Friday night sees Shamrock Rovers head to Richmond Park to take on St. Patrick’s Athletic. The Hoops head into the clash knowing it is likely by the final whistle that they will be crowned 2025 League of Ireland champions. Anything but a loss will guarantee Rovers adopting this status; also, if Derry City fail to beat Waterford FC, they will come away with the same outcome.
This tie is known to throw up unpredictable moments as Rovers search for their first win in Inchicore in two years. The last time Stephen Bradley’s Hoops won at Richmond Park, they won the league and will be hopeful of history repeating itself.
Form guide
St. Patrick’s Athletic head into the Dublin derby in poor form. They are on the back of two straight defeats, including an FAI Cup Semi-Final defeat to relegated side Cork City. The scenes at the full-time whistle at Turners Cross became ugly as angry away supporters entered the pitch, displaying dismay at their team.
With four games remaining, Stephen Kenny’s side will value every point if they are to be considered for a European place. They currently sit sixth in the league, six points behind third-place Shelbourne, albeit with a game in hand. By the time it comes to the FAI Cup Final, the Inchicore outfit may require a helping hand from Shamrock Rovers.
The Hoops head into the fixture on the back of a home defeat to Shelbourne. A 33rd-minute strike from Kerr McInroy was enough to delay the title celebrations. Now hopeful of winning the league this Friday night, Shamrock Rovers have more than just a hand on the trophy. In the lead-up to the Sparta Prague defeat, Rovers had a 10-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.
What to expect
The highly anticipated Dublin derby is expected to be a cagey affair. While the 21-time champions will want to get the job done, the home side has a battle for European places. Numerous efforts are expected to be made by St. Patrick’s Athletic, but they will require accuracy. In the recent 3-0 defeat to Cork City, they had 15 shots with only one on target. There was a similar story when they lost to Sligo Rovers, 16 shots with just two requiring prevention from the opposition.
Supporters can expect Shamrock Rovers to have one eye on the upcoming Conference League fixture against NK Celje. That game is crucial for the club’s hopes of making it past the League Phase, and they may opt to rotate slightly with that in mind.
Past meetings
This meeting is the fourth between the pair this season. St. Patrick’s Athletic have yet to beat the soon-to-be champions. The last fixture at Richmond Park between the two ended dramatically as a 91st-minute equaliser came from Joe Redmond.
The sides have faced off once since that tie, in Tallaght Stadium, when the Hoops cruised to a 4-0 victory. The forwards were in form that night as the goals came from Michael Noonan, Graham Burke, and Aaron Greene. Despite the scoreline being as one-sided as it was, it was St. Patrick’s Athletic who registered more shots. They had 19 shots and registered an xG of 2.08, compared to Rovers, who had 18 and an xG of 1.03.
Opposition view
Eoghan Gardiner, matchday programme contributor, St. Patrick’s Athletic
Following St. Pat’s 3-0 FAI Cup semi-final loss in Cork, as well as a 1-0 loss in Sligo the week prior, the sixth-placed Saints are at a low point in an underwhelming season. With recent form and previous record against the Hoops in mind, truthfully, it is difficult to picture Stephen Kenny’s side taking anything from the fixture.
However, the Saints remain with an outside chance of a European finish. In this regard, a strong run-in is crucial. Perhaps their big game players will step up at this late stage, but it is not a certainty.
Final thoughts
Shamrock Rovers head into this fixture with little to no pressure given the circumstances and the likelihood of success. However, Bradley and his side will not be easy to roll over, no matter the circumstances. As Rovers look to do a double this season, it will be important to stay in the winning mindset and may do so here.
St. Patrick’s Athletic have had a disappointing season after the Semi-Final defeat in Turner’s Cross. They are a side that finished the 2024 season strongly and were tipped to challenge for the title this season. Kenny’s Pat’s never truly got going and now rely on the remaining four games to try to get themselves European football for next season. This derby is as big as it can be, and they will be hopeful to get into the winning mindset.