Shamrock Rovers beat Sligo Rovers 4-0 at Tallaght Stadium on 23 October, securing the 2026 Premier Division title, their sixth in seven seasons, with Adam Brennan scoring twice.
Mipo Odubeko scored the only goal in the 85th minute in front of 4,425 spectators, leaving Bohemians six points behind Rovers in second place.
Shamrock Rovers are the 2026 League of Ireland Premier Division champions, their sixth title in seven seasons. They confirmed it with a 4-0 home win over Sligo Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on 23 October, a result that was enough once Bohemians dropped points across the city. Bohemians, six points behind Rovers in second place, lost 1-0 to Shelbourne at Dalymount Park, which ended their hopes of catching the leaders. Adam Brennan gave the hosts the lead six minutes before half-time and scored again three minutes later, a quick double in front of 8,023 spectators. Aaron Greene and Dylan Watts added the other goals in the second half. Sligo Rovers, already relegated and still without a win under Darren Purse, offered little in reply.
Across town, Shelbourne won 1-0 with a goal from Mipo Odubeko in the 85th minute, in front of 4,425 people at Dalymount Park, including around 800 Shelbourne supporters. Odubeko, whose recent months were disrupted by injury, scored his fourth goal of the season after James Norris reached the byline on the left and crossed. Kick-off had been delayed by seven minutes after both sets of supporters set off rockets and flares, and objects were thrown onto the pitch from the Mono stand. The match was the last at the old ground before the floodlights are removed ahead of a 64 million euro redevelopment. Shelbourne took their fourth win in a five-match unbeaten run and remain in fourth place.
Before the derby, Bohemians had 62 points with two games left, against 54 at the end of last season and 42 in 2024. They have also scored 60 goals, 12 more than last season, with two matches still to play. Bohemians will stay at Dalymount until next summer, then play their games between Richmond Park, the RDS and the Aviva Stadium while their 8,000 capacity venue is built. The current estimate has them back at Dalymount for Friday nights in 2029.
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Stephen Bradley, who is 41, was offered the Hibernian job last month and chose to stay until a sixth title in seven seasons was secured. This could prove to be his final season as Rovers manager, and the title gives him an eighth trophy across 11 years at the Tallaght club. He explained his decision in these words:
“When it came down to it, I genuinely don't think I could look at the players, the fans, the club and walk out the door with five games left.”
Rovers were helped by their rivals' stumbles as much as by their own form. Pico Lopes's World Cup duty with Cape Verde left them without a natural on-field leader for a chunk of the summer. Poor away results in European qualifiers cost them a third consecutive Conference League group stage, and St Pat's knocked them out of the FAI Cup.
Rovers' final league game is at Dundalk's Oriel Park, where a win would take them to 71 points. Bohemians remain second, and Shelbourne remain fourth. The title race is settled, so attention moves to how Bohemians manage the stadium move while still trying to build on a season that has already brought more points and goals than their recent campaigns.
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Shamrock Rovers were confirmed as 2026 League of Ireland Premier Division champions after a 4-0 win over Sligo Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on 23 October, while Bohemians lost 1-0 to Shelbourne at Dalymount Park.
AI text based on reports by The Irish Times, RTE.ie, Irish Examiner and other publishers. Published .