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Dundalk ease to victory over 10-man Shamrock Rovers

Updated / Saturday, 23 Apr 2016 09:19
Sean Gannon, Darren Meenan and Ronan Finn celebrate Shamrock Rovers' own goal
Sean Gannon, Darren Meenan and Ronan Finn celebrate Shamrock Rovers' own goal

Shamrock Rovers 0-2 Dundalk

Reigning champions Dundalk cemented their place at the top of the Premier Division with a convincing 2-0 victory over 10-man Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

An own goal from defender David Webster and a strike from former Rovers midfielder Ronan Finn, ensured that the Lilywhites travelled back to Louth with all three points, after a lacklustre performance from the hosts.

Both sides had a more familiar look to them after midweek EA Sports action. Gary Shaw missed out for Rovers with Dean Clarke coming into the starting line-up and it was the hosts who enjoyed the majority of the ball in the opening exchanges without ever testing Gary Rogers in the Dundalk goal.

But it was Dundalk, who were without long-term absentee Ciaran Kilduff, who opened the scoring after a 16 minutes, when David Webster inadvertently knocked the ball past Barry Murphy in the Shamrock Rovers goal.

After a one-two between Sean Gannon and Finn from a throw-in, Darren Meenan squared the ball across the box but Webster couldn’t adjust his feet quickly enough and knocked the ball into his own net.

Rovers’ chances of getting back in the game were dealt a severe blow when captain Gary McCabe was shown a straight red card for a high tackle on another former Rovers player Stephen O’Donnell.

McCabe, who scored his 50th goal for Rovers in the rout over Bohemians last week, got a slight touch on the top of the ball, but his challenge was high and caught his former team-mate on the shin.

Robbie Benson replaced the injured O’Donnell at half-time, after struggling with a knock he picked up late in the first period and in the first minute after the restart, Stephen Kenny’s men doubled their advantage with a fine passing move finished by former Rovers favourite Finn, to score his sixth goal of the season.

Daryl Horgan’s cross from the left flank was met by Meenan on the far post who knocked the ball down to Finn on to curl the ball past Murphy.

All of the chances were coming for the reigning champions with the Hoops showing no signs of making a comeback.

Gannon nearly made it three with an unchallenged run down the right side, only for goalkeeper Barry Murphy to come storming out to save from a tight angle, while McMillan missed a chance at the near post after failing to make clean contact from another cross down Dundalk’s right side.

Horgan then had a shot cleared off the line from the quick-thinking Gavin Brennan after Finn rounded Murphy in the Rovers goal.

The closest Pat Fenlon’s side came to getting back in the game was when right-back Simon Madden squared the ball across the Dundalk goal but with no Rovers player gambling and attacking the ball, the cross went harmlessly out for a throw, while Brandon Miele fizzed a low-driven shot past Gary Rogers late on.

It’s a short turnaround for the Hoops, who travel down to Turners Cross to play Cork in a rearranged fixture on Monday night, while Dundalk host Bohemians in their next league game next Friday.

Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy, Simon Madden, David Webster, Maxine Blanchard, Gavin Brennan; Killian Brennan, Patrick Cregg; Dean Clarke (Danny North 52’), Gary McCabe, Brandon Miele; Michael Drennan (Trevor Clarke 81’)

Substitutes not used: Craig Hyland, Robert Cornwall, Luke Byrne, Stephen McPhail, Gareth McCaffrey

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Stephen O’Donnell (Robbie Benson 46’), Chris Shields; Darren Meenan (John Mountney ’78), Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan; David McMillan (Patrick McEleney 72’)

Substitutes not used: Gabriel Sava, Eric Whelan, Anton Reilly, George Poynton.

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