Shelbourne FC have confirmed the signing of Austrian defender Marco Untergrabner and were held to a late 1-1 draw away to Galway United. The club, which finished third last season with 59 points, is currently seven points off the top of the table.
Shelbourne announced the arrival of Austrian defender Marco Untergrabner on a long-term contract. The 6ft 4in centre-back, who can also play in midfield, joins having scored 25 league goals over the past three seasons in Austria.
Head coach John Russell told ShelsTV that Untergrabner is a player they have tracked for some time. "We believe that he has the qualities to make a big impact in the League of Ireland," Russell said. The manager highlighted the player's physical dominance and comfort in possession as key attributes.
Shelbourne conceded a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 with Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park, according to match data from TNT Sports. Jimmy Keohane scored for the hosts in the 95th minute, cancelling out an earlier Shelbourne goal.
The result forms part of a recent run of one win, three draws and one loss for Shelbourne. You can review the team's full form and upcoming matches on our fixtures page. The draw leaves the Reds with 48 goals scored and 37 conceded this campaign.
The 1-1 draw with Galway was one of several results across the League of Ireland Premier Division on Friday night. Bohemians won 3-0 against Sligo Rovers, while Waterford defeated St Patrick's Athletic 2-0.
Dundalk also secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Drogheda United thanks to a late Daryl Horgan free-kick. These results impacted the standings, with Shelbourne remaining seven points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers, who have a game in hand.
In a video review of the weekend's action, the Irish Independent noted the late drama in Shelbourne's match against Galway United. The analysis pointed to Waterford's strong form and Bohemians' convincing win as other major talking points from the night.
The focus for Shelbourne now shifts to integrating their new defender and preparing for their next league fixture. The team's last result was a 2-1 home defeat to St Patrick's Athletic on August 9th.
Shelbourne's next challenge is a home match against Drogheda United on September 14th. Drogheda currently sit sixth in the table, setting up a significant mid-table clash at Tolka Park.
The club will aim to use the break to get Untergrabner fully up to speed, with Russell emphasising a careful management of his training load. Shelbourne's full squad details are available on our squad page. The team's goal difference stands at +11 after 36 games last season.
