St. Patrick’s Athletic: Preview Of The League Of Ireland Season (2025):
By: Aidan Crowley:
St. Patrick’s Athletic will be hoping to clinch the League of Ireland (LOI) Premier Division title for the first time since 2013 when the new season kicks-off this Friday (14th February). Having gone close with a third place finish, last season, the Inchicore club will be hoping to bridge a twelve-year gap by once again lifting the blue riband trophy of Irish football.
New manager, Stephen Kenny, arrived at Richmond Park in May last year, following a very disappointing start to the 2024 season for the Saints. With half of last season’s games played, only Drogheda United (15 points) and Dundalk (13 points) had fewer points than St. Pat’s (19 points). The team were very much on the back foot, after loasing their second, third and fourth matches of the season.
Back in 2023, they lost three-in-row under then manager, Tim Clancy, early in the season and they found themselves in ninth place, after one win from their first six games. A third defeat on the trot on May Day saw them in seventh place and a managerial change ensued.
The previous season, they lost back-to-back in their second and third games and by Good Friday they were already nine points adrift of the leaders, with four losses from ten. A glance at the total losses for St. Pat’s in the first round of fixtures, over the last three seasons combined, reveals that no team playing each season has lost more. Their total of losses at this juncture of the season was more than double that of Shamrock Rovers and Derry City combined.
With the prospect of a brand new season beckoning, they will now look to Kenny for answers to this early season malaise. However, the Tallaght native’s early season managerial record with his previous LOI club, Dundalk, wasn’t top-drawer.
Across his six seasons with the Co. Louth club, Cork City garnered more points than them in the first eight games of those campaigns. However, over the remaining weeks, a Dundalk resurgence saw them outperforming them by 47 points. Therefore, with the Saints facing Derry City and Shamrock Rovers within a four-day window in early March, their early season credentials iwll be severely tested.
On the plus side, St. Pat’s finished last season strongly, with and incredible nine wins from their last nine fixtures, including a memorable 2-3 away win to eventual champions, Shelbourne.
It’s been a busy off season for the club, with a number of new signings, current player contract extensions and the return of some former players, all of which will bolster the squad in their bid for top league honours.
The Saints will wecome new midfielder, Barry Baggley, whom they signed from League One club, Fleetwood Town. The Belfast native started his playing career with Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) Premiership clubs, Linfield and Glentoran. He had previous loan spells with National League side, Altrincham and LOI club, Waterford United and so has plenty of experience at this level in his locker.
Another new season arrival at Richmond Park comes in the shape of midfielder, Simon Power. The Greystones native, who had spells at Championship club, Norwich City and at League Two side, Harrogate, also played in the LOI with UCD, Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers. Alongside Baggley, Power will strengthen a formidable midfield, which has been the backbone of the Saint’s squad for the last few seasons.
A number of current players have signed new contract extensions, showing their faith in and loyalty to St. Pat’s, as the new season dawns. Midfielder, Jake Mulraney, who previously played for Championship side, Queens Park Rangers, has signed up for the new campaign. Defender and former Northern Ireland international, Ryan McLaughlin, who had spells with Premier League club, Liverpool and League One side, Blackpool, has also added his signature.
Speedy winger, Jay McClelland, who previously played for LOI clubs, Shamrock Rovers and UCD, has also signed on the dotted line, extending his contract with the Emmet Road outfit.
Rock-solid centre-back, Sean Hoare, who previously played for St. Pat’s from 2012 to 2016 and then had spells with LOI clubs, Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers, is welcomed back to Richmond Park for the new season. Likewise, striker, Conor Carty, who had spells with League One club, Bolton Wanderers and League Two side, Doncaster Rovers, returns to Emmet Road, after a two-year hiatus.
Considering their contributions to the club’s previous endeavours, the Saints’ team management will be more than happy that they will slot back in, seamlessly, ahead of the new domestic campaign.
Last but not least, wonder striker and teenage sensation, Mason Melia, has committed himself to another season at Richmond Park, ahead of his much vaunted move to Premier League club, Tottenham Hotspur, in 2026. The Wicklow native’s star profile is bound to boost both interest in and attendances at Emmet Road, as the new campaign unfolds. All in all, with the new signings, current player contract extensions and the return of former players, this new season looks to be full of promise for the Super Saints as they bid for league title glory, once again.
