Match Report: Shamrock Rovers 1 – 0 Dundalk

Rónán MacNamara reports from Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers maintained their slim hopes of a fifth successive Premier Division title with a nervy 1-0 win for the Hoops over Dundalk at a wet Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night.

Johnny Kenny’s tenth league goal of the campaign was enough for the Hoops as he found the pot of gold under the rainbow that kissed the sky while Dundalk’s late rally proved luckless.

A superb ball from Dylan Watts curled around the back of the Dundalk defence and Kenny swooped the ball home in the 29th minute.

The hosts were clinging on at the end as Dundalk’s substitutes provided them with a late flurry of chances but they couldn’t convert.

Once a blockbuster clash between two title rivals, both teams took to the pitch amid little fanfare in Tallaght and it was reflected in a dull and drab first half hour.

Aaron McEneff’s chance was the only action of note in the first 29 minutes with the midfielder arriving late in the box to meet Darragh Nugent’s cross which he headed into the ground and wide from 10 yards.

Dundalk looked comfortable without threatening Leon Pohls in the opposite net but they were hit with a suckerpunch from Johnny Kenny who struck first in the battle of the Kenny’s up front – Eoin Kenny led the line for the Lilywhites.

Having passed up a great chance to open the scoring just seconds earlier, he got back onside to latch onto Dylan Watts’ curled pass around the back of the Dundalk rearguard and finished across Ross Munro and into the bottom corner.

The Hoops enjoyed a purple patch before the break and should have doubled their lead heading into changing rooms.

Once more it was Watts who fizzed a ball along the ground to Johnny Kenny but he was denied by Munro who stood tall to deny the striker a brace.

Dundalk afforded the likes of Watts and Jack Byrne too much space at times and they were almost punished when Byrne weaved through the midfield and slid an effort into the arms of Munro.

Shamrock Rovers controlled the second half but despite playing some neat football around the Dundalk area they were unable to find the second.

The Lilywhites offered nothing going forward, despite pulling off a coup with the arrival of Jad Hakiki he proved ineffective and was hooked just after the hour.

Rovers were unable to fashion a clear cut chance to seal the game with a second goal despite the best efforts of Nugent and Clarke.

With scores elsewhere going the way of the hosts in their bid to hunt down Shelbourne and Derry, Tallaght grew nervy as the Dundalk substitutes gave the visitors some momentum.

As the game ticked towards the 90, it was Jon Daly’s men who finished with a flourish and had a flurry of chances to find an unlikely leveler.

Cameron Elliott had two efforts saved by Pohls before Ryan O’Kane spurned a glorious chance. Norman Garbett found the head of Daryl Horgan who cleverly glanced into the path of the winger but he panicked and slashed at his effort.

Pohls has come in for widespread criticism this season but he came up with the goods late on to divert Elliott’s header around the post and get his eighth clean sheet of the campaign.

Shamrock Rovers: Léon Pöhls; Trevor Clarke, Seán Hoare (Daniel Cleary 58), Joshua Honohan, Pico; Jack Byrne (Aaron Greene 63), Aaron McEneff (Markus Poom 58), Darragh Nugent, Gary O'Neill (Darragh Burns 71), Dylan Watts; Johnny Kenny (Richard Towell 71).

Subs not used: Lee Steacy, Cian Barrett, John O'Sullivan, Conan Noonan. 

Booked: Gary O'Neill (13), Dylan Watts (41), Pico (65), Trevor Clarke (83). 

Dundalk: Ross Munro; Archie Davies, Bobby Faulkner, Zak Johnson; Robert Benson, Paul Doyle, Jad Hakiki (Scott McGill 65), Sean Keogh, John Mountney (Norman Garbett 81); Daryl Horgan, Eoin Kenny (Cameron Elliott 57).

Subs not used: Sean Molloy, Hayden Cann, Mayowa Animasahun, Hayden Muller, Koen Oostenbrink. 

Booked: John Mountney (16). 

Referee: Marc Lynch

Attendance: 5,317

extratime.com Player of the Match: Johnny Kenny (Shamrock Rovers)

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