League Report: Shamrock Rovers II 2-0 Wexford

Macdara Ferris reports from Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers II secured their first victory in the First Division this season with a 2-0 win over Wexford at a sunny Tallaght Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Having lost a two goal lead in their last home game, there was clear delight for Rovers at the final whistle with the three points. The victory moved Aidan Price’s team up to seventh in the table just a point behind Wexford – for whom this was their second league defeat in 2020.

Twice the visitors hit the Hoops woodwork in the first half but it was Rovers who took a 2-0 lead into the half-time break.

It was a dozen minutes in when Wexford came as close as possible to taking the lead. Karl Manahan swung a corner in and Ola Adeyemo clattered his effort off the crossbar.

It bounced down and away to safety from a Rovers perspective with the frame of goal bouncing up and down.

The opener came from a beautiful diagonal ball over the top from Max Murphy for Thomas Oluwa to run on to midway through the first half. Jay Nwanze pulled the Rovers striker down in the box and Oluwa slotted home the resulting penalty - his second goal in the last two games.

Jordan Tallon bundled over Jack Doherty on edge of area just after the half hour mark. Doherty took the free kick striking it superbly over the wall and towards the top corner. However Hoops ‘keeper Kian Clarke did really well to push it onto the bar and away.

Wexford were the creators of their own misfortune on 37 minutes when they caught napping at the back as Rovers doubled their lead. Craig Giles didn’t deal with a bouncing ball and Murphy nipped in to pick pocket the ball off him and beat Murphy with the shot.

As has become typical since the season re-start, the team trailing in the game at the break made a couple of switches with Brian O’Sullivan bringing on Jack Larkin and Jay Amour as they chased the game in the second 45. 

Wexford did put the Hoops under pressure in spells in the second half – mainly with a succession of corners – but the Rovers back three were able to marshal the defence well so that they kept their first clean sheet of the campaign. 

Wexford ‘keeper Tom Murphy on a couple of occasions had to spring off his line to snuff out Rovers attacks but he wasn’t forced into a save of note – Brandon Kavanagh’s shot from distance just cleared the crossbar without troubling Murphy too much.

Substitute Sinclair Armstrong had a couple of chances late on but he couldn’t convert and another Doherty free kick deep in injury time just went wide of the post as the game finished 2-0.

Shamrock Rovers: Kian Clarke; Alex Dunne, Sean Callan, Jordan Tallon; Max Murphy, Dean McMenamy; Sean Brennan, Brandon Kavanagh (Dylan Duffy 73), Darragh Nugent ©, John Ryan; Thomas Oluwa (Sinclair Armstrong 86).

Subs not used: Alex Moody (gk), Jamie Doyle, Oisin Hand, Peter Adigun, Conor Noonan.

Booked: Sean Callan (90+3)

Wexford: Tom Murphy; Dan Tobin, James Carroll, Jay Nwanze, Craig Giles (Jack Larkin h/t); Kaleem Strawbridge-Simon, Karl Manahan (Karl Fitzsimons 72), Conor Crowley, Charlie Smith (Jay Amour h/t); Jack Doherty, Ola Adeyemo.

Subs not used: Jacky Lydon (gk), Kevin McEvoy, Kristian Crawford, Patrick O’Sullivan.

Booked: James Carroll (90+2).

Referee: Gavin Colfer

Attendance: 0

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Max Murphy (Shamrock Rovers II)

Full time in Tallaght and Shamrock Rovers II secure their first win in the First Division this season with a 2-0 win over Wexford. pic.twitter.com/FTTgNlzQnZ

— Macdara Ferris (@macdarabueller) August 15, 2020