- Dave Donnelly
- Sat, Apr 29 2017
Rodrigo Tosi saved his best for last as his 90th-minute equaliser earned Limerick a deserved point against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night.
The Hoops looked set for a win that would move them level on points with the Blues in third after Roberto Lopes' had given them a lead they held onto for more than 70 minutes until Tosi's intervention at the death.
It was Lopes' first goal for Rovers since making the contentious move across Dublin from Bohemians, where he had been a first-team regular, fan favourite and, latterly, stand-in captain.
And the Dubliner revealed after the final whistle that he had mixed emotions about his first goal in green and white after defending so well in the second half only to be undone in the dying moments.
It was a rare outing for Lopes at centre-half after having spent most of his time since joining Rovers in a defensive midfield role.
He took is goal with clinical accuracy as he glanced home Graham Burke's perfectly-weighted corner with just 18 minutes on the clock.
Rovers really should have been two to the good five minutes later when captain Ronan Finn forced his way into the box before squaring for striker Gary Shaw.
But from five yards out, with the goal at his mercy, the former Longford Town man contrived to sidefoot the ball across the face of goal and past the far post.
It was a poor miss from a player who has been one of the Hoops' few shining lights when fit this season, but the momentum of the game didn't change as the home side continued to dominate.
Limerick midfielder Paul O'Conor had to leave the field with an injury and, while his replacement Bastien Hery waited on the sideline, Brandon Miele forced a routine save from Brendan Clarke.
The Blues, having sat off the hosts for most of the first half, finally came into the came as the break approached, with a quick counter through the pacey Dean Clarke almost yielding a chance for Tosi.
Hery registered the Blues' first shot on target from open play on the stroke of half time as he curled a shot after good work from Lee-J Lynch, but it was an easy save for Tomer Chencinski.
The Canadian keeper has had a shaky introduction to life in Tallaght and he looked uncertain any time Limerick put the ball into the box, which was too infrequent for the aerially-domineering Tosi.
The teams appeared to swap tactics after the break as Limerick looked to take the initiative while Rovers sought to sit back and absorb pressure, which they did quite comfortably.
Stephen Bradley introduced Sam Bone and James Doona for wingers Darren Meenan and Brandon Miele as he sought to consolidate in the centre, while Paul Corry came in for his second Rovers appearance in place of the injured David McAllister.
'What we have, we hold' appeared to be the philosophy from Bradley, whose side have rarely looked comfortable in a leading position this season, and it appeared a dangerous game with Limerick coming more and more into the game.
Chencinski was again called into action just after the hour as he turned the ball around the post after Lynch crossed deep in the direction of the imposing Tosi, and Lopes inadvertently deflected the ball towards goal.
Miele tested Brendan Clarke from just outside the box before Limerick captain Shane Duggan again exposed Chencinski's vulnerabilities with a snapshot the Canadian punched wildly behind.
Willie Boland brought on John O'Flynn for his obligatory ten-minute cameo and he impacted immediately, nodding the ball down for Tosi who, after a rare mistake from Lopes, seemed destined to score only for the defender to throw his body on the line to protect his goal.
It was to prove futile as, with only seconds remaining in normal time, Ogbene showed Luke Byrne – making his first appearance since suffering cruciate ligament damager 12 months ago – a clean pair of heels.
The Corkman careered into the box before pulling the ball coolly back towards O'Flynn, who missed his kick, and on to Tosi, who stretched to send the ball into the roof of the net and the away bench into hysterics on the touchline.
Shamrock Rovers: Tomer Chencinski; Simon Madden, David Webster, Daniel Devine, Roberto Lopes, Luke Byrne; David McAllister (Paul Corry 74), Ronan Finn, Darren Meenan (Sam Bone 59), Brandon Miele (Janes Doona 67); Graham Burke, Gary Shaw.
Subs not used: Kevin Horgan (gk), Shane Hanney, Aaron Dobbs, Sean Boyd.
Booked: Brandon Miele (36), Sam Bone (67),
Limerick: Brendan Clarke; Shaun Kelly, Robbie Williams, Tony Whitehead, Tommy Robson; Shane Duggan, Paul O'Conor (Bastien Hery 28), Lee-J Lynch, Chiedozie Ogbene, Dean Clarke (John O'Flynn 82); Rodrigo Tosi (Tommy Walsh 90+2).
Subs not used: Freddy Hall (gk), David O'Connor, Tobias Kainz, Chris Mulhall.
Booked: Chiedozie Ogbene (78), Brendan Clarke (80), Rodrigo Tosi (90+1).
Referee: Derek Tomney
Attendance: 2,570 (official)
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Lee-J Lynch (Limerick)
