- Macdara Ferris
- Sat, Oct 11 2014
Shamrock Rovers put the disappointment of their recent elimination from the FAI Cup at the semi-final stage behind them by beating a battling Bray Wanderers side 1-0 in Tallaght Stadium on Friday night. Sean O’Connor’s superbly taken goal three minutes before half-time was enough to earn Rovers all three points.
Bray Wanderers came to Tallaght with their Premier Division status at stake. They were looking for the win that would secure them top flight football for next season.
With just one minute on the clock David Scully swung in a cross from the right that former Hoop David Cassidy got his head on. The ball was heading goalwards only to take a slight deflection that took the ball into the side netting and behind for an early corner.
Rovers, playing their third game in six days, went with a 4-4-2 formation with Ciarán Kilduff and Dean Kelly up front for the Hoops. Their first sight of goal came from a Simon Madden cross. Madden, raiding up the right for Rovers from his right back position, played in a teasing cross that Kelly headed goalwards. Stephen McGuinness in the Bray goal diving low to his right hung onto the ball.
McGuinness was called upon again on 20 minutes; this time denying Kilduff with a superb save. It looked like Kilduff’s deflected header off a Luke Byrne cross from the left was heading for the top corner. McGuinness somehow thrust up a left hand as he moved across his line to push the ball just over the Bray bar.
At the other end a good turn and shot by Bray's Jake Kelly had Craig Hyland, replacing the injured Barry Murphy in the Rovers goal, watching the ball with interest. That shot just after the 30 minute mark went by the ‘keeper’s left hand post.
Kelly was the lone striker up front for Bray. He played Cassidy in with a one-two that gave him a sight of the Rovers goal but Robert Cornwall slid in with a timely tackle to clear for the Hoops.
Three minutes before the break Rovers took the lead through Sean O'Connor. Gary McCabe had skipped by a couple of Bray defenders on the left to play the ball into Kilduff. He held the ball up with his back to goal before laying it off to O'Connor who curled a delightful shot from 20 yards into the top left hand corner of the goal for the half-time lead.
Bray’s captain Adam Mitchell was involved in the early second half action. He stepped excellently across to block an O’Connor goalbound shot. The Rovers players and fans were then calling for a penalty when Michell came in contact with Madden but referee Rob Harvey waved play-on.
Pat Fenlon made a double substitution with 20 minutes remaining and sub Karl Sheppard came very close to doubling Rovers lead just two minutes into his appearance. Kilduff’s ball up the line allowed Sheppard to get a cross in under pressure from Mitchell. The Bray defender's touch took the ball goalwards but it hit the Bray bar to go behind for a corner.
The Hoops piled on the pressure in the closing minutes but couldn’t get the second goal. McGuinness saved Kilduff’s shot after a slip by Michael Barker allowed the striker in on goal. The ball came out to Sheppard with McGuinness having to save once again.
Gary McCabe, Rovers’ top scorer, had a late chance to double his team’s lead with eight minutes remaining but he blazed over the Bray bar.
Jake Kelly’s cross went right across Rovers’ six yard box three minutes from time but there was nobody on hand to put it away for Bray. Rovers broke up the field and Marty Waters playing against his former club pinged the ball off the post when he really should have wrapped up the win.
The Hoops head to play league leaders Dundalk on Monday night. That is their game in hand that they have over St. Patrick’s Athletic. They trail the Saints by seven points with three games left for the Tallaght based club.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland; Simon Madden, Robert Cornwall, Conor Kenna, Luke Byrne; Sean O'Connor (Kieran Marty Waters 70), Ryan Brennan, Shane Robinson, Gary McCabe; Dean Kelly (Karl Sheppard 70), Ciaran Kilduff.
Subs Not Used: Conor O’Malley, Evan Osam, Patrick Cregg, Robert Bayly, Ronan Finn.
Booked: Karl Sheppard (79), Marty Waters (90+3).
Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Eric McGill, Michael Barker, Adam Mitchell, Robert Maloney; David Scully (Gareth McDonagh 79), David Cassidy, Dean Zambra, Graham Kelly, Adam Hanlon (Philly Hughes 65); Jake Kelly.
Subs not used: Gavin Sheridan, Shane O’Neill, Owen Rossi, Sean Noble, Thomas Walsh.
Booked: Michael Barker (84).
Referee: Robert Harvey.
Attendance: 1,000 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Stephen McGuinness (Bray Wanderers)
