it happens here.
3 minutes ago
1' We are underway in this first-half at Drumcondra!
It's been a sunny day in north Dublin; the weather is ideal for football with dry conditions at a packed out Tolka Park and temperatures remaining around 13 degrees and little to no breeze.
Shamrock Rovers vs St.Patrick's Athletic kicks off at 8pm with updates to follow shortly.
7 minutes ago
DROGHEDA LINE-UP:
After the concession of a late goal in a 1-1 draw with Derry City, Kevin Doherty will hope his side can bounce back tonight. Drogheda set up as follows with two changes as Thomas Oluwa and James Bolger drop out for Shane Farrell and Andrew Quinn:
Drogheda United F.C. on Twitter / X
League | Drogheda United Starting XI vs ShelbourneAndrew Quinn & Shane Farrell start. Darragh Markey on the bench.🟣🔵 #WeAreDrogs | #OurTownOurClub pic.twitter.com/DHfQDWpfON— Drogheda United F.C. (@DroghedaUnited) May 19, 2025
8 minutes ago
THE SHELS TEAM TONIGHT:
Damien Duff returns to the dugout from suspension, but Mark Coyle and Ali Coote will miss out having picked up red cards in last Friday's defeat to Bohs. Therefore, Shels have been forced into two alterations, one through injury, as Tyreke Wilson and Ellis Chapman come into the side:
Shelbourne FC 🏆 on Twitter / X
𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞-𝐔𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥 ⚽Check out the 𝙍𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙓𝙄 ready to take on Drogheda United.2 changes from Friday as Wilson and Chapman come into the side.Kick-off at 7:45pm, live coverage on @VMSportIE #DublinsFinest | #Since1895 pic.twitter.com/TrqWXdcjJr— Shelbourne FC 🏆 (@shelsfc) May 19, 2025
11 minutes ago
Stepping in for the suspended Damien Duff last time out, Shels' assistant manager Joey O'Brien took over for one game which ultimately culminated in a 1-0 defeat to Bohs:
'A lot of the goals we've given up have been really, really poor' – Joey O'Brien's worries about Shelbourne's title defence
Joey O'Brien has set the Shelbourne players the challenge of getting back to the basics which won them the league last season to inject some badly-needed life into their title defence.
www.independent.ie
12 minutes ago
Sean O'Connor takes his seat in Tallaght for the Dublin derby tonight:
Good evening from Tallaght Stadium where leaders Shamrock Rovers host St Patrick's Athletic, with the four Irish teams in Europe this summer all in action tonight.
The two Dublin rivals may come into tonight off the back of wins on Friday, but it's been a contrasting couple of weeks results-wise for the pair.
After a mixed start to 2025, the Hoops have kicked into gear and are seeking a fourth win on the bounce tonight after victories over Sligo, Drogheda and Waterford, while St Pat's went on a run of just one win in six before returning to winning ways with an injury-time winner at home to Cork City last week.
In team news, there are a couple of surprise absentees for the hosts, with Gary O'Neill, Adam Matthews and Rory Gaffney not in the matchday squad tonight. Graham Burke, Matt Healy, Danny Grant and Michael Noonan all come into the starting 11 while Aaron Greene drops to the bench.
Stephen Kenny has made four changes for St Pat's from their dramatic win over Cork on Friday, with Zach Elbouzedi, Brandon Kavanagh, Luke Turner and Simon Power all coming in for Jake Mulraney, Carl Sjoberg, Al Amin Kazeem and the injured Kian Leavy.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson is also in attendance here for the third clash between the sides this season.
15 minutes ago
Aidan Fitzmaurice is overseeing things in Drumcondra this evening:
Hello from Tolka Park where it's a meeting of the champions and one of the contenders for the 2025 title, Shelbourne at home to Drogheda United.
Due to injury and suspension, the Reds' resources are stretched, two changes to the team which lost to Bohemians on Friday as Ellis Chapman and Tyreke Wilson come into the team but it's a weak-looking bench for Shels, padded out by academy players.
For Drogheda, one-time Shels hero Shane Farrell is free from suspension and is back in their starting XI, as is Warren Davis, who spent time with Shels at academy level in his early teens.
16 minutes ago
Dan McDonnell bring you the big talking points from the games across the League of Ireland last Friday:
LOI takeaways: Rovers' bench press, defensive struggles for Shels and more late goals light up Friday night
Ominous statement from Shamrock Rovers
www.independent.ie
18 minutes ago
Some pre-match watching/reading for you all – Aidan Fitzmaurice previews tonight's round of League of Ireland action:
League of Ireland previews: Rovers welcome St Pat's as Shels seek to get back on track
SHELBOURNE v DROGHEDA UTD
www.independent.ie
21 minutes ago
Good evening and welcome to another Independent.ie live blog covering the League of Ireland Premier Division. My name is Ultán Corcoran, and I will be keeping you up to speed with all the action it unfolds around the grounds.
Just the two games to report on this evening as Shelbourne host Drogheda United from 7.45pm with televised coverage on Virgin Media Two, meanwhile Shamrock Rovers entertain St.Patrick's Athletic in another Dublin derby at 8pm.
