Match Preview

vs SHAMROCK ROVERS
League
Friday, May 29th
8:00pm
Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers stretched their lead at the top of the Premier Division to six points after securing a hat-trick of wins over St Patrick's Athletic this season.

The Saints were the Hoops' closest challengers going into this derby but once again came up short against the champions, with Graham Burke's stunning early goal settling matters in front of 8,661 at Tallaght Stadium.

For a team that has scored so freely this season, this was the third game in-a-row that St Pat's have drawn a blank in and that must be concerning Stephen Kenny.

They also haven't scored in any of their meetings against Rovers this year and apart from the odd half chance, and a late kitchen sink effort, they rarely looked like addressing it.

Rovers - who are now eight clear of St Pat's in third - were good value for the win and could have won by more late on, with substitute Michael Noonan twice going close.

They laid their foundations early and never looked back in the opening half once Burke smashed that opener high into Joseph Anang's net after only nine minutes.

Anang's inclusion was a surprise as it had been thought all week that he would be with Ghana, as they ramp up their World Cup preparations in Wales.

St Pat's thought they had dealt with a Jack Byrne free-kick into the box but the headed clearance landed at Dylan Watts' feet on the edge of the box. His first touch was exquisite, before teeing up Burke who steadied himself to riffle home left-footed.

Rovers played good football thereafter, stringing together intricate passes with Burke, Jack Byrne and Matt Healy to the fore, pulling St Pat's from one side to the other. Still, Anang didn't have a great deal to do and the Saints grew in confidence approaching the break.

Belatedly, they were getting on the ball in the Rovers half, but the Hoops rearguard defended well with Lee Grace denying Kian Leavy a clean shot with a brilliant sliding challenge in the box. And Enda Stevens - the Rovers match winner at Dalymount Park on Monday - also made an important block on Romal Palmer just before the break.

St Pat's just couldn't get any rhythm going, and yet they still threatened early in the second-half. Palmer teed up James Brown but the wing-back couldn't get his shot on target when racing into the box to meet the ball first time.

Moments later, skipper Joe Redmond forced Ed McGinty - who will fly to Canada with the Ireland squad on Saturday - into a good save, with the travelling contingent finding their voice in the East Stand.

Aidan Keena's arrival off the bench signalled St Pat's intent for the closing half hour and Luke Turner wasn't far off connecting with Zack Elbouzedi's low cross at close range. But it was bitty stuff and the Saints frustration was compounded with 13 minutes to go when a Sean Hoare goal was chalked off for offside.

At the death, with St Pat's camped in the Rovers box, Grace was fortunate that a hacked clearance flashed wide of his own net after it crashed off team-mate Healy when Saints were pressing for an equaliser, but Rovers held firm in the end.

© rte.ie

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
May, 29th 2026	League	Shamrock Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
February, 20th 2026	League	Shamrock Rovers	2	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
August, 7th 2025	UEFA Conference League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Besiktas	4	REPORT
May, 19th 2025	League	Shamrock Rovers	4	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
March, 7th 2025	League	Shamrock Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
September, 27th 2024	League	Shamrock Rovers	0	St Patrick's Athletic	3	REPORT
August, 22nd 2024	UEFA Conference League	St Patrick's Athletic	0	Basaksehir	0	REPORT
August, 8th 2024	UEFA Conference League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Sabah	0	REPORT
May, 10th 2024	League	Shamrock Rovers	2	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
February, 9th 2024	President's Cup	Shamrock Rovers	3	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
July, 10th 2026	League	Waterford	1	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
June, 30th 2026	Leinster Senior Cup	Bray Wanderers	2	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
June, 26th 2026	League	Bohemians	2	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
May, 29th 2026	League	Shamrock Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
May, 26th 2026	Leinster Senior Cup	Dundalk	0	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
May, 22nd 2026	League	Derry City	0	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
May, 4th 2026	League	Sligo Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
May, 1st 2026	League	Galway United	2	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
April, 17th 2026	League	Drogheda United	1	St Patrick's Athletic	3	REPORT
April, 6th 2026	League	Dundalk	2	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
May, 29th 2026	League	Shamrock Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
April, 10th 2026	League	St Patrick's Athletic	0	Shamrock Rovers	1	REPORT
February, 20th 2026	League	Shamrock Rovers	2	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
October, 17th 2025	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Shamrock Rovers	0	REPORT
May, 19th 2025	League	Shamrock Rovers	4	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
April, 18th 2025	League	St Patrick's Athletic	2	Shamrock Rovers	2	REPORT
March, 7th 2025	League	Shamrock Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
September, 27th 2024	League	Shamrock Rovers	0	St Patrick's Athletic	3	REPORT
June, 13th 2024	League	St Patrick's Athletic	2	Shamrock Rovers	1	REPORT
May, 10th 2024	League	Shamrock Rovers	2	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
July, 10th 2026	League	Waterford	1	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
July, 3rd 2026	League	St Patrick's Athletic	3	Galway United	0	REPORT
June, 26th 2026	League	Bohemians	2	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
June, 19th 2026	League	St Patrick's Athletic	2	Sligo Rovers	0	REPORT
June, 12th 2026	League	St Patrick's Athletic	2	Drogheda United	0	REPORT
May, 29th 2026	League	Shamrock Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
May, 22nd 2026	League	Derry City	0	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
May, 15th 2026	League	St Patrick's Athletic	0	Shelbourne	1	REPORT
May, 8th 2026	League	St Patrick's Athletic	4	Waterford	1	REPORT
May, 4th 2026	League	Sligo Rovers	1	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT