EA Sports Cup Report: Shelbourne 1 - 1 Shamrock Rovers (Rovers win 3-2 on penos AET)

Shamrock Rovers booked their place in the EA Sports Cup semi-finals for a fifth straight season after a penalty shoot-out victory at Tolka Park on Monday evening.

Despite trailing at half-time through an own goal from Danny North, a second-half strike from Dean Clarke ensured the sides were level at full-time.

In the teams' first competitive meeting since 2013 the visitors had the game's first chance, but Sean Heaney, who spent the 2015 season on loan with Shelbourne, could only head wide a Brandon Miele corner.

With the home side looking for a second consecutive Premier Division scalp, having knocked out Bohemians in the previous round, Lorcan Shannon delivered a lovely low corner that caused great confusion in the visiting penalty area.

Conor Keeley’s backheel was not cleared by the Rovers defence before Craig Hyland was forced to put his body on the line to smother possession under pressure from James English and Daire Doyle.

Despite having much of the possession, the visitors continued to struggle to create opportunities on goal with North firing wide from a Miele cross on 19 minutes.

Shelbourne opened the scoring in the 28th minute after North sliced his attempted clearance from a low Shannon corner into his own net.

As half-time approached, Rovers had two good opportunities on goal. First Richard Purdy fired over from outside the box before minutes later Trevor Clarke fired wide from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

Deep into first-half stoppage time, as Shelbourne manager Kevin Doherty protested to the fourth official that time was up, his side almost doubled their advantage after Shannon’s long range effort cannoned off the woodwork and bounced back into play.

When the sides emerged for the second-half, Pat Fenlon’s team talk appeared to inspire the visitors and they had the half’s first chance when half-time substitute Dean Clarke’s cross was headed onto the roof of the net by Shelbourne’s defender Keeley.

Dean Clarke was again involved soon after, this time his shot was blocked before a series of Rovers corners saw Sean Boyd, another half time substitute, heading over from 15 yards.

As the Hoops continued to press forward, a sublime pass from North set Boyd through on goal, but the forward failed to trouble Greg Murray.

With Shelbourne’s chances being few and far between in the second period, left-back Alan Kehoe will feel he should have done better just after the hour mark when he fired wide inside the Rovers box.

Less than 60 seconds later, the Hoops grabbed a deserved equaliser when Dean Clarke found himself free outside the penalty area and his low strike sailed into the far corner for his second goal in two games for Rovers.

Soon after, Rovers almost took the lead through Heaney. The full-back latched onto a Boyd cross, but his effort crashed off the woodwork.

Despite finding themselves on the back foot for large periods of the second-half, Dylan Grimes had Shelbourne’s best chance of the half with ten minutes remaining. However his free-kick from the edge of the box was easily gathered by Hyland. 

With extra time looming, Rovers had a great chance to win the game in normal time, but Boyd’s headed effort from a Miele corner was cleared off the line by Carl Walshe.

After being forced to play extra time with ten men due to Robert Cornwell’s 87th dismissal for a second yellow card, the visitors were forced to defend for large periods during the opening 15 minutes.

They were almost punished with six minutes of extratime played when Grimes picked out Walshe with a knockdown from a free-kick but the forward fired wide when through on goal.  

During the second period of extra time, Shels forced Hyland into two great stops. First some great build up from the hosts deep inside the Rovers half led English to a long range strike was pushed away by the goalkeeper.

Minutes later, Jamie Doyle cut inside past Shane Hanney before striking straight at the ‘keeper.

Despite the pressure from Shelbourne, the Hoops had two chances of their own soon after. First North failed to trouble Murray with his first time shot from an acute angle before a Miele free-kick was easily gathered by the shot stopper.

After the sides could not be separated in extra time, both sides converted their opening spot kicks before Shelbourne would then see efforts from Daire Doyle, Robert O’Reilly and English all saved by Hyland as the visitors claimed a 3-2 shootout victory.

Shelbourne: Greg Murray; Robert Duggan, Ryan Robinson, Conor Keeley (Aidan Collins 53), Alan Kehoe; Carl Walshe, Robert O’Reilly, Daire Doyle, Dylan Grimes (Mark Sandford 106), Lorcan Shannon (Jamie Doyle 94); James English.

Subs Not Used: Jack Brady, James Brown, Sodiq Oguntola, Stephen Elliott.

Booked: Conor Keeley (43), Robert Duggan (67), Aidan Collins (97).

Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland; Shane Hanney, Maxime Blanchard, Robert Cornwell, Sean Heaney; Trevor Clarke (Sean Boyd HT), Richard Purdy, Pat Cregg, Brandon Miele; Gareth McCaffrey (Dean Clarke HT), Danny North.

Subs Not Used: Michael Quinn, David Webster, Conor Gleeson, Gavin Brennan, James Doona.

Booked: Richard Purdy (31), Robert Cornwall (36, 87), Maxime Blanchard (45+1), David Webster (85), Pat Cregg (97).

Red Card: Robert Cornwell (87).

Referee: Ray Mathews

Attendance: 779

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Craig Hyland (Shamrock Rovers)