Shamrock Rovers secure their 20th League of Ireland title after Derry drop points in Sligo
- Macdara Ferris
- Mon, Oct 24 2022
The Shamrock Rovers crest will have two stars above it from next season after the Hoops secured their 20th League of Ireland crown on Monday night without kicking a ball.
The title returns to Tallaght as they secured three league titles in row thanks to Derry City’s failure to beat Sligo Rovers in the Showgrounds.
The scoreless draw leaves the Candystripes seven points behind the Hoops with just the two league games remaining.
Shamrock Rovers will receive the trophy in Tallaght Stadium on Sunday evening after their game against Derry City. It will mean that Stephen Bradley will likely prioritise his team for Thursday night’s Europa Conference League clash with Gent.
Bradley’s side becomes just the fourth club to win three league titles in a row. The feat was first managed by Cork United in the early 1940s, Waterford in the late 1960s, a Shamrock Rovers side who went on to win four-in-a-row in the mid-1980s and, most recently, by Dundalk in the 2010s.
This is the fifth title that Rovers have won while based in Tallaght Stadium and Alan Mannus has been part of the title winning squad on each of those occasions.
Ronan Finn will lift the trophy in Tallaght on Sunday evening. The Hoops skipper has won four championships with Rovers (and another two Premier Division titles with Dundalk).
Sean Gannon will receive a remarkable ninth league winning medal. The defender made one substitute appearance in Rovers’ 2011 title winning team and another with St. Pats in 2013. He has been part of the league winning side in seven of the last eight seasons – winning five titles with Dundalk and has won the league in each of the last three seasons with Shamrock Rovers.
Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley now has his third winners medal as manager. Only Dermot Keely (four) and Pat Fenlon and Stephen Kenny (both five) have managed more title winning teams.
About Macdara Ferris
Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile
