Shamrock Rovers 4 - 2 Lisburn Distillery
Credit:
Shamrock Rovers ended Lisburn Distillery’s participation in the
Setanta Sports Cup with a 4-2 victory in an open tie at Tallaght Stadium on
Tuesday night. Lisburn had lost the first leg by three goals to nil so
not many had given them hope of remaining in the competition going into
this game, and what transpired was an easy progression for the Hoops.
The game opened in lively fashion, and indeed Lisburn should have been ahead within five minutes. A searching ball from the right found David Cushley with what seemed a simple finish, however his sliding effort from six yards was blazed over when it looked harder to miss. Cushley would have needed no reminding that he should have done better with that opportunity.
However that chance was a distant memory when the tie came to life after the away side opened the scoring on 14 minutes. The defending left a lot to be desired as Gary Liggett easily took the ball off Pat Flynn when he failed to deal with a simple loose ball. Liggett was left with a one on one against Ryan Thompson in the Rovers goal, and his clinical finish to the keepers left gave Thompson no chance.
Rovers response was nearly immediate, Dean Kelly rattling the bar with a free kick from just outside the box. However the goal clearly gave Lisburn confidence and well it should, as this was the first goal conceded from open play by Rovers in the still fresh 2011 season. The better football was played by the away side, as a clearly shaken Rovers plodded through the next 10 minutes. It wasn’t until Karl Sheppard was played through on goal by Stephen Rice before having his shot saved that Rovers were sparked into a sustained bout of pressure for the first time in the game.
They soon had their best moment of the game so far when lovely play on the edge of the Lisburn box put a marauding Dan Murray behind the left of the defence, and his wisely played square pass took the keeper out the game, leaving Sheppard with nearly the whole goal to aim at. Nonetheless, some great positioning by Paul Muir left him in just the right place to block the shot, before Ciaran Kilduff’s header was cleared away by Phil Simpson. The match was proving to be an entertainingly open affair for the sparse crowd in attendance.
And the pressure finally told just before half time. In the 42nd minute lovely play by Mick Doyle down the Rovers right presented the ball to Stephen O’Donnell. Given time to get his head up, his perceptive slide rule pass played Kilduff clean through, and the striker held his nerve to round Brennan and slot the ball home. A great cameo by O’Donnell to remind us all of his talents.
The psychological momentum had swung back in Rovers' favour, and they very nearly entered half time a goal up with Conor McCormack swinging the ball in from the left hand side, and Kilduff stretching every inch of his tall frame to head the ball goalwards. Brennan was once again beaten, but the bar came to his rescue and the ball flew behind drawing an end to an eventful half.
Rovers didn’t have to wait long until they were ahead on the night though, as two minutes after the restart Sheppard fed Rice in the box, and his first time sweeping effort beat Brennan at his near post. At 5-1 on aggregate, the tie at this stage was all but over.
At this point a Lisburn foray into the Rovers box was as rare as decent airplane meal, however on the one occasion they did manage it in the 57th minute they served up an unlikely equaliser. Gary Browne got to the byline, and his cross evaded all Rovers’ heads leaving Liggett with a simple point blank header over the line. Rovers could still rest easy with a three goal cushion however.
In truth though the goal did not reflect the general flow of the game in the second half. Rovers dominated possession, and Lisburn rarely threatened to get near the opposing goal again. It was no surprise when Rovers went ahead again, Paddy Kavanagh fed by Rice, and his neat turn gave him a chance to send his strike into the back of the net.
Rovers were getting behind the defence at will, and there was still time for one more goal, when Sheppard played Kavanagh through on the left. The winger kept his composure to evade Paul Muir, before slamming the ball beyond the keeper. Lisburn well beaten on the night, and on aggregate 7-2.
Shamrock Rovers: Ryan Thompson; Mick Doyle, Pat Flynn, Dan Murray (Pat Sullivan 63), Conor McCormack; Paddy Kavanagh, Stephen Rice, Stephen O’Donnell, Karl Sheppard; Dean Kelly (Ronan Finn 74), Ciaran Kilduff.
Subs not used: Alan Mannus, Enda Stevens, Gary McCabe, Gary Twigg, Billy Dennehy.
Bookings: Kavanagh (30)
Lisburn Distillery: Billy Brennan; Pat McShane (Aaron Traynor 61), Andrew Devlin, Paul Muir, Philip Simpson; David Cushley (Mark Patton 66), Scott Davidson, Jordan Forsythe, Andrew Kilmartin; Gary Browne (Jordan Hughes 78), Garry Liggett.
