Shamrock Rovers went top of the table for the first time this season after their comprehensive 3-0 win at the UCD Bowl was coupled with ten man Bohemians' loss at home 1-0 to Derry City.
The Hoops made it 14 consecutive league wins over the Students, thanks to goals from Trevor Clarke, Aaron Greene and an own goal from Adam Wells. Rovers’ win was their fifth in a row, to go with five consecutive wins away from home without conceding a goal, and our showing the type of form has won them the last three league titles.
With Jack Byrne not part of Rovers’ squad, the set-pieces were left to Markus Poom. The Estonian international delivered five first half corners into the UCD box that caused the hosts plenty of difficulties. Johnny Kenny, Sean Hoare and Pico Lopes all had headers that directed Poom's deliveries goalwards but they couldn’t truly trouble Kian Moore in the UCD goal.
From distance Graham Burke forced Moore into a save, with Kenny almost capitalising when the Students netminder didn’t take it cleanly. Ciaran Behan’s barnstorming run from his own half saw Rovers back peddling furiously but UCD couldn’t fashion a goal scoring chance.
The Hoops looked to go long at times hitting a number of long diagonals to Trevor Clarke on the left but when the opening goal came it was from a great run from deep by Clarke on 16 minutes. He scored his fourth goal in five games taking the ball up from the halfway line, ghosting by Luke O'Regan, playing a one-two with Graham Burke, before slotting it home with his left inside the area.
Burke, Greene and Ronan Finn all went close with shots as Rovers moved the ball quickly in front of the UCD back four but their best chance to add to their score before the break came to Sean Hoare off a Poom free kick from half way. The Hoops defender snatched at the chance with the goal at his mercy.
Rovers’ second goal came from another Poom corner. The ball had come to Kenny from the right and when his shot was blocked, Rovers recycled the ball with Poom’s cross beating the inrushing Lopes and Hoare but not Greene. He was on hand to tap in from inside the six yard box coming from the back post to get his first of the season.
With Monday’s match against St Pat’s in mind, Bradley made his substitutions early and it was Rovers’ fourth sub who set up the Hoops final goal. Justin Ferizaj had only come on when his cross in the 71st minute deflecting off Adam Wells and into the UCD goal to make it 3-0.
UCD: Kian Moore; Luke O'Regan, Jack Keaney, Adam Wells, Evan Osam; Michael Gallagher Sami Clarke 57); Donal Higgins (Jesse Dempsey 57), Alex Nolan (Harry O'Connor 66), Ciaran Behan, Daniel Norris (Jake Doyle 65); Danu Kinsella Bishop (Divine Izekor 84).
Subs not used: Fintan Agnew, Ryan Bowden, Colin Bolton.
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Daniel Cleary, Pico Lopes, Sean Hoare; Ronan Finn (Sean Gannon 46), Darragh Nugent, Markus Poom, Trevor Clarke; Graham Burke (Conan Noonan 64), Aaron Greene (Justin Ferizaj 70), Johnny Kenny (Rory Gaffney 64).
Subs not used: Toms Leitis, Lee Grace, Richie Towell, Gary O'Neill, Neil Farrugia. Referee: David Dunne
