Brandon Kavanagh and JJ Lunney in action. Andrew Conan/INPHO

As it happened: St Pat's v Shelbourne, Galway Utd v Shamrock Rovers - LOI Premier Division

League leaders St Pat’s entertain the champions Shelbourne in the big game of the night.

League Of Ireland Premier Division Results: 

  • St Patrick’s Athletic 0-0 Shelbourne
  • Galway United 0-1 Shamrock Rovers
  • Drogheda United 2-0 Waterford
  • Derry City 2-1 Cork City
  • Bohemians 4-2 Sligo Rovers

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Evening all, we’re back with Friday night League of Ireland action from the Premier Division tonight.

No doubt the biggest game of the night – it’s league leaders St Patrick’s Athletic welcoming champions Shelbourne to Richmond Park in a meeting of first v fourth. David Sneyd is at Richmond Park for us for that one, but we’ll be following all the other action and bringing you reports later from all of tonight’s Premier Division games.

Elsewhere tonight, it’s second-placed Galway United facing a Shamrock Rovers team who have taken seven points from nine in their last three games, showing signs of improved form.

Drogheda United host Waterford, Cork City make the long trip to face Derry City,  while it’s Bohemians against Sligo Rovers.

Team News:

St Patrick’s Athletic v Shelbourne…

And action is underway in tonight’s fixtures in the Premier Division.

GOAL: Bohemian 1-0 Sligo Rovers

Bohemian 1-0 Sligo Rovers
A brilliant start at Dalymount Park for the hosts, it’s Colm Whelan who finds the net in the third  minute and they lead Sligo Rovers.

GOAL: Bohemian 2-0 Sligo Rovers

What a start for Bohs, five minutes in and they’ve scored twice. Ross Tierney doubles their lead against bottom of the table Sligo.

Ross Tierney celebrates by giving manager Alan Reynolds a big hug after scoring the second for Bohs. Reynolds was booed off by Bohs fans after losing at home to Galway last week, but this is much improved and they are on course for only a second home win in the league since last April.

Still scoreless elsewhere, St Pat’s have made a lively start but needed Joe Redmond to clear there as John Martin closed in on goal for Shelbourne.

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

11 mins – Half a chance falls to Zack Elbouzedi at the edge of the box for  Pat’s but he doesn’t get the connection he likes through a crowded area and Jonathan Lunney makes the block.

stephen-kenny-ahead-of-the-match St Pat's boss Stephen Kenny. Andrew Conan / INPHO Andrew Conan / INPHO / INPHO

damien-duff-ahead-of-the-match Shelbourne manager Damien Duff. Andrew Conan / INPHO Andrew Conan / INPHO / INPHO

From our reporter at Richmond Park, David Sneyd:

“Shels, they’re playing 5-3-2 tonight with captain Mark Coyle playing right side of three-man centre backs rather than in midfield. Harry Wood is more central with John Martin up front.”

GOAL: Derry City 0-1 Cork City

A breakthrough at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium and it’s the away team who are celebrating with Kitt Nelson scoring for Cork City.

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

26 mins - Elis Chapman with sight of goal for Shelbourne but he drags a left-foot shot that goes off target. It gets a touch and Shelbourne get a corner but St Pat’s are able to clear, counter-attack moments later and Brandon Kavanagh fires a shot over the bar.

GOAL: Bohemian 2-1 Sligo Rovers

A lifeline for Sligo Rovers as Francely Lomboto nets in the 24th minute and they’re back in the game after the concession of those two early goals.

GOAL: Bohemian 2-2 Sligo Rovers

Can you score twice too early in a game? No doubt the most entertainment so far tonight is at Dalymount Park. The home side went up 2-0 after five minutes but Sligo have battled back to level by the half-hour mark with Owen Elding grabbing the equaliser after Francely Lomboto’s goal a few minutes previously.

So we’ve had four goals at Dalymount Park tonight, one in the Brandywell, but it’s still scoreless in the other three games.

padraig-amond Padraig Amond of Waterford James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

patrick-hickey-and-graham-burke Galway United’s Patrick Hickey and Shamrock Rovers’ Graham Burke. Evan Logan / INPHO Evan Logan / INPHO / INPHO

a-view-of-the-new-north-stand-which-opened-to-fans-for-the-first-time-at-tonights-game A view of the new North Stand which opened to fans for the first time at tonight’s game in Derry. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

34 mins - John Martin has been forced off through injury, he’d tried to play on for a spell but his involvement for Shelbourne tonight is now over as Mipo Odubeko comes in.

Latest from David Sneyd at Richmond Park:

“Mipo started season sharply but only one league goal (v Waterford on 21 February). No better time to find the net again. He will definitely need to offer Shelbourne something more up top, maybe a chance to catch St Pat’s on the break with his pace and ball carrying quality.”

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

42 mins - Chris Forrester goes close for St Pat’s but it’s still deadlocked as we approach half-time.

Goals have been hard to come by tonight, as it stands it will be Cork City who are the biggest movers as they chase a second league win of the season. They’ve drawn their last three encounters, 1-1.

Half-Time: St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne
Scoreless in the big game of the night at Richmond Park.

