Shelbourne have been crowned League of Ireland Premier Division champions for the first time since 2006 after an incredible late winner at Derry City and now The Deck picks an alternative team of the season using one outfield player from each of the ten sides.
The exception to the rule of one player per club is the goalkeeper, with each of the ten outfield players selected coming from a different Premier Divison side.
League of Ireland Team of The Year
Goalkeeper – Ed McGinty (Sligo Rovers)
The Oxford United loanee has been excellent since returning to the Showgrounds. He has made some world-class stops and ranks first with the most saves in the Premier Division. His total of 144 is 36 more than his nearest competitor, with 100 of those from inside the box.
The 25-year-old has made ten appearances for the Championship side and his form for Sligo Rovers may lead to him playing at a higher level in the EFL. Sligo fans will be hoping he returns to the League of Ireland for another campaign.
Defence – Killian Brouder (Galway United), Reece Hutchinson (Sligo Rovers), Darragh Power (Waterford)
Brouder was a key component of a Galway United defence that conceded just 29 goals, the best record in the Premier Division. He started all 35 matches before sitting out the final match of the League of Ireland season against Bohemians, ranking in the top five for the most aerial duels won by defenders with 101.
Reece Hutchison has become a fan favourite at the Showgrounds, playing in all 36 matches and ranking in the top five of all League of Ireland Premier Division defenders for interceptions and tackles. He is effective at both ends of the pitch, scoring two goals and averaging 0.7 key passes per game.
Right-back Darragh Power has become one of the best defenders in one-on-one situations and comfortably topped the chart for defenders with the most tackles, accumulating an incredible 101. He was identified by the Deck as one of the players ready to step into League One back in June, but there is an argument to be made that he could aim slightly higher.
Midfield – Dylan Watts (Shamrock Rovers), William Patching (Derry City), Dayle Rooney (Bohemians), Daryl Hogan (Dundalk)
Dylan Watts has now surpassed 230 matches for Shamrock Rovers and had his most impressive campaign in 2024. He scored what turned out to be the winner on the final day against Waterford, taking his goal tally to four. He also contributed seven assists.
He is the creative force in the Hoops’ team, ranking in the top three midfielders in the division for total passes. He created 11 big chances from 65 key passes and also scored a late equaliser in the UEFA Conference League against APOEL to highlight his ability to perform in big matches.
Will Patching has been one of the best players at Derry City for some time now and despite his form falling off in the final couple of months, he scored seven goals as the Candystripes remained in the League of Ireland title race until the end of October. He is a class act on the ball and just three players completed more dribbles than him throughout the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division campaign.
Dayle Rooney is the main reason Bohemians finished clear of the relegation play-off position after a breathtaking campaign saw him accumulate seven goals and ten assists. No player made more key passes (80) or accurate crosses (66) than the talented former Shelbourne winger.
It was a season to forget for Dundalk after their financial troubles. Horgan, a 17-times capped former Ireland international, was the pick of a squad that managed just five wins all season. The 32-year-old scored four goals and the same number of assists in addition to providing 73 key passes, the third-highest in the Premier Division.
Forward – Sean Boyd (Shelbourne), Jake Mulraney (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Douglas James-Taylor (Drogheda United)
The departure of Will Jarvis to Hull City almost derailed Shels’ title charge, but Boyd stepped up in the final weeks to take his total to ten goals and remind fans that he is one of the most difficult strikers for League of Ireland defenders to deal with. His 2023 campaign was beset with injuries but he should remain the main man for Damien Duff as they seek to defend their title next year.
There are very few players on the island who possess the raw pace that Mulraney has and it was on show in Sligo on Friday night, as he sped away from JR Wilson to set up Aidan Keena’s opener. The winger has been in excellent form during St. Pat’s incredible run of nine consecutive victories, scoring five goals and providing two assists.
He is joined in attack by Drogheda United star loanee James-Taylor. The 22-year-old English forward has seen his form dip in recent weeks but he is a key component of the Drogheda squad that has been revitalised since the summer transfer window.
12 goals in 18 appearances is an excellent return from the Walsall loanee and he has the opportunity to win the FAI Cup after starring with six goals in four matches in that competition. Drogheda United face Derry City in the final next weekend.