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The 42
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Club by club guide as League of Ireland resumes after mid-season break
THE LEAGUE OF Ireland resumes tomorrow after a brief respite for the mid-season break. If you're in need of a quick refresher of where your Premier Division club – or rival – is at, look no further. 1st – Shamrock Rovers The league leaders signed off before the break with a goalless draw against Galway United. Manager Stephen Bradley was angry at the drop off in performance level and even though there's a cushion of a six-point lead the nature of this league means that can be whittled away quickly. Case in point, tomorrow's TV game with Shelbourne could see the champions, who are down in fifth, also reduce the difference to six. The Hoops bolstered their attacking ranks with the signing of striker John McGovern from Dungannon Swifts, and he should add some dynamism for the second half of the campaign. The future of Josh Honohan is also up in the air with interest from across the water. 2nd – Drogheda United Drogs could be forgiven for not being able to enjoy the mid-season break at all given the situation with their place in this season's UEFA Conference League qualifiers being up in the air. Owners Trivela Group also have a controlling stake in Danish side Silkeborg IF, and their cup victory, combined with a higher league place domestically, means they should take priority in the European competition. Missing out on €525,000 in prize money would be a blow, but at least they remain well equipped to earn a place in Europe on league form. One thing is for sure, Kevin Doherty and his players won't have time to dwell on things, they face St Patrick's Athletic tomorrow and host Rovers on Monday. 3rd – Bohemians There are two standout moments involving Bohs during the first half of the season. The first was boss Alan Reynolds motionless in the centre circle looking towards the away fans at Tolka Park after Shelbourne scored a late goal for a 1-0 win on 11 April. The travelling supporters were being kept back and the mood was low. Bohs had nine points from as many games – three wins and six defeats – and it looked like an uphill battle to salvage the season. Well, Reynolds got Bohs climbing and in the nine games that followed before the break they amassed 21 points – seven wins and two defeats. The second standout moment was the delirium that resulted from a stunning comeback to beat Shamrock Rovers 3-2 after trailing 2-0 at half-time in Tallaght. Bohs need to kick on, starting away to Cork City tomorrow, to ensure that derby day doesn't turn out to be the highlight of their season. 4th – St Patrick's Athletic June 2024 was the last time Stephen Kenny's side lost at home, that defeat coming against a Dundalk side now in the First Division. Twenty two games later the Saints have back to back fixtures at Richmond Park against Drogheda United tomorrow and Shelbourne on Monday. Derry City also visit Inchicore on Monday, 23 June. Add in away games against Galway United and Cork City and it's a very busy two-week period. Not since beating Bohs on 14 March and Waterford on 28 March have Pat's won consecutive games. June would be a good time to do so. 5th – Shelbourne Damien Duff wanted to bring in at least one new centre back before this season started. Injury to Paddy Barrett later made that even more of a necessity. Rewind to the first night of the season, when the lights went out at half-time of their game with Derry at Tolka Park. Shels were seriously impressive in a 4-4-2 formation with Mipo Odubeko and Sean Boyd up top. It looked to be a blueprint for retaining their crown. The pair helped the champions completely outplay and overpower the visitors. Boyd scored twice but injury has also derailed his year so far, at a time when his form and confidence seemed to be taking him up a level. He earned a new deal over the winter amid interest from St Mirren in Scotland. Tomorrow offers the perfect chance to build up momentum and, who knows, possibly even use Europe as a springboard like others have before them. Advertisement 6th – Derry City New boss Tiernan Lynch joked ahead of the opening game of the season away to Shelbourne that the home club would have to make room for wheelchairs in the away dressing room to accommodate an apparently aging squad. Others were making different kind of assertions about a raft of signings that cost a few bob and had solid pedigree in the UK. A comprehensive defeat to Shels, in which at least one of their new signings complained about the physicality of the opponents, did not set a positive tone. To their credit, Derry grew stronger as the season went on and five wins from six between 18 April and 9 