The following is the St. Patrick’s Athletic senior team squad for the League of Ireland Premier Division 2025 season:
Joseph Anang (Goalkeeper); Danny Rogers (Goalkeeper); Adam Banim (Goalkeeper); Shaun Hall (Goalkeeper); Matt Boylan (Goalkeeper); Joe Redmond (C) (Centre-Back); Luke Turner (Centre-Back); Tom Grivosti (Centre-Back); Sean Hoare (Centre-Back); Dan McHale (Centre-Back); Anto Breslin (Left-Back); Al-Amin Kazeem (Left-Back); Alex Sjoberg (Right-Back); Ryan McLaughlin (Right-Back); Adam Deans (Right-Back); Jamie Lennon (Defensive-Midfield); Romal Palmer (Central-Midfield); Chris Forrester (Central-Midfield); Kian Leavy (Central- Midfield); Jay McClelland (Central-Midfield); Simon Power (Right-Midfield); Barry Baggley (Right-Midfield); Jason Oyenuga (Right-Midfield); Brandon Kavanagh (Left-Midfield); Jake Mulraney (Right-Winger); Zach Elbouzedi (Right-Winger); Aidan Keena (Centre-Forward); Mason Melia (Centre-Forward); Conor Carty (Centre-Forward).
The following are the St. Patrick’s Athletic senior team fixtures for the League of Ireland Premier Division 2025 Season:
Round One: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Drogheda United (Richmond Park) (Friday 14th February @ 7.45 pm).
Round Two: Galway United v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Eamonn Deacy Park) (Friday 21st February @ 7.45 pm).
Round Three: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers (Richmond Park) (Friday 28th February @ 7.45 pm).
Round Four: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City (Richmond Park) (Monday 3rd March @ 7.45 pm).
Round Five: Shamrock Rovers v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Tallaght Stadium) (Friday 7th March @ 8.00 pm).
Round Six: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Bohemians (Richmond Park) (Friday 14th March @ 7.45 pm).
Round Seven: Waterford United v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Regional Sports Centre) (Friday 28th March @ 7.45 pm).
Round Eight: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Shelbourne (Richmond Park) (Friday 4th April @ 7.45 pm).
Round Nine: Cork City v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Turner’s Cross) (Friday 11th April @ 7.45 pm).
Round Ten: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Shamrock Rovers (Richmond Park) (Friday 18th April @ 7.45 pm).
Round Eleven: Drogheda United v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Sullivan & Lambe Park) (Monday 21st April @ 5.00 pm).
Round Twelve: Bohemians v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Dalymount Park) (Friday 25th April @ 7.45 pm).
Round Thirteen: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Galway United (Richmond Park) (Friday 2nd May @ 7.45 pm).
Round Fourteen: Derry City v St. Patrick’s Athletic (The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium) (Monday 5th May @ 5.00 pm).
Round Fifteen: Shelbourne v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Tolka Park) (Friday 9th May @ 7.45 pm).
Round Sixteen: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Cork City (Richmond Park) (Friday 16th May @ 7.45 pm).
Round Seventeen: Shamrock Rovers v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Tallaght Stadium) (Monday 19th May @ 8.00 pm).
Round Eighteen: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Waterford United (Richmond Park) (Friday 23rd May @ 7.45 pm).
Round Nineteen: Sligo Rovers v St. Patrick’s Athletic (The Showgrounds) (Saturday 31st May @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty:: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Drogheda United (Richmond Park) (Friday 13th June @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-One: Galway United v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Eamonn Deacy Park) (Friday 20th June @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Two: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City (Richmond Park) (Monday 23rd June @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Three: Cork City v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Turner’s Cross) (Friday 27th June @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Four: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Bohemians (Richmond Park) (Friday 4th July @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Five: Waterford United v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Regional Sports Centre) (Friday 1st August @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Six: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers (Richmond Park) (Friday 8th August @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Seven: Drogheda United v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Sullivan & Lambe Park) (Friday 22nd August @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Eight: Derry City v St. Patrick’s Athletic (The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium) (Friday 29th August @ 7.45 pm).
Round Twenty-Nine: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Cork City (Richmond Park) (Friday 12th September @ 7.45 pm).
Round Thirty: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Galway United (Richmond Park) (Friday 19th September @ 7.45 pm).
Round Thirty-One: Sligo Rovers v St. Patrick’s Athletic (The Showgrounds) (Saturday 27th September @ 7.45 pm).
Round Thirty-Two: Bohemians v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Dalymount Park) (Friday 3rd October @ 7.45 pm).
Round Thirty-Three: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Sahmrock Rovers (Richmond Park) (Friday 17th October @ 7.45 pm).
Round Thirty-Four: St. Patrick’s Athletic v Waterford United (Richmond Park) (Friday 24th October @ 7.45 pm).
Round Thirty-Five: Shelbourne v St. Patrick’s Athletic (Tolka Park) (Saturday 1st November @ 7.45 pm).
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