Sean Hoare has left Shamrock Rovers to rejoin former club St Patrick’s Athletic.
The 30-year-old defender spent five years at Inchicore before departing at the end of the 2016 campaign to join Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk.
Hoare won two League of Ireland Premier Division titles, two League Cups and two FAI Cups in a successful four-year period at Oriel Park, scoring in both of their 2018 and 2020 FAI Cup final wins at Aviva Stadium.
The former Ireland U21 international was named in the PFAI Premier Division Team of the Season in 2018 and 2019.
The Castleknock native added three further league titles after joining Shamrock Rovers in 2021.
Hoare says the opportunity to work again with Kenny was a contributing factor to his decision.
“St Pat’s has a soft spot in my heart so I’m delighted to be back and I’m looking forward to getting going with the lads,” he said.
“I had a very successful first spell here, winning the FAI Cup and a couple of League Cups and being part of the 2013 squad that won the league.
“One of the reasons I’ve come back is to work with Stephen Kenny again. He’s the best Manager in the country, he’s proven that at such a high level and he’s proven that he wins things in the League of Ireland.”
Hoare featured on 98 occasions during his first spell in Inchicore. Of the current St Patrick’s Athletic squad, only Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon, Jay McClelland, Anto Breslin and Joe Redmond have made more appearances for the club.
Meanwhile Sligo Rovers goalkeeper Conor Walsh has penned a new one-year deal with the club.
The 19-year-old joined the Bit O’Red’s academy from Westport United in 2020 and made his first team debut on the final day of the 2022 season against Bohemians at Dalymount Park.
The Mayo native shot-stopper has represented the Republic of Ireland at various underage levels and spent 2024 on loan at Wexford and Finn Harps.
