Episode 15 – Waiting for kick-off | Shelbourne away now the opener
The 2026 League of Ireland season still hasn’t started for Shamrock Rovers. With the scheduled opening night clash against Dundalk postponed due to adverse weather, the Hoops’ league campaign remains on hold, but not for much longer. All roads now lead to Tolka Park next Friday as Shelbourne away becomes the new curtain-raiser .In Episode 15 of The Milltown Way, we react to the postponement and ask whether this unexpected delay changes anything for Stephen Bradley and his squad. Does an extra week help sharpen fitness and integrate new signings like Adam Brennan? Or does it simply extend the frustration after the narrow President’s Cup defeat to Derry City? We look ahead in depth to Shelbourne away, the atmosphere, the edge, and the narrative stakes. Starting a season at home is one thing. Starting it in Tolka Park, under the lights, against a rival who will treat it as a statement night, is something else entirely. This is a shorter episode than usual, but it’s one built around anticipation. The season feels like it’s paused before it has even begun, and that only increases the significance of what now becomes a high-profile opening night in Drumcondra. Will Rovers lay down an early marker? Or will Shelbourne attempt to disrupt the rhythm of another title defence before it gathers pace? The wait continues, but not for long. Subscribe and follow The Milltown Way wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 14 - We react to Friday night’s President’s Cup defeat to Derry City at Tallaght Stadium, where fine margins once again separated the sides.

We look at what went right, what didn’t, and whether the performance offers encouragement heading into the league campaign. With the League of Ireland Premier Division kicking off this Friday with a home game against Dundalk, we turn our attention to the opening league fixture.

What can Rovers take from pre-season? What should expectations be for matchday one? And how important is a fast start in 2026?

There’s also plenty of transfer chat:

• Michael Noonan looks set to stay put despite strong interest from abroad
• Adam Brennan’s arrival from UCD and what he adds to the squad
• Stephen Bradley’s comments suggesting one or two more signings could still arrive before the window closes

We also take a few minutes to highlight the Shamrock Rovers club lotto, why it matters, and how supporters can get involved in backing the club off the pitch.

To wrap up, we give a shout-out to Leanaimid, the As Gaeilge Shamrock Rovers podcast hosted by 13-year-old Rovers fan Daniel. With eight episodes already recorded and a new season launching on 5 February, it’s another great example of the growing fan media scene around the club.

As always, thanks for listening. You can find The Milltown Way across all major podcast platforms.

Episode 13 - The Milltown Way is back for 2026

In our first episode of the new year, we take a deep dive into Shamrock Rovers’ preparations for the season ahead as competitive action returns with the President’s Cup against Derry City.

We discuss Rovers’ pre-season so far, the business on and off the pitch, and how Stephen Bradley’s side are shaping up after a long and demanding 2025 campaign that delivered a historic double and another European run.

The January transfer window is bringing movement. We assess the arrival of Jake Mulraney, the departure of Darragh Nugent to St Patrick’s Athletic, and what those changes mean for the balance of the squad. We also touch on wider transfer speculation, including interest in Michael Noonan and how Rovers may approach recruitment with European ambitions still firmly in mind.

With the President’s Cup just around the corner, we look ahead to the clash with Derry City, what it represents beyond silverware, and what we want to see from Rovers in their first competitive outing of the year.

To round things off, we zoom out and ask the bigger questions: what does success look like for Shamrock Rovers in 2026? Can they defend their league title, push further in Europe, and manage the challenges that come with being the team everyone wants to beat?

It’s a season reset, a tone-setter for the year ahead, and the start of another busy campaign at Tallaght.