GOAL: Drogheda Utd 1-0 Waterford FC

Warren Davis with the goal that means as  it stands, Drogheda will finish the night top of the table.

LOI Premier Division Half-Time:

  • St Patrick’s Athletic 0-0 Shelbourne
  • Galway United 0-0 Shamrock Rovers
  • Drogheda United 1-0 Waterford
  • Derry City 0-1 Cork City
  • Bohemians 2-2 Sligo Rovers

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LOI First Division Half-Time:

  • Athlone Town 0-1 Bray Wanderers
  • Cobh Ramblers 1-1 Wexford FC
  • Finn Harps 0-1 Longford Town
  • Treaty United 1-0 Kerry
  • UCD 0-0 Dundalk

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Second-half action about to get underway in tonight’s Premier Division games.

GOAL: Galway Utd 0-1 Shamrock Rovers

Rory Gaffney with the breakthrough for Shamrock Rovers, they take the lead away against Galway. The Tuam native with his first goal for Rovers since February 2024 after an injury-ruined campaign last year.

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

57 mins -  Shelbourne soaking up the St Pat’s pressure effectively to ensure they’ve still kept a clean sheet. The home team look like they need something a little different to break down their opponents.

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

58 mins - A nice spell of play by Shelbourne culminates in Chapman shifting inside and unleashing a left-foot drive, that needs Joseph Anany to produce a fine save to force a corner, that Pat’s  subsequently deal with.

5,374 in attendance, the highest at Richmond Park in 20 years.

sean-hoare-and-john-martin St. Patrick's Athletic's Sean Hoare and Shelbourne's John Martin. Andrew Conan / INPHO Andrew Conan / INPHO / INPHO

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

62 mins – Shelbourne threaten again, it’s last season’s title-winning hero Harry Wood that works his way to the edge of the area, makes space to shoot but it’s deflected behind. Damien Duff’s side have stepped it up now.

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

67 mins - Huge chance for Shelbourne! Mipo Odubeko escapes the St Pat’s defence and is clean through. He takes the shot early, hits it fiercely but Anang produces a brilliant stop to tip it around the post. St Pat’s clean up the corner but it’s definitely the away side have the momentum now.

GOAL! Derry City 1-1 Cork City

All square at the Brandywell. 65 minutes in and Ronan Boyce drags Derry level with a goal.

GOAL! Drogheda United 2-0 Waterford

Darragh Markey’s cross evades everyone but Drogheda won’t complain as it finishes in the net and doubles their advantage. Twenty minutes left and they’re top of the table as it stands.

warren-davis-celebrates-scoring-their-first-goal-with-teammates Drogheda’s Warren Davis celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

rory-gaffney-celebrates-scoring-their-first-goal-with-dylan-watts Shamrock Rovers’ Rory Gaffney celebrates scoring their first goal with Dylan Watts. Evan Logan / INPHO Evan Logan / INPHO / INPHO

GOAL! Bohemian 3-2 Sligo Rovers

GOAL! Derry City 2-1 Cork City

Couple of big goals as teams move in front. A fifth goal of the night at Dalymount Park and it’s Ross Tierney on target for Bohs.

Michael Duffy has put Derry City in front against Cork City.

St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne 

80 mins - Kian Leavy gets on the end of a nice St Pat’s move, he sneaks clear and clips a shot but Conor Kearns is straight off his line to block, with the last touch going off Leavy and flying wide.

Five minutes to go and it’s the big one in Richmond Park that is the only scoreless encounter.

We’re into injury-time now across tonight’s games. Drogheda with their two-goal advantage, probably the only team that can relax at this juncture.

Full-Time: St Pat’s 0-0 Shelbourne

No goals at Richmond Park and the teams can’t be separated. First time in 27 years the teams have played out a scoreless draw.

GOAL! Bohemian 4-2 Sligo Rovers

Dawson Devoy wraps it up for Bohs with their fourth goal deep in injury-time.

Full-Time: Drogheda United 2-0 Waterford

A good night’s work for Drogheda United, they’re top of the table tonight.

Full-Time: Galway United 0-1 Shamrock Rovers

Galway native Rory Gaffney is the Shamrock Rovers hero, his goal securing a crucial win for Stephen Bradley’s side. Three wins in their last four league games now for Rovers.

Full-Time: Bohemian 4-2 Sligo Rovers

Huge win for Bohs after a thrilling game. They were 2-0 up after five minutes, pegged back to be 2-2 after half hour, and ended up with a 4-2 victory. Badly needed after losing their last two  matches and failing to score.

Full-Time: Derry City 2-1 Cork City

Derry City come from behind to triumph as Cork City get set for the long trip home after this defeat.

Here’s the results from tonight’s first division games, Dundalk win their seventh game out of eight to stay seven points clear, while second-placed Bray Wanderers saw off Athlone Town.

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LOI First Division Full-Time:

  • Athlone Town 0-1 Bray Wanderers
  • Cobh Ramblers 1-3 Wexford FC
  • Finn Harps 1-1 Longford Town
  • Treaty United 3-0 Kerry
  • UCD 0-1 Dundalk

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Thanks for joining us for tonight’s coverage, there’ll be plenty more to come on The42 this weekend.

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