St Patrick's Athl. held to 0-0 draw at Shelbourne in late 2025

St Patrick's Athl. end 2025 with clean sheet at Shelbourne

St Patrick’s Athl. left the Inchicore pitch without a goal on 1 November 2025. Referee Kevin O’Sullivan blew the final whistle after 90 minutes of a cagey derby that produced few clear chances. The draw capped a Premier Division campaign in which the Inchicore side finished fifth on 52 points from 36 games, 14 adrift of Shamrock Rovers.

What happened in the Shelbourne clash?

The visitors started brightly but struggled to break down a Shelbourne side organised by Kevin Doherty. St Patrick’s had 59 % of the ball in the first half yet could not fashion a clear opening. The closest came in the 23rd minute when a low cross from Darragh Burns was turned behind by Shelbourne’s last defender. O’Sullivan waved play on after a late scramble in the box when a Shelbourne defender blocked a point-blank effort from Cian Kavanagh.

Why the goalless finish matters for St Patrick’s Athl.

The 0-0 result extended an unbeaten run to five straight games for St Patrick’s, their last defeat coming on 18 October 2025. Over those five outings they have shipped only one goal while scoring once themselves. The clean sheet keeps their season totals at 42 goals scored and 32 conceded, a +10 goal difference that underlines their defensive steel. The draw also preserved a late push for a Europa Conference League spot, though the gap to fourth remains 11 points with just two rounds left in the 2025 table.

Where does this leave St Patrick’s Athl. ahead of 2026?

With the 2025 curtain closer now shut, St Patrick’s Athl. sit fifth in the Premier Division final table on 52 points, 13 wins, 13 draws and 10 losses. Their recent form reads DDDWL, a sequence that began after a narrow home defeat to Dundalk on 4 October. The squad now turns its focus to pre-season training as the club eyes a stronger push for a top-four finish in 2026. Manager Tim Clancy has already flagged the January window as a chance to add competition for places, with the Europa Conference League spots still within reach if results go their way next term.