The guard has changed in Ireland this season. After a hotly contested season, the reigning champions Shamrock Rovers, with German goalkeeper Leon Pöhls, have to settle for second place. The new champions are Shelbourne FC.
In the past four years, the Shamrock Rovers, who failed to qualify for both the Champions League and the Europa League this season and will now face Chelsea FC, among others, in the Conference League, have been the measure of all things in the Airtricity League Premier Division. The club has won the Irish championship in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
And in 2024? The 9,500 fans at the club’s sold-out Tallaght Stadium were already hugging each other at the match against Waterford FC on the last match day because Shelbourne initially failed to score against Derry City. A 0-0 draw would have been enough for Rovers, who led 2-1 thanks to goals from Johnny Kenny (4th minute) and Dylan Watts (54th minute), to win the title for the fifth time in a row.
Wood ends Rovers’ title dreams
But in the middle of the first championship songs came the news of the late goal from their opponents in Dublin. Harry Wood had given Shelbourne a 1-0 lead in the 85th minute, lifting them to first place.
The Irish record champions were five minutes away with Hamburg’s Leon Pöhls (27) in goal, who joined the Rovers from English eighth-tier side Tadcaster Albion in 2019 and was completing his first season as a starting keeper.
First team goal for 18 years
Shelbourne last won the league 18 years ago and only returned to the top flight three years ago. They have now followed up their seventh and fourth-place finishes with the league title in dramatic fashion.
