Shamrock Rovers F.C. confirms that club captain, Ronan Finn, will play his final game for Rovers tomorrow night at Tallaght Stadium and will move to UCD in 2024.
Ronan has been a central figure at the club during his two spells at Rovers. A leader, on and off the pitch.
All at Shamrock Rovers wish Ronan well in the next stage of his career at UCD AFC where he will combine playing with the first team and completing a two year master’s course.
We cannot thank Ronan enough for his time at the club.
Ronan Finn medals at SRFC:
- 5 x Leagues
- 1 x FAI Cup
- 1 x President of Ireland’s Cup
- 2 x Setanta Sports Cup
- 1 x League Cup
- 1 x Leinster Senior Cup
Speaking today about his captain, head coach Stephen Bradley said “We are really grateful to Ronan for all he has done for Rovers. I’ve said before, he was my most important signing and I still say that now. He set the standard and changed the culture in this club about how to lead and he drove this team forward. He arrived for his second spell in 2017 in a team that wasn’t winning and he leaves as captain of a regularly winning team. He has been an incredible force at Rovers and we are proud and happy for Ronan and his family, and wish him all the best for his future.”
Having begun his youth career with Cambridge United, Ronan signed for UCD in 2005 and made his senior debut in November that year.
The midfielder quickly became a regular in the side and was handed the captain’s armband by Martin Russell in 2009. He led the Students to promotion and the First Division title that season, winning the PFAI First Division Player of the Year award.
Ronan spent one season at Sporting Fingal, making his European debut in the Europa League and the first of a record 63 appearances in Europe by a League of Ireland player, taking on the likes of Spurs and AC Milan.
Michael O’Neill brought him to Rovers in 2011 where he would win a league and Setanta Cup double in his first season, as the club reached the group stages of the Europa League. He spent three more seasons at Tallaght, winning the club Player of the Year award in 2012 and winning a League Cup and another Setanta Cup trophy the following year.
At Dundalk, Ronan reunited with Stephen Kenny Ronan and won two league titles, an FAI Cup and helped the Lilywhites to the Europa League group stages.
He returned to Rovers as captain in 2017 in Stephen Bradley’s first full season in charge. Ronan converted to a right-wing back position in 2019 as the Hoops ended the 32-year famine for FAI Cup glory.
He broke Johnny Fullam’s club record for most European appearances against Brann in Norway that same year. He has since led Rovers to the four-in-a-row, the first captain to do so since Pat Byrne at Milltown, and into the 2022 Europa Conference League group stages, for the third time at that level in his career. He made his 400th appearance for the club against Shelbourne last month, and hangs up his boots with 55 goals to his name, second only to Gary Twigg and Graham Burke in the Tallaght Era.
