Shamrock Rovers 2-2 Dundalk
Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk played out a pulsating 2-2 draw in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division at Tallaght Stadium as Mikey Drennan’s double rescued a point for Pat Fenlon’s side against the ten man Lilywhites.
Quick-fire goals either side of the break by David McMillan and Ronan Finn put Dundalk in the driving seat but the wheels fell off for the champions when goalkeeper Gary Rogers saw red in the 53rd minute after bringing Ryan Brennan down in the penalty area.
Drennan lashed home the spot kick and six minutes later he maintained Rovers’ unbeaten start to the season with a fantastic left-footed effort.
Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill said he would keep an eye on Dundalk full-back Dane Massey’s progress and he remained true to his word, taking his seat in the main stand. O'Neill was treated to one of best games of the season to date as two of the league’s heavyweights went toe-to-toe.
Those who expected a tense, tight affair were pleasantly surprised by the opening exchanges as both sides pushed for the opening goal.
Lilywhites winger Daryl Horgan worked space for a shot in the seventh minute but his effort was easily gathered by Craig Hyland. The Hoops goalkeeper looked less assured five minutes later when Horgan’s deep cross from the right left him flat footed but, to Hyland’s relief, the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar.
Rovers gave as good as they got early on and Drennan - a winter transfer target for Dundalk - should have done better when he was picked out by Simon Madden’s delicious cross in the 14th minute but, despite finding himself in plenty of room, he headed wide.
Rogers was almost left red-faced in the 18th minute, pulling his hand away from Gary McCabe’s well-hit strike. Like Hyland before him, the net minder was fortunate with the shot flying just wide.
Dundalk held the upper hand for the remainder of the half and they should have went ahead in the 27th minute. Darren Meenan pounced on a poor cross field pass by Ryan Brennan to race clear on Hyland. It looked like Meenan would round Hyland but he opted to shoot and the Rovers goalkeeper stood tall to block.
Fenlon’s side failed to heed the warning and the champions struck in the 44th minute to take a lead into the half-time break that, on the balance of play, they deserved.
Again, Rovers were the architects of their own downfall. Conor Kenna was the culprit, dilly dallying on the ball for way too long and when McMillan picked his pocket to surge clear, the end result was in no doubt - the Dundalk number nine recording his fifth league goal of the season.
It was the first time that Rovers had conceded from open play this season and if Fenlon was furious at the manner in which they had given that goal away, he would have been even more enraged with how they fell 2-0 behind.
Just 13 seconds of the second half had elapsed when former Hoops star Finn skipped past Dave Webster into the Rovers penalty area before lifting his finish over Hyland to silence the Tallaght crowd.
It looked like the game was up for Rovers but they were thrown a lifeline in the 53rd minute when Rogers was dismissed for bringing Brennan down just inside his penalty area. Drennan dispatched the spot kick past replacement goalkeeper Gabriel Sava.
The home support scented blood and six minutes later Rovers were level. Nothing seemed on when Drennan gave chase to Andy Boyle on the right of the penalty area but the former Aston Villa man outmuscled the Dundalk skipper before lashing a fantastic left footed effort into Sava’s top corner.
Rovers continued to stretch the ten men and Sava denied Drennan a hat trick in the 68th minute after Sean Gannon was caught out by Simon Madden’s cornfield pass.
Kenny introduced Stephen O’Donnell and John Mountney in a bid to shore up the flanks and Dundalk regained their composure as the game ticked into the final few minutes.
There was still time for another twist, however, and it almost arrived with 86 minutes on the clock.
Substitute Brandon Miele left Sava on the ground before picking out Drennan with his cutback from the byline, but the striker blazed over with an open goal at his mercy before McMillan saw a last gasp effort saved by Hyland right at the death.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland; Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, Dave Webster, David O’Connor; Patrick Cregg (Danny North 81), Stephen McPhail; Sean O’Connor (Brandon Miele 71), Ryan Brennan, Gary McCabe (Kieran Marty Waters 87); Mikey Drennan.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Richie Towell, Chris Shields; Darren Meenan (Gabriel Sava 55), Ronan Finn (John Mountney 83), Daryl Horgan (Stephen O’Donnell 71); David McMillan.
Referee: Neil Doyle
