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  • Thursday February 27th, 2025 @ 16:30

Preview: Saints Vs Sligo Rovers (28/02/25)

St Patrick's Athletic are ready for back to back home games in the League of Ireland Premier Division this weekend.

THE MATCH

  • The Saints host Sligo Rovers on Friday night, before welcoming Derry City on Monday, as they look to kick start their 2025 campaign on home soil.
  • Another big home crowd is expected in Inchicore on Friday night with over 4,000 home tickets already sold.
  • Former St Patrick's Athletic Manager Johnny McDonnell will join Oisin Langan in the LOITV commentary box.



    SAINTS SCENE
  • Stephen Kenny's men are on the hunt for their first win of the season, they are without the services of Sean Hoare, Kian Leavy and Jamie Lennon, who all miss out through injury.







    LAST TIME OUT
  • Aidan Keena's stunning volley in front of the Virgin Media cameras was not enough for St Pat's the mount a come-back at Eamon Deacy Park last Friday.
  • A Patrick Hickey double in the opening quarter of the game put Galway 2-0 ahead, Keena's cracker brought his side back into things, with Brendan Clarke pulling off a number of excellent saves to deny his former club.



    MOST RECENT MEETING:
  • 01/11/24 - Aidan Keena and Romal Palmer got the crucial goals to give The Saints a 2-0 win at The Showgrounds on the final night of the 2024 season.
  • Those points made in nine League wins in a row, and secured a third place finish and European football for 2025.







    STAT ATTACK:
  • This will be the 165th League clash of The Saints and the Bit O'Red, Pat's have won 77, Sligo have come out with 46 victories with the other 41 ending all square. The sides have shared 468 goals across those 164 matches.
  • Pat's won three of the four league meetings last season, including both at Richmond Park, 3-0 last April and 3-2 in August.



    DID YOU KNOW:
  • If Chris Forrester plays tomorrow night, it will be his 300th appearance for St Patrick's Athletic.







    MAGIC MOMENTS:
  • 2024 - A 100th minute penalty from Brandon Kavanagh helped his team to a dramatic 3-2 win against Sligo Rovers at Richmond Park in August. Aidan Keena also scored on his second-debut for the club that day, opening his account from the penalty spot.
  • 2021 - An Ian Bermingham header in the 97th minute nabbed a late late draw at The Showgrounds during the lockdown of 2020.
  • 2013 - A Greg Bolger worldie and an Anto Flood strike secured a 2-0 win for Pat's against Sligo on October 13th 2013, it was a crucial victory as the Saints clinched the LOI Premier Division title that year.
  • 2010 - Dave McAllister's goal against Sligo won the 2010 St Patrick's Athletic Goal of the Season.



    OPPOSITION WATCH:
  • Sligo Rovers travel to Dublin off the back of a 3-0 loss to Drogheda United at Sullivan and Lambe Park last Friday.
  • They opened their campaign with a 3-2 defeat at home to Waterford.
  • Sligo Manager John Russell is a former St Pat's player, he won a League as a Saint in 2013, while Sligo striker Cian Kavanagh spent the 2024 season at Richmond Park. Simon Power swapped The Showgrounds for Inchicore over the winter.








    FROM THE DUG OUT:
  • Manager Stephen Kenny said: "We're looking forward to the games, it's a great week, Sligo Rovers, Derry City and then Shamrock Rovers over the next seven days, they are all really good games. We've got Sligo Rovers coming here tomorrow night, with a great crowd expected. I was down in Sligo for their game against Waterford last week, they were unlucky really in a tight game, a 3-2 defeat. Sligo have signed some players from the UK who have played at a good level and have a fair degree of experience and we'll get a tough game off them for sure."



    PLAYER VIEW: Romal Palmer said the squad are ready for action: "The first two games didn't go the way we'd hoped but it's early in the season. With this double weekend, we have an opportunity to kick on and get going, at home with the fans behind us, it's massive. We want to give that support back to them and put on two great performances. We've got so much quality in the squad and belief in each other and we'll be aiming to show that against Sligo Rovers and then Derry City this weekend."







    TEAM NEWS:
  • Midfielder Kian Leavy (ankle) and defender Sean Hoare (knock) is out while the thigh injury Jamie Lennon picked up in the warm up last Friday will keep him out until after the international break at the end of next month. Having joined the club this week, Goalkeeper Sean Molloy (21) is available for selection. The former St Pat's Academy goalkeeper was most recently with Dundalk in the LOI before a short stint with Inchicore Athletic in the LSL.



    TICKETS AND TV:
  • Over 4,000 home tickets have already been sold for tomorrow night.
  • The game will also be live on LOITV with Oisin Langan and Johnny McDonnell in the commentary box.

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    Next Fixture

    vs GALWAY UNITED

    Date: May 1st (7:45pm)
    Competition: League
    Venue: Eamonn Deacy Park
     

    League Table

    Team Pld Pts
    St Patrick's Athletic1326
    Shamrock Rovers1325
    Dundalk1321
    Bohemian FC1320
    Derry City1317
    Galway United1215
    Sligo Rovers1314
    Shelbourne1213
    Drogheda United1213
    Waterford FC125

    St Patrick's Athletic FC

    Founded in 1929 the 'Saints' play in the Premier Division of the SSE Airtricity League at Richmond Park, in Inchicore Dublin 8, Ireland.

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