By Micil Glennon at Tallaght Stadium
Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Cork City
Shamrock Rovers and Cork City maintained their unbeaten runs at the start of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season with an uninspired 0-0 draw at Tallaght Stadium.
Despite the presence of five former Ireland internationals, neither side could find the breakthrough, although Rovers' striker Mikey Drennan saw his close-range header crash off the crossbar just before half-time.
The Hoops had more of the play and the better of the paltry chances on offer but in truth they can have no real complaint about the final score.
Rovers boss Pat Fenlon made four changes to the side that accounted for Longford last week with Luke Byrne and Danny North both injured, and Stephen McPhail and Sean O’Connor dropping to the bench.
David O’Connor started at left back with Drennan taking the striker's role in North's absence, while Pat Cregg and Gavin Brennan were named in a five-man midfield.
Kieran Djilali started in midfield instead of Danny Morrissey in Cork’s only switch to the team that hammered Limerick 5-0.
Much was made of the fact that the sides boasted 62 Ireland caps between them but, with four starting internationals – Keith Fahey for Rovers, Alan Bennett, Liam Miller and Colin Healy for the Leesiders – little of that class was evident in a nervy and slow-paced opening quarter.
Gary McCabe’s deflected effort looped safely into the arms of Cork goalkeeper Mark McNulty, while down the other end, Karl Sheppard, operating as a lone striker, could not capitalise on a mistimed tackle by David Webster as he shot wide from a tight angle.
The game briefly threatened to open up around the half hour mark with Cork’s Garry Buckley and Cregg for the home side wasting half-chances, while Drennan hit a snapshot straight at McNulty.
The best chance of the half fell late on with Drennan getting on the end of a pinpoint cross by Marty Waters but the former Carlisle and Portsmouth forward saw his firm header come back off the bar.
The Hoops, however, looked more positive at the start of the second period.
McCabe was lively and saw another effort half blocked but the game was crying out for a goal or a spark of magic; Fahey was showing endeavour but last year’s league runners-up were coping comfortably for the most part without offering much in terms of an attacking threat.
McPhail replaced Fahey on 72 minutes but the former Leeds man fared no better in his efforts to find that spark.
Rovers keeper Craig Hyland was a spectator for almost the entire half and even when the ball spilled to Sheppard, the former Hoops man conspired to miss the target and then see the ball rebound out for a goal kick.
Drennan may have given the Dublin outfit the three points but another header, this time after good work from Simon Madden on the right, drifted wide.
Cregg, McPhail and Morrissey were all booked late on as the game fizzled out into a stalemate, which sees Rovers drop their first points of the season to stay in second place behind champions Dundalk who beat St Patrick’s Athletic 3-0. The Hoops travel to Sligo on Tuesday.
John Caulfield’s side are fifth in the table on five points ahead of their game with Galway.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland, Simon Madden, David Webster, Conor Kenna (capt), David O’Connor, Pat Cregg, Keith Fahey (Stephen McPhail 72), Gary McCabe, Gavin Brennan, Marty Waters (Sean O’Connor 72), Mikey Drennan (Gareth McCaffrey 84).
Subs not used: Barry Murphy, Maxine Blanchard, Ryan Brennan, Brandon Miele.
Cork City: Mark McNulty, Alan Bennett, John Dunleavy (capt), Darren Dennehy, Colin Healy, Kieran Djiali (Mark O’Sullivan 65), Liam Miller, Garry Buckley (Gavan Holohan 75), Billy Dennehy (Danny Morrissey 80), Karl Sheppard.
Subs not used: John Kavanagh, Dan Murray, John O’Flynn, Kevin O’Brien.
Referee: Neil Doyle
