By David Goulden at City Calling Stadium
Longford Town 0-2 Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers continued their 100% start to this year's SSE Airtricity League Premier Division as they followed up last week's win over St Pat's with a 2-0 victory over Longford Town at City Calling Stadium.
The Hoops now join Bohs, Drogheda and Dundalk on six points from six at the top of the division.
All the damage was done in the first half when Sean O'Connor and Kieran Marty Waters both struck for the Hoops as they deservedly returned to Dublin with the win.
The home side almost took a shock lead with just a minute played when David O'Sullivan slotted the ball through for Gary Shaw but a combination of both David Webster and goalkeeper Craig Hyland deflected the Longford man's shot away for a corner.
O'Connor nodded over from a Simon Madden cross on 19 as the Dublin side looked to make the most of any open space available.
Danny North was next to go close but Town goalkeeper Paul Hunt was quick to react and smothered the former Sligo man's low shot from close range after he was played through by Gary McCabe.
The Dublin side then took the lead on 24 minutes. O'Connor was given ample space in front of the area before his left-footed effort from 20 yards sailed past the outstretched arm of Hunt, who was caught out of position slightly.
Calls for a Longford penalty fell on deaf ears just before the half hour mark when Hyland attempted to claim a loose ball after he had parried a Mark Salmon free-kick. Shaw fell to the ground after the Rovers netminder went full stretch in an effort to retrieve the ball but referee Padraigh Sutton showed little interest.
A shot from North whistled over the Town crossbar on 32, ten minutes before Pat Fenlon's side doubled their lead. Former Hoop Pat Flynn was caught unawares out wide by North who robbed possession and then teed up Waters.
The former Bray winger dodged the challenge of two Longford defenders before placing his shot between the legs of Hunt for his first league goal of the season.
Cousins introduced former Rovers attacker Don Cowan to the right wing at the break in an effort to rejuvenate his side. Town looked a little more threatening going forward during the early stages of the second period but were unable to penetrate a stubborn Rovers rearguard in an uneventful second half.
Rovers almost had a third when David Webster had the ball in the net from a corner but their celebrations were cut short when referee Sutton blew for a foul on a Longford defender.
Longford Town: Paul Hunt; Jamie Mulhall, William Tyrell (for Mark Rossiter,71), Pat Flynn, Conor Powell; Gary Shaw, Kevin O'Connor, Mark Salmon (for Rhys Gorman 84), Stephen Rice, Martin Deady (for Don Cowan HT); David O'Sullivan.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland; Simon Madden, David Webster, Conor Kenna, Luke Byrne; Gary McCabe, Keith Fahey, Stephen McPhail, Sean O'Connor (for Michael Drennan 66), Kieran Marty Waters; Danny North (for Ryan Brennan 83).
Referee: Padraigh Sutton (Clare)
