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Here are the teams…
We’re underway…
Kilduff plays through Moutney, but Chencinski is out quickly to make a save, and Connolly completes the clearance.
Decent start for Dundalk.
Brandon Miele gets a sight of goal after a misplaced pass from Gannon.
The attacker’s shot is charged down by the Dundalk defender down though.
Barrett miscontrols the ball at the back and Meenan is one-on-one with Sava.
His early shot goes just wide, however, as he misses a great chance to score against his old club.
Massey’s glancing header from a free kick goes just