Goalkeepers Union: A deep dive into this season's Premier Division shot stoppers

With goalkeepers often the topic of conversation amongst football fans we took a look at those who have featured in the Premier Division so far.

Shelbourne – Conor Kearns

The 25-year-old is almost a League of Ireland veteran at this point, having started his league career over 170 games ago with UCD’s Academy and progressing to their senior side where he honed his shot stopping skills as the Students spent time at the bottom of the Premier Division. In 2019, according to InStat, he faced 197 shots across the league season and made 144 saves which was 20 more than any other keeper in the league. Subsequent moves to St Patrick's Athletic and Galway United saw the Templeogue native experience life in the upper echelons of both the Premier and First Divisions.

He joined Shelbourne last season and was one of the most consistent performers amongst the league's goalkeepers, saving roughly four in every five shots he faced both inside and outside the box, keeping 14 clean sheets and playing an instrumental part in the Tolka Park outfit conceding 13 goals less than expected (as per WyScout) as he made the PFAI Team of the Season.

Midway through last season he was rewarded with a contract extension and Head Coach Damien Duff called him the best goalkeeper in the league. As well as three league clean sheets in his opening six games, Kearns has also racked up an assist as his pinpoint long ball found Will Jarvis for Shels’ second in their win over Shamrock Rovers.

Shamrock Rovers – Leon Pohls

Despite being at the club throughout their four league title campaigns of late, it was only really last season where the wider league was able to see the German in action in the Premier Division, having represented Shamrock Rovers II in their First Division journey and debuted for the first team at the latter end of the 2021 season.

An agile shot stopper, 27-year-old Pohls also displayed penalty saving prowess last season in the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium when deputising for the injured Alan Mannus on his own birthday. While the Northern Ireland international’s retirement leaves big gloves to fill, Pohls’ early season displays as number one indicate that the void may not be as large as expected- continuing to display the increased maturity mentioned by teammate Gary O'Neill in a May 2023 interview with the Mirror.

According to data from sofascore.com, despite taking less kickouts this season (down to 5.2 from 6.9), he is taking more touches per game (32 instead of 24.9) and his overall passing percentage improved from 65 to 71, while his shotstopping percentage remained the same (71%).

Waterford – Sam Sargeant.

With a Premier Division assist three minutes into his top flight debut, the Englishman made an immediate impact with the accuracy of his kicking. However, it should be no surprise as ex Blue and Chilean international Lawrence Vigouroux guested on the Goalkeepers Union podcast shortly after Sargeant arrived at the RSC in June 2023 and described the newcomer as a great trainer and his side volley kick as one of the best he'd ever seen (44 mins). The two were teammates as Leyton Orient won the 2022/23 League Two title in England.

An imposing presence at 1.88m (6’ 2 in old money), he recorded his first clean sheet of the campaign at Oriel Park on Friday night and made a number of fine stops – including a sprawling right hander to deny Robbie Benson before strong wrists thwarted both Sam Durrant and Cameron Elliott. Under the guidance of former Bohs title winner Brian Murphy following Dirk Heinen’s departure from the RSC, the Englishman has a mentor who has delivered in both the League of Ireland and beyond.

Derry City – Brian Maher

Along with the aforementioned Kearns, fellow ex Republic of Ireland under 21 international Maher (23) is another who has honed their entire career so far in the League of Ireland.

A product of the St Patrick's Athletic Academy, he left Inchicore to gather gametime at Bray Wanderers before joining league title contenders Derry City. At the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium he has proven to be a key asset in their evolution. The Dubliner’s speed and agility have been key assets as he often acts as an extra defender with a high starting position and is comfortable with being part of the passing patterns of Ruaidhrí Higgins’ outfit. In addition, he was an integral part of Derry City outperforming their expected goals conceded in 2023 by 9 goals (as per WyScout).

According to the Derry Journal, The Candystripes had a concrete offer from a League One club for the 2023 SWI Goalkeeper of the Year and it remains to be seen for how much longer they can keep hold of him, especially given the fact that he now has been called to train with the Republic of Ireland senior international squad.

Sligo Rovers – Ed McGinty

The Motherwell born stopper recently returned to the club on a loan spell from Oxford United having earned a move to England on the back of a stellar number of seasons at the Showgrounds, culminating in a penalty saving European win over Bala Town in the summer of 2022.

Having progressed through the Academy before making his first team breakthrough, the now 25-year-old was touted as a future star by those in the know at the Bit O' Red. He hasn't disappointed as he has consistently performed well in the league throughout his time here.

An agile keeper who commands his box well and regularly shows great bravery when coming out for the ball, he would be an asset to any club in the league and it was a great coup for his hometown side to land his return, even if only temporarily for the moment. In an interview with the Sligo Champion, Sligo boss Russell declared the former under 21 international as the best keeper in the country when he left and expressed his delight at having him back at the club.

St Patrick's Athletic – Marcelo Pitaluga/Danny Rogers

Liverpool loanee Pitaluga arrived at Richmond Park as the potential second coming of Viteslav Jaros in the eyes of Saints fans. However, while the recent call up to the Czech Republic senior international squad hit the ground running on his arrival (5 clean sheets in his first nine league games of 2021) - for his Brazilian counterpart it has been a more challenging opening to his League of Ireland career. The youngster's potential is undoubtedly there – check out clips from Liverpool training and his ability to stop shots has Premier League teammates in awe – however, after starting the first four games in the league with three losses and a single clean sheet, Jon Daly has replaced him with Danny Rogers.