Subs not used: Sean Morgan, Andy Hunter, Ryan McBride, Bradley Morton.
Bookings: Cushley (17)
Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 785.
The game opened in lively fashion, and indeed Lisburn should have been ahead within five minutes. A searching ball from the right found David Cushley with what seemed a simple finish, however his sliding effort from six yards was blazed over when it looked harder to miss. Cushley would have needed no reminding that he should have done better with that opportunity.
However that chance was a distant memory when the tie came to life after the away side opened the scoring on 14 minutes. The defending left a lot to be desired as Gary Liggett easily took the ball off Pat Flynn when he failed to deal with a simple loose ball. Liggett was left with a one on one against Ryan Thompson in the Rovers goal, and his clinical finish to the keepers left gave Thompson no chance.
Rovers response was nearly immediate, Dean Kelly rattling the bar with a free kick from just outside the box. However the goal clearly gave Lisburn confidence and well it should, as this was the first goal conceded from open play by Rovers in the still fresh 2011 season. The better football was played by the away side, as a clearly shaken Rovers plodded through the next 10 minutes. It wasn’t until Karl Sheppard was played through on goal by Stephen Rice before having his shot saved that Rovers were sparked into a sustained bout of pressure for the first time in the game.
They soon had their best moment of the game so far when lovely play on the edge of the Lisburn box put a marauding Dan Murray behind the left of the defence, and his wisely played square pass took the keeper out the game, leaving Sheppard with nearly the whole goal to aim at. Nonetheless, some great positioning by Paul Muir left him in just the right place to block the shot, before Ciaran Kilduff’s header was cleared away by Phil Simpson. The match was proving to be an entertainingly open affair for the sparse crowd in attendance.
And the pressure finally told just before half time. In the 42nd minute lovely play by Mick Doyle down the Rovers right presented the ball to Stephen O’Donnell. Given time to get his head up, his perceptive slide rule pass played Kilduff clean through, and the striker held his nerve to round Brennan and slot the ball home. A great cameo by O’Donnell to remind us all of his talents.
The psychological momentum had swung back in Rovers' favour, and they very nearly entered half time a goal up with Conor McCormack swinging the ball in from the left hand side, and Kilduff stretching every inch of his tall frame to head the ball goalwards. Brennan was once again beaten, but the bar came to his rescue and the ball flew behind drawing an end to an eventful half.
Rovers didn’t have to wait long until they were ahead on the night though, as two minutes after the restart Sheppard fed Rice in the box, and his first time sweeping effort beat Brennan at his near post. At 5-1 on aggregate, the tie at this stage was all but over.
At this point a Lisburn foray into the Rovers box was as rare as decent airplane meal, however on the one occasion they did manage it in the 57th minute they served up an unlikely equaliser. Gary Browne got to the byline, and his cross evaded all Rovers’ heads leaving Liggett with a simple point blank header over the line. Rovers could still rest easy with a three goal cushion however.
In truth though the goal did not reflect the general flow of the game in the second half. Rovers dominated possession, and Lisburn rarely threatened to get near the opposing goal again. It was no surprise when Rovers went ahead again, Paddy Kavanagh fed by Rice, and his neat turn gave him a chance to send his strike into the back of the net.
Rovers were getting behind the defence at will, and there was still time for one more goal, when Sheppard played Kavanagh through on the left. The winger kept his composure to evade Paul Muir, before slamming the ball beyond the keeper. Lisburn well beaten on the night, and on aggregate 7-2.
Shamrock Rovers: Ryan Thompson; Mick Doyle, Pat Flynn, Dan Murray (Pat Sullivan 63), Conor McCormack; Paddy Kavanagh, Stephen Rice, Stephen O’Donnell, Karl Sheppard; Dean Kelly (Ronan Finn 74), Ciaran Kilduff.
Subs not used: Alan Mannus, Enda Stevens, Gary McCabe, Gary Twigg, Billy Dennehy.
Bookings: Kavanagh (30)
Lisburn Distillery: Billy Brennan; Pat McShane (Aaron Traynor 61), Andrew Devlin, Paul Muir, Philip Simpson; David Cushley (Mark Patton 66), Scott Davidson, Jordan Forsythe, Andrew Kilmartin; Gary Browne (Jordan Hughes 78), Garry Liggett.
Subs not used: Sean Morgan, Andy Hunter, Ryan McBride, Bradley Morton.
Bookings: Cushley (17)
Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 785.
