Shamrock Rovers 3-0 Galway United
Shamrock Rovers kept up the pressure at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division with a merited 3-0 win over Galway United at Tallaght Stadium.
Goals from forward Mikey Drennan in either half and a late strike from Brandon Miele secured the spoils for the Dublin outfit, who now sit just one point behind leaders Dundalk, who have a game in hand.
The defeat was Galway’s fifth in six games and their disciplinary problems continue with Marc Ludden’s red card late on bringing their tally to four for the season.
Rovers manager Pat Fenlon made three changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Bohemians last week with Ryan Brennan, Gavin Brennan and Marty Waters starting in place of Stephen McPhail, Gary McCabe and Sean O’Connor, with striker Danny North still out with a knee injury.
Galway were forced into changes with captain Sam Oji and Stephen Walsh suspended after dismissals in last week’s 2-1 loss to Longford Town.
Kevin Garcia and Ludden stepped into the defence, while Paul Sinnott started with David O’Leary out injured.
The home side could have broken their goal drought at Tallaght as early as the third minute when the impressive Simon Madden set up Drennan.
The ball sat up for the Kilkenny striker but United goalkeeper Conor Winn managed to get a strong hand to Drennan’s left-footed effort and gathered at the second attempt.
The visitors were by no means overwhelmed but some intricate passing moves yielded little in terms of clear-cut chances, with Rovers midfielder Paddy Cregg tidying up in front of his back four when danger threatened.
Delight with the win tonight!! Happy to get 2 goals, should have had more but on to the next one now⚽️🍀🍀
— mikey drennan (@mikeydrennan) April 3, 2015When the Hoops did break through for their first home goal in 272 minutes, since North’s winner against St Patrick's Athletic on opening night, it was no more than they deserved. It did, however, come from a dreadful mistake from Winn.
In the 18th minute Madden sprayed a long pass over the United defence and it looked as if the keeper would win the ball.
However, he misjudged the flight, hesitated and allowed Gavin Brennan to nod on to Drennan, who had the simplest of tasks to roll the ball into the empty net.
Former Ireland international Keith Fahey, playing in an advanced midfield role, perhaps should have doubled the lead ten minutes later but he poked another inviting Madden ball wide at the near post.
But the determined Tribesmen, watched by President Michael D Higgins, still played their way forward, and both Jake Keegan and Jason Molloy drew saves from Craig Hyland.
Rovers also threatened late in the half with Gavin Brennan driving an effort from outside the box at Winn and Drennan shooting over the bar.
The Hoops looked to turn the screw at the beginning of the second half with the ever-willing Madden and the experienced Fahey making inroads down the right wing.
The ex-Birmingham man was inches wide with an effort from a tight angle, and then saw Ryan Brennan’s close-range header somehow saved by Winn, after Fahey had provided a perfect centre.
All the evidence pointed towards a second Rovers goal and it duly arrived in the 68th minute. David O’Connor set up Drennan just inside the box and his goal-bound shot deflected off defender Andy O’Connell past Winn for the ex-Carlisle United forward’s third league goal of the season.
He could have completed a hat-trick just a minute later but was denied by Winn; North will face a battle for his place when he returns to full fitness.
Tommy Dunne’s side, now with five losses from six games, never really threatened in the second half and Ludden was dismissed with 13 minutes to play after his second yellow for a tired-looking challenge on Madden.
In injury time, substitute and debutant Miele rounded off proceedings with a well-taken goal finished into the top corner, 3-0 a fair reflection of the game.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland, Simon Madden, David Webster, Conor Kenna (c), David O’Connor, Patrick Cregg, Ryan Brennan (Stephen McPhail 71), Keith Fahey, Gavin Brennan (Brandon Miele 84), Marty Waters (Sean O’Connor 71), Mikey Drennan.
Subs not used: Barry Murphy, Maxime Blanchard, Gary McCabe, Gareth McCaffrey.
Galway United: Conor Winn, Marc Ludden, Kevin Garcia, Andy O’Connell, Colm Horgan, Alex Byrne, Paul Sinnott (Cormac Raftery 90), Enda Curran (Padraic Cunningham 58), Jason Molloy (Ryan Connolly 57), Gary Shanahan, Jake Keegan.
Subs not used: Conor Barry, Antaine O’Laoi, Connor Gleeson.
Shamrock Rovers remembers one of their own. R.I.P. Ringo. #GeorgeByrne pic.twitter.com/y1afJGs5iK
— Tony O'Donoghue (@Corktod) April 3, 2015