Academy
- Wednesday April 9th, 2025 @ 17:00
O'Hara & Sullivan Pen 1st Pro Deals
St Patrick's Athletic are happy to announce that Academy players Matthew O'Hara (18) and Niall Sullivan (16) have penned their first professional contracts with the club.
Current U20 Captain O'Hara joined our U13s ahead of the 2019 League of Ireland Academy season, and won a League and Cup double in his first year at St Pat's.
He quickly progressed through the age groups, and made his First Team debut in January 2024 in the Leinster Senior Cup, he's made four senior appearances so far, all in the Leinster Senior Cup and was part of the squad that won the competition last season, coming on the in the final win against St Mochtas at Richmond Park.
He was also part of our 2022 U19 League winning squad and won the St Patrick's Athletic U17 Players Player of the Year.
O'Hara also made a League squad for the first time in March and was an unused sub in the 2-0 victory against Derry City at Richmond Park while he was also on the bench for the 3-0 win vs Bohemians.
Matty has trained regularly with our First Team this season and has featured in a number of friendlies. He is combining his football with his degree studies in International Economics at Maynooth University.
Sullivan joined The Saints ahead of the 2023 season and Captained our U14s to the Eddie Wallace FAI Cup, beating Shamrock Rovers at Athlone Town Stadium.
He was named U14 League of Ireland Player of the Year and St Pat's U14s Players Player of the Year.
The Ireland underage international helped St Pat's to the U15 EA Sports LOI Academy title last season (2024), also as skipper.
Niall is in his first year at U17s but has already featured for our U20s and trained with the First Team.
O'Hara is delighted:
"I've loved my time at St Patrick's Athletic so far. So to be able to sign my first contract at this club makes it even more special.
The club helped me transition into the Academy when I was 13 from Leixlip United and have helped me to progress and improve as a player.
I've been given opportunities to be involved in great teams over the years and have had the privilege of captaining at Under 17 and now Under 20s level.
Over the last year I've really enjoyed being involved with the First Team more often, working with the lads has been great I've been learning so much from them and the Manager and staff. Testing myself against top players is only going to make me a better player.
Playing in friendly matches during pre-season and the start of the year and being in the league matchday squads against Derry City and vs Bohemian FC has also been a great experience as well as my involvement in the Leinster Senior Cup.
There has been a clear pathway from the moment I arrived at the club. I've seen so many young players from the Academy transition into the First Team and do so well, so I'm hopeful I can do the same."
Sullivan said:
"It is an honour to sign my first professional contract with St Patrick's Athletic, it's something I've dreamed of since I was a kid.
It's an achievement me and my family are very proud of and I'm going to keep working hard to achieve my ambitions.
I'm very grateful to all of my coaches and all of the people who have helped me so far. It's a really good environment to be in, to learn and to develop and to enjoy our football.
St Pat's is a brilliant club, the Academy has shown over the last few years that it can develop really good players and I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds."
Watch our interviews with Matty and Niall on our Youtube.
After the announcement of professional contracts for Kian Quigley and Sam Rooney earlier his week, Head of Academy Football Ian Bermingham has welcomed more good news today, with contracts for O'Hara and Sullivan."
"We are all delighted for both Matty and Niall signing their first professional contracts.
Matty has been here since 2019 and Niall since the beginning of 2023, they've both progressed really well and worked hard with their coaches to get to this point. It's a proud day for the boys and their families.
The news this week about Kian, Sam, Matty and Niall should give the rest of the players in our Academy a boost that if the continue to put the work in, it would be them in the future."
