A look back at the 2011 Shamrock Rovers League of Ireland title winning team

On Wednesday evening Shamrock Rovers captain Ronan Finn will lift the League of Ireland trophy becoming the first Hoops captain to do so since October 2011.

Rovers’ most recent league title prior this 2020 season was secured nine years ago in Belfield in the penultimate game of the season with Finn part of that winning team.

Ken Oman gave the Hoops the lead against UCD after 68 minutes, but Robbie Benson equalised for the Students just two minutes later. With the game deep in injury time, Dean Kelly popped up with a 94th minute winner to win the title for Rovers.

We have had a look back at those who were involved in getting the Hoops over the line in the 2011 title race and where they are now. 

Richard Brush (goalkeeper)

Brush played seven league fixtures for Rovers in 2011 sharing the number one slot with Ryan Thompson following the departure of Alan Mannus from the club in June that year. Brush moved to Sligo Rovers the following season but played just one league game as Sligo won the title.

He returned to Rovers in 2013 making 14 league appearances. Following spells with Sligo Rovers (2014 and 2015) and Finn Harps (2106), he moved to the Irish League first with Ballinammallard United and the 35-year-old is now playing with Cliftonville.

Pat Sullivan (right back)

Sullivan was voted the player’s player of the year in 2011 scoring that incredible volley away to Partizan in Belgrade. Along with Dan Murray, he made the most appearances (32) in the league for Rovers that year.



He spent six months in Australia in 2012 before returning to Rovers in June for an 18 month spell and overall he made 80 league appearances for Rovers. He subsequently played with Longford Town in 2014 and 2015.

Dan Murray (centre half)

Having played for Cork City for seven seasons he moved to Rovers in 2010 and was club captain with the Hoops as they won back-to-back league titles.

He returned to Leeside in 2012 where he played for a further three seasons with City. He played with Midleton in the Munster Senior League getting a run out against Rovers in Tallaght in the 2016 FAI Cup in a game that the Hoops won 4-0.

Craig Sives (centre half)

Sives formed a formidable partnership with Dan Murray at centre half. He played one further season at Rovers before travelling to Australia where he joined Hume City.



He returned to his native Scotland in 2014 playing initially with Livingston (where he won the Scottish Challenge Cup) and then Cowdenbeath before retiring from the game in 2017.

Enda Stevens (left back)

Stevens made 74 appearances for Rovers across all competitions during his time in Tallaght. Aston Villa signed Stevens during the 2011 season but allowed him to remain at Rovers to play in the Europa League group stages. He made seven appearances for Villa before falling out of favour and being sent out on loan.

He showed great resilience dropping down the divisions with a move to Portsmouth in League Two before joining Sheffield United in 2017. He is now a Premier League player and Republic of Ireland international, he made his debut for Ireland in 2018 and is now a regular with the Boys in Green.

Rohan Ricketts (midfield)

The former Spurs player was signed by then manager Michael O’Neill following Rovers’ qualification for the Europa League. He made ten league appearances for the Hoops in 2011, along with a couple of European appearances including one off the bench against his former club at White Hart Lane.

In 2012 he continued his nomadic wanderings around world football with subsequent stops in India, Ecuador, Thailand, Hong Kong and Bangladesh.

Conor McCormack (midfield)

Michael O’Neill signed the former Manchester United trainee McCormack from Triestina in Italy. He moved to Inchicore in 2014 and won the FAI Cup with St. Pat’s.

He has had two spells at Derry City either side of a three year spell at Cork City - where he won the double with City in 2017. He is currently the club captain with the Candystripes.

Ronan Finn (midfield)

Finn played another three seasons at Rovers before moving to Dundalk where he won league titles in 2015 and 2016 and was part of their successful Europa League group stage campaign.

He returned to Rovers in 2017 and became the first Shamrock Rovers captain to lift the FAI Cup in 32 years when Rovers prevailed on penalties against his former club in last season’s FAI Cup. Finn has the most appearances in Europe of any outfield League of Ireland player.

Gary McCabe (midfield)

McCabe made his debut with the Hoops in 2011 having joined from Sligo and he spent six seasons in Tallaght playing in 241 matches across all competitions before moving to Bray Wanderers. He is back playing in Tallaght these days but in the Leinster Senior League with Kilnamanagh.

Karl Sheppard (striker)

Sheppard joined the Hoops in 2011. On the back of the Europa League campaign, he earned a move to Reading. He returned to Rovers initially on loan in 2013 before signing permanently in 2014. He scored 29 goals from 111 appearances in all competitions for Rovers over two spells.

He spent five seasons with Cork City winning a league title and two FAI Cups. He moved to Tolka Park for the 2020 season to play with Shelbourne.

Ciarán Kilduff (striker)

Like Kilduff, Sheppard is now plying his trade with Shelbourne. He was a Rovers player from 2011 to 2014 including a loan spell with Cork City in 2013. He moved to Oriel Park in mid-2015 winning the league with Dundalk in back-to-back seasons and he played in the Europa League group stages with the Lilywhites.

He moved to Florida to play with the Jacksonville Armada in 2017 and 2018 before his move to Tolka Park helping Shels gain promotion last season.

Dean Kelly (substitute)

Kelly joined the Hoops from Oldham Athletic following his release from the Latics. He made just 11 league appearances in 2011 but is remembered fondly for his winner in Belfield that won Rovers the title. He moved to St. Patrick’s Athletic and Shelbourne for a season each before returning to Tallaght in 2014.

He then switched to Bohemians in the summer transfer window and scored twice against Rovers in the 3-1 win in June 2014. He had spells with Longford and Bray Wanderers before moving into the Leinster Senior League playing most recently with Crumlin United.

Stephen O’Donnell (substitute)

Injury curtailed his game time with Rovers in his two seasons at the club (2011 and 2012) but he is remembered for his match winning €1m penalty in Belgrade that earned Rovers a berth in the Group Stages of the Europa League.

He had great success subsequently with Dundalk winning four league titles and was centraly involved in the Europa League group stage campaing with the Lilywhites in 2016. He is currently the Head Coach with St. Patrick’s Athletic.

Ken Oman (substitute)

Oman had won league titles with Bohs prior to joining Rovers in 2011. He moved on to St. Patrick’s Athletic in 2014. He then played for three seasons with Portadown ending his career in the Leinster Senior League with Tolka Rovers.

Michael O’Neill (manager)

In 2009 the Hoops brought the former Northern Ireland international player into the managerial role from Brechin City who he was managing in the Scottish Second Division. He won two league titles at Tallaght and left the club in December 2011 after the conclusion of the Europa League group stages.

After a slow start to his international managerial career, O’Neill qualified Northern Ireland for their first ever European Championship in 2016  and only just missed out on the Russia 2018 World Cup losing in the play-off. He is currently the Stoke City manager having stepped into the role in November last year.

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile