- Patrick O'Connor
- Sun, Oct 06 2024
Patrick O’ Connor reports from Tallaght Stadium
Shamrock Rovers crept to within two points of Shelbourne at the top of the league table with three games to go after a comfortable 2-0 win over the Reds at a packed Tallaght Stadium on Sunday evening.
The result adds another intriguing twist to an increasingly enthralling title race, and heaps further pressure on Damian Duff’s side who have now only recorded one win in their last ten outings.
The Hoops on the other hand now have their five in a row aspiration fully back on track and allied to their money-spinning European campaign, they are certainly finishing the season on a very high note indeed.
The Reds started the game with a much rearranged back four, with Sean Gannon and Kameron Ledwidge as emergency centre backs and John O’Sullivan deployed as a right back.
That defence was under immense pressure from the kick off and the entire Shelbourne team were camped in their own half of the field for most of the first half as Rovers dominated possession.
Jack Byrne and Dylan Watts in particular seemed to have lots of time on the ball in midfield and it came as no great surprise when the Hoops took the lead in the 18th minute.
The ball was worked down the left flank to Neil Farrugia who was giving O’Sullivan a torrid time, and when the winger pulled the ball back from the end line, Byrne reacted quickly to flick the ball into the net with the deftest of touches to make it 1-0 to the hosts.
Rovers looked like they would add to that early goal but in fairness to Shelbourne they reacted well to that reverse and dug in very positively and even had a few attacking forays of their own before the half time whistle.
The best of those was in the 29th minute when Ali Coote knocked the ball back to Sean Boyd and his first time shot was heading for the bottom corner before Leon Pohls got down to push it away for a corner.
The Reds started the second period on the front and almost got an unlikely equaliser in the 53rd minute. Boyd found a pocket of space down the right channel and when he played the ball back for Coote, the latter’s shot was heading to the net only to batted away by Pohls.
The second half was much more evenly balanced and Shels gave as good as they got and did not allow Rovers the time and space they had in the first half.
Neither keeper was really tested with the bulk of the play taking place in a very congested middle third but the insurance second goal did arrive for Rovers with only five minutes of normal time left on the clock.
With Stephen Bradley suspended manager for the day Glenn Cronin unloaded the bench mid-way through the half and it was a piece of magic from one of those substitutes which created to opening for the crucial second goal.
Graham Burke was trapped by three defenders by the right corner flag in the 85th minute but a neat back heel took all three out of the game and left Neil Farrugia with a clear run at goals and he duly slotted the ball past Kearns to make it 2-0.
The six minutes of added time was never going to be much use to Shels and despite a gallant second half performance they were beaten by a much better Rovers team on the night.
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pöhls; Daniel Cleary, Seán Hoare, Pico; Jack Byrne (Darragh Nugent 83), Daniel Mandroiu (Graham Burke 68), Gary O'Neill, Dylan Watts (Aaron McEneff 77); Darragh Burns (Aaron Greene 68), Neil Farrugia, Johnny Kenny (Joshua Honohan 68).
Subs not used: Lee Steacy, Seán Kavanagh, Lee Grace, Richard Towell.
Booked: Neil Farrugia (10), Aaron Green (90+2)
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Kameron Ledwidge, John O'Sullivan, Tyreke Wilson; Evan Caffrey, Alistair Coote (Dean Williams 75), Mark Coyle, Rayhaan Tulloch (Harry Wood 62); Sean Boyd, John Martin (Dan Ring 90).
Subs not used: Lorcan Healy, Luca Cailloce, Sean Cummins, Tyreik Sammy, Cian Doyle, Aaron Maloney.
Booked: John Martin (4), Damien Duff (59), Sean Gannon (61), Mark Coyle (66), Sean Boyd (86).
Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 7,861
extratime.com Player of the Match: Neil Farrugia (Shamrock Rovers)