Virgin Media Sport on Twitter / X
🗣 "(Shels) are struggling with where their identity is at."🗣 "A lot of teams know what Drogheda are about now."@Garts06 & @DaveMcIntyreIRL tee up tonight's big game on a glorious evening at Tolka Park!We're live from 7.30pm! pic.twitter.com/Bh3Nc1Rv2X— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) May 19, 2025
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RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Kevin Doherty insists Drogheda United have 'strong case' ahead of Court of Arbitration appeal
Drogheda United manager Kevin Doherty remains hopeful that the decision to prevent the club from competing in this season's UEFA Conference League will be reversed and insists that they have a "strong case". Earlier this week, the club revealed that UEFA had informed them that they will not be allowed to take part in Europe's third tier club competition due to ownership rules. United, owned by the Trivela Group, qualified for the competition by winning last year's FAI Cup. However, Danish side Silkeborg, also under the Trivela umbrella, secured a place in the Conference League through their league position. Under UEFA rules, two sides from the same owner cannot enter the same European competition. Silkeborg take priority due to their higher league position under UEFA guidelines. However, Drogheda have appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport with a ruling to come on Monday. Speaking to RTÉ Sport's John Kenny after Friday night's 0-0 draw with St Patrick's Athletic, Drogs boss Doherty was bullish about the club's hopes of avoiding a costly absence from European competition. "I know we have a very, very strong case. A very, very strong case," he said. "For the players, for the staff, we'll do our bit and we'll go out there and fight for everything. "I fully absolutely trust the people at the club that will do the exact same. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. "I've been in the loop. I know we've a very strong case." Doherty also admitted that it was inevitable that he or the players would be impacted somewhat by what has been going on in the background. However, he was keen to get the message across to his players that it needed to be put in perspective. "You wouldn't be human if you didn't think about it. There's no point pretending we're not thinking about it," he said. "I've been kept in the loop so we have to probably do our part. I made this point to the players as well. I've been at clubs where you had serious things to worry about. "There's a club last year for instance that people had serious things to worry about. There's a couple of clubs. "We're very, very well looked after at this club. Things are going in the right direction and what we as players and staff can do is fight and fight and fight for every ball, every tackle, every header, every point and every clean sheet and as I said, I fully trust the people around the club to do the exact same." On the pitch, the scoreless draw was the third 0-0 in three that Drogheda and St Pat's have played out in their head-to-heads against each other this season. "It is unusual," Doherty admitted of the trend. "And it's three excellent performances from us in different ways. The first time they got in our box was after 18 minutes. We started the game so, so well." However, Luke Dennison's penalty save from Saints youngster Mason Melia proved vital in preserving Drogheda's clean sheet. "But then (Pat's) obviously got into it, get the penalty which is a penalty and poor from us but Luke just showed how much these clean sheets mean to him and all of us," Doherty added, who said he had to be happy with the point in the context of the opposition and his own side's 2025 trajectory.
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
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5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
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Damien Duff and Stephen Bradley renewed rivalries on Friday night as the league leaders came out on top in a feisty 2-1 win at a sold out Tolka Park. Dan Cleary had put the Hoops ahead before Josh Honohan put into the back of his own net with the game finely poised at the break. But Honohan, who had been called up the Republic of Ireland senior men's squad, struck a stunning goal to make amends for his earlier error and bag all three points for his side in the process to put a 12-point gap between themselves and the champions. 'Maybe they (Shamrock Rovers) played with a real personality and showed their quality and think we only did it in fits and bursts. I can't bring myself to complain about the result. I just can't. I can't say we were unlucky. I can't,' admitted Shels manager Damien Duff. Read More Rovers open six point lead as they see off champions Shelbourne Eyes were also fixated on both benches throught the contest as former colleagues Duff and Bradley, who have been involved in verbal spats this season, came face-to-face for the first time since the fallout in Tallaght back in April when Duff was accused of a lack of respect for not shaking hands with the opposing bench after the 2-2 draw, opting instead to head straight down the tunnel. Both parties did exchange handshakes pre and post-game on this occasion and it seemed as that particular issue had been put to bed. But as both went about doing their post-game media duties on the pitch after the game, words were exchanged between the two. Clearly something had irked the Irish centurion in the aftermath, although he was coy on the issue initially. 'I don't need to speak about what's gone on upstairs," insisted Duff. "It's not a disagreement, I'm absolutely right. I think there's a way to win, with respect, a humility and class. I've done that since I was a boy and I'm not sure they've done that tonight, that's all I'd say.' It had been said that when the away team went to the upstairs changing room to celebrate their massive victory, the famous Mauro Picotto song 'Kimodo', synonymous with Shelbourne – so much so that it has led to the famous DJ playing a couple of sets at the famous old ground – was heard blasting from the away changing room, something that Duff clearly took umbrage with. Shelbourne's head coach Damien Duff. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Clohessy. When pressed on if this was the case, the 46-year-old added: 'Amongst other things. But like I said I don't need to get into it. A lack of respect has been pointed at me, it's bizarre carry-on. "I've played all around the world, coached in some amazing places and now manage in an amazing place and I'm built on hard work, a bit of quality - I'd like to think - but a real respect, humility and I'd like to think a touch of class. "And that's how you should win, and I don't think they've done that tonight. And I don't think they regularly do it either. But that's not trying to cloud over headlines, we've lost a Dublin derby tonight, we've lost ground and I'm not looking at the carry-on upstairs, all I'm looking at is my team, my performances, my players.' Duff's opposing number, Stephen Bradley, was quick to pour cold water on the subject when asked what had happened and was keen to move on, focusing on his side's dominant performance at the home of the champions. But Bradley did confirm the pair haven't been on speaking terms since their last meeting. 'I'm not sure, he's obviously frustrated, annoyed they've lost the game, I understand that. Yeah, that's not for me to talk about. We've come here, we played well, we won the game, that was our aim. 'No, we haven't spoken. Like I said, for me, it was about moving on, getting ready for this game, to come and win it. That was all our aim, all my thoughts. "I think the players tonight were different class, they controlled the game from start to finish, Shels had little spells here or there, but for the majority we were excellent and won the game comfortably. '