May illustrated as much. One draw and two defeats before the break is the reason they dropped to fifth. They can't resume the campaign in the manner they started it. 7th – Galway United A return trip to the Ryan McBride Brandywell will be a welcome sight for Moses Dyer. The Galway striker is the league's top scorer with nine goals and netted his first of the campaign against Derry City in a 1-1 draw back on 7 March. Galway headed into the break with a draw at Rovers and a win away to Cork prior to that, two results that were badly needed after four consecutive defeats. John Caulfield is on the lookout for players to strengthen his bid for European qualification and also knows the importance of keeping hold of Dyer. Having Bohemians' Cian Byrne tied down to a season-long loan will also be important as he has impressed in a defensive midfielder role. 8th – Waterford Before John Coleman was confirmed as the Blues' permanent successor to Keith Long, the Munster club made sure to the test the water of interest at different levels of the game in the UK. One manager out of work, who has experience throughout the British game, was sounded out for the job. However, a pre-arranged holiday meant he didn't want to pursue the opportunity further than those initial talks. Coleman had no such qualms about returning to the League of Ireland 11 years on from his four-month stint with Sligo Rovers. He has a deal until the end of the 2027 campaign but the second half of this campaign will be a handy barometer of the Scouser's impact. 9th – Cork City New boss Ger Nash went into the break buoyed by an impressive performance and 1-1 draw at home to Shelbourne. Just as important has been the return to action of striker Seani Maguire. With Ruairí Keating likely out for the remainder of the season the experienced forward will have to carry the burden with Djenairo Daniels, who has made an impressive start to life at Turner's Cross. Someone whose time may well be coming to an end, however, is the talented playmaker Cathal O'Sullivan. He was away on U21 duty with the Republic of Ireland during the break and is likely to leave this summer with at least four Premier League clubs showing significant interest. He was pictured at a Crystal Palace game recently but it remains to be seen if they are frontrunners. 10th- Sligo Rovers Another highly-rated prospect is the Bit O'Red's Owen Elding. The 19-year-old's stunning long range strike against Shelbourne caught the eye in a 3-2 defeat at Tolka Park in the penultimate fixture before the break. With seven goals, he trails Galway's Dyer by just two and if he is still at the Showgrounds after the summer window closes his contribution will be crucial. Boss John Russell dropped Connor Malley before the break, citing 'how everyone trains and plays in the games and how they conduct themselves.' Cork are only one point clear in the promotion/relegation spot while tomorrow's opponents, Waterford, have an 11-point cushion.
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers sign former Down footballer John McGovern
Shamrock Rovers have allayed concerns at centre forward by signing former Down footballer John McGovern from Dungannon Swifts for an undisclosed fee. McGovern, who scored 20 goals in all competitions for Swifts last season, will be available for Rovers from July 1st. The 22-year-old, who represented Northern Ireland at under-21 level, played for the Down senior football in 2024. 'We tried quite a bit over the last year to get him, but it wasn't possible,' said Rovers manager Stephen Bradley. 'John was at university and Dungannon weren't ready to sell at that moment in time. READ MORE 'We could have moved in on other players in the previous window, but we wanted to wait for John as he was someone we'd monitored for quite some time. He fits the group and we really like what he's about.' Rovers have been searching for a striker to replace Johnny Kenny, who scored 20 goals last year on loan from Celtic. Sixteen-year-old Michael Noonan has impressed with five goals this season while competing with Aaron Greene and Rory Gaffney for game time. 'John will give us real depth in that area of the pitch and he gives us another dimension,' Bradley added.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
McGovern joins Shamrock Rovers from Dungannon Swifts
