League Report: Shamrock Rovers 2 - 1 Dundalk

Macdara Ferris reports from Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers got their first win of the season with a hard fought 2-1 win over Dundalk at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night.

The Lilywhites now have just the one point from the nine available to them – not the start that their management team would have wanted to the season. They were very much in the game having trailed to a Danny Mandroiu goal at the break but Dylan Watts’ goal off the bench cemented the three points for the Hoops with 15 minutes remaining albeit Rovers were made to sweat after Pat Hoban’s header found the back of the net a minute from time.

Just like as had happened in the President’s Cup, the Hoops had the better of the play and chances in the opening half but instead of having a half-time deficit like they had in the season curtain raiser, it was Stephen Bradley’s men who deservedly had the half time lead.

The goal came from Danny Mandroiu – his first for his new club – with a driven dipping shot from distance that beat the outstretched hands of Alessio Abibi in the Dundalk goal. 

Graham Burke, as can be his habit, was wasteful for the Hoops prior to that. He skied a chance over the bar after a good pull back from Mandroiu inside the opening minute. Chris McCann did do better with a long range effort that Abibi flicked over his own crossbar.

Dundalk took some time to settle into the game, not helped by a lengthy stoppage as Brian Gartland went down and needed to be stretchered off very early on in the contest. Greg Sloggett came in and was deployed on the left of the Lilywhite back three before they reverted to a flat back four.

Hoban should have done better with a chance in the six yard box off a Michael Duffy cross. What good Dundalk attacking play there was in the first half came down the left with Ryan O’Kane quiet on the right on what was his first start for the FAI Cup holders. He was withdrawn at the break. 

The home team’s lead came after the Lilywhites stood off Mandroiu ten minutes before the break as he let fly from distance after Aaron Greene did well with his back to goal to hold the ball up and lay it off to his teammate.  

It was helter skelter right after the break. Greene had the ball in the net off a Mandroiu centre only for an offside flag to rule it out. Sub Ole Erik Midtskogen cut inside to shoot straight at Mannus. The Hoops were then screaming for a penalty after Dan Cleary took down Mandriou before Duffy drove a shot that Mannus stood up to. Next up Cameron Dummigan then shot just wide of the post - all this happened in the opening five minutes of the second period.

Dundalk found it hard to get on the ball but two opportunities came their way on the hour mark. First an awful error by Lee Grace coughed up the ball. Duffy cut inside and his effort had Mannus beaten but it clattered back off the crossbar. They hit the bar again moments later with a Hoban header that Mannus did magnificently to push onto the bar but the flag was up anyway.

Mannus pulled off a fine save from Duffy who let fly with a volley from ten yards out with a quarter of an hour remaining. The problem for them was the Hoops went back up field and Mandroiu exploited the space available to him to square to substitute Dylan Watts. His effort from 30 yards should have been dealt with better by the Albanian ‘keeper but the ball nestled in the bottom corner. 

The Lilywhites would have felt unlucky not to have got a goal especially when Hoban hit the woodwork yet again with two minutes remaining. He made no mistake moments later heading home a Shields cross from the right to set up a nervy finish for the home side. However it was too little too late for the Lilywhites as the Hoops took a really important three points early in their campaign to retain their league title. 

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Hoare, Lee Grace, Liam Scales; Sean Gannon (Gary O'Neill 73), Ronan Finn (c), Chris McCann, Sean Kavanagh; Graham Burke (Dylan Watts 64).Aaron Greene, Daniel Mandroiu (Rory Gaffney 78) 

Subs not used: Leon Pohls, Neil Farrugia, Max Murphy, Conan Noonan, Darragh Nugent, Dean Williams. 

Booked: Graham Burke (45). 

Dundalk: Alessio Abibi; Brian Gartland (Greg Sloggett 6), Daniel Cleary, Andy Boyle; Raivis Jurkovskis (Darragh Leahy 82), Chris Shields, Sam Stanton, Cameron Dummigan; Michael Duffy, Patrick Hoban, Ryan O'Kane (Ole Erik Midtskogen 46).

Subs not used: Peter Cherrie, Han Jeongwoo, Val Adedokun, David McMillan, Jesus Perez. 

Booked: Raivis Jurkovskis (26) Chris Shields (84). 

Referee: Paul McLoughlin 

ExtraTime.com Player of the Match: Danny Mandroiu (Shamrock Rovers) 

League Preview: Bohemians -v- St Patrick's Athletic https://t.co/mccTUtl3oT

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) April 2, 2021