29-year-old Dubliner Rogers returned to Ireland halfway through the 2022 season after over a decade spent between England and Scotland to replace the recalled loanee Joseph Anang and his opening nine league games saw the Saints record seven wins and a draw. The final two games of the league saw Rogers benched after a 4-1 defeat to rivals Shamrock Rovers as David Odumosu was given a chance between the sticks.

A thumb injury sustained at the start of the 2023 campaign curtailed Rogers’ participation and Odumosu’s subsequent loan to Cliftonville meant Dean Lyness arrived to lead Pat's to FAI Cup glory before departing the club. At the end of the season, Rogers signed a new contract at the club for 2024 with Pat's supremo Jon Daly effusive in his praise, calling Rogers ‘an excellent goalkeeper throughout his career.’

However, with that defeat to Shamrock Rovers in October 2022 the last time he lined out for the club in the league ahead of his recent recall, he has to put another body of work behind him to make that number one jersey his own – something the New York born former Republic of Ireland under 21 international is well capable of doing, given the consistency of almost 200 career appearances during his time in the UK when he was also called up to the Republic of Ireland senior international squad.

Galway United – Brendan Clarke

With over 500 career appearances – including 356 in the Premier Division – to his name, the 38 year old is the only current Premier Division goalkeeper to win the title as the undisputed number one, having lifted the trophy with boyhood club St Patrick's Athletic in 2013. He's also had spells with Sporting Fingal, Limerick FC and Sligo Rovers before dropping into the First Division last season to dominate the league with Galway United, his second time in three seasons to raise the trophy after 2021 success with Shelbourne.

Clarke is a calm and experienced campaigner who consistently does the basics right and is rarely injured, one of the main reasons he is the longest serving keeper across both divisions is his consistency. Last season he played all bar the final five minutes of the season and recorded 20 clean sheets in 36 league starts.

He's had to fight for his jersey a number of times during his career and often ended up in possession of the gloves come season’s end. This season he is the undisputed number one and has racked up two clean sheets in his opening six league games, matching his statistics so far from his last Premier Division campaign with Shelbourne in 2022.

Drogheda United – Andrew Wogan

At the other end of the scale is teenager Wogan. Having impressed in pre-season ahead of the 2023 campaign, the Louth native was given the nod to start between the sticks halfway through the season, debuting against Shelbourne in June, and never looked back. With an air of maturity beyond his tender years, an imposing frame and a good shot stopper, he has already been called into the Republic of Ireland under 21 squad having made his under 19 debut in 2023.

At 17 years of age last season, he signed his first professional contract as Drogheda United recognised his talent halfway through his breakthrough season. The Claret and Blue currently have former defender Evan Weir back on loan from Walsall having earned a move to England following his impressive displays at United Park. Don't be surprised to see their Stabannon netminder follow a similar path soon.

Dundalk – George Shelvey/Ross Munro

The Lilywhites began their 2024 league campaign with a creditable draw at Tallaght Stadium with debutant George Shelvey impressive against the league champions mere days after signing from Nottingham Forest. However, the commanding actions of that opening display weren't replicated in back to back home defeats to Galway United (2-0) and Sligo Rovers (5-0) where he was replaced at half time due to a knock.

Since then, Scot, Ross Munro has taken the position of Dundalk custodian as the Town lost 1-0 in Inchicore to St Patrick's Athletic before a goalless draw at Oriel Park against Waterford on Friday. While Shelvey showed he could command his six-yard box, his goalkeeping style is more orthodox than Munro who plays in a similar manner to the likes of Maher as a type of sweeper keeper.

At 23 years old and 1.82m, Munro is a year older and 7cm shorter than his rival for the number one spot and has made 44 senior appearances in comparison to Shelvey’s 33- however over half of the Englishman’s were in the PL2 while all of Munro’s were in competitive first team games (14 in Scottish League One).

Bohemians – Kacper Chorazka

The 25-year-old Polish goalkeeper has been parachuted into the Bohemians first team due to James Talbot's unavailability. As a teenager, reports linked him to a number of high profile English Premier League clubs while he also spent time on trial at Rangers and Manchester United. However, after 15 seasons at Wisla Krakow, he ended up in the Cypriot Second Division from where the Dalymount Park outfit picked him up after a period with Cypriot champions Omonia Nicosia.

Key attributes include sharp reflexes, as Derry City fans or a number of YouTube highlight videos from his time in Cyprus indicate, a calmness- as referred to by former boss Declan Devine after the St Patrick's Athletic game- and a tendency to play in an advanced role at times (as noted by both Chris Forrester and Paddy Barrett efforts from distance having spotted the keeper off his line).

Bohs have only conceded twice from open play so far this season – Reece Hutchinson and Ronan Boyce the scorers – while a penalty and a long range Evan Weir free kick which deceived defenders and keeper alike were the only direct set pieces to find the net. The other three concessions were an own goal from Danny Grant who headed Weir's corner kick to the net, Fabrice Hartmann’s goal after Bohs failed to clear a corner and Gavin Molloy’s late near post header from a Tyreke Wilson free kick.

With James Talbot recently returning to the bench for Bohs, the battle for the number one jersey will be hard fought based on early impressions of Chorazka so far.

Ollie Horgan: 'It’s a very quiet changing room in there which is a good thing, they're hurting, we're all hurting' https://t.co/0v6VwRdSlCpic.twitter.com/jGod8wRLr0

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