League of Ireland Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers have completed the signing of forward John McGovern from Irish Premiership side Dungannon 22-year-old striker joins Rovers for an undisclosed was a key figure in Dungannon's successful 2024-25 season, which saw them finish fourth in the league and win the Irish Cup by beating Cliftonville 4-3 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 after extra-time, thereby securing European football for the Stangmore Park former Northern Ireland Under-21 international and Newry City frontman scored the opening goal in the showpiece decider and contributed 14 league goals in 29 appearances for Rodney McAree's team."After many weeks of negotiations, the club agreed a transfer fee with Dungannon Swifts which will remain undisclosed," read a statement from the Dublin club on Tuesday."This transfer is subject to International and Domestic clearance which, when approved, would allow John to be available for selection from July 1st, 2025."John has attracted much interest in recent months but has been fully committed in his desire to play for Shamrock Rovers."Speaking on the Shamrock Rovers club website, external, manager Stephen Bradley explained that he had McGovern in his sights for "over a year"."We were up quite a lot to watch John. We tried quite a bit over the last year to get him, but it wasn't possible. "John was at university and Dungannon weren't ready to sell at that moment in time. So, it was a case of continuing to monitor John and thankfully we've got him in now. "We could have moved in on other players in the previous window, but we wanted to wait on John as he was someone we'd monitored for quite some time. He fits the group, has a good age profile and we really like what he's about. So we waited and now we got it done."McGovern told the club's website that it was "a no-brainer" to make the move."I'm absolutely delighted. It's a massive club, the biggest in the country. You look at the success Shamrock Rovers have had in recent years and throughout the club's history."I want to win trophies, I want to win medals, and continue the legacy of the club."Rovers are six points clear of nearest challengers Drogheda United at the top of the Premier Division table.
Irish Examiner
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Shamrock Rovers pounce to sign striker John McGovern
League of Ireland leaders Shamrock Rovers have bolstered their strikeforce by recruiting striker, former Down GAA star John McGovern, from Dungannon Swifts. Having just won the Irish Cup with his club, the Hoops have agreed a transfer fee to enable the 22-year-old to be available from July 1. Rovers enjoy a six-point advantage at the midway point of the season and on June 13 will discover their opposition in the Uefa Conference League, a competition they reached the knockout stages of last season. The riches in their squad was evident when they made a quadruple substitution of star quality in the recent 4-0 romp over St Patrick's Athletic, the team many tipped to challenge them for the title. Shamrock Rovers' new signing John McGovern poses alongside manager Stephen Bradley. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Rovers were denied an unprecedented fifth successive title on the final day of last season when Shelbourne grabbed a late winner in Derry to claim the trophy. 'John will give us real depth in that forward area of the pitch and another dimension,' said Rovers boss Stephen Bradley, whose team host Galway United at Tallaght on Friday. 'His age profile means he's one for now, but also the future. 'We tried quite a bit over the last year to sign John, but it wasn't possible. 'He was at University and Dungannon weren't ready to sell at that moment in time. So, it was a case of continuing to monitor John, and thankfully, we've got him in now. 'We could have moved in on other players in the previous window, but we wanted to wait on John as he was someone we'd monitored for quite some time.'
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Dungannon's 2024-25 season in review
2024-25 League position: 4thPlayer of the season: Gael Bigirimana2024-25 Review: The campaign will surely go down as the best ever witnessed at Stangmore club had finished fourth in the top-flight twice previously in the 1990s, both under the stewardship of current manager Rodney McAree's father Joe, but their Irish Cup triumph over Cliftonville was a first for the memorable scenes at Windsor Park on the first Saturday of May have brought deserved praise upon the club who have delivered major silverware, broken into the top six, and will play in European football all on a budget that ensures they need to promote youth and rely on astute signings. Gael Bigirimana and Leo Alves are just two examples of the latter, while 22-year-old full-back Adam Glenny was voted onto the team of the season this year having come through the youth will miss the firepower of John McGovern next season, who is expected to move on after a strong campaign in front of goal, but the Swifts will back themselves to find another bargain as a replacement. 2025-26 signings so far:2025-26 departures so far: Dean Curry (retired)
