Shamrock Rovers see off St Pat's to win President's Cup

President’s Cup 

Shamrock Rovers 3 (Clarke 54’, 88’, Honohan 62’) 

St Patrick’s Athletic 1 (Lennon 90+3’)

Having sealed their record-equalling four-in-a-row league titles at Richmond Park last October, a brace from Trevor Clarke and a debut goal for Corkman Josh Honohan saw champions Shamrock Rovers begin the new season where they finished 2023, adding the first trophy of the domestic calendar with a most comfortable victory over FAI Cup winners St Patrick’s Athletic in the President’s Cup at Tallaght Stadium.

In the now traditional curtain-raiser to the new campaign, Stephen Bradley’s side maintained their hunger for silverware in proving they will once again be the team to beat as they target history by becoming the first to win five league championships in a row, beginning with the visit of Dundalk to Dublin 24 next Friday.

With the new north stand open for the first time, though not in full use, Uachtarán na hÉireann Michel D Higgins was part of a new record attendance for a domestic game at the venue of 8,053.

Beginning the game far from full strength, Rovers nonetheless took the game to St Pat’s, Markus Poom working the visitors’ on loan Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga from a free kick on seven minutes.

With five new signings in their starting eleven, St Pat’s worked diligently to play their way into the game, frustrating Rovers to the extent that both Darragh Nugent and Honohan were early recipients of yellow cards.

Although not lacking intensity, the game’s only clearcut chance of the first half didn’t arrive until just before the half hour.

In a sweeping Rovers move involving Sean Kavanagh, captain on the night Aaron Greene, Poom and Nugent, former Saint Darragh Burns failed to provide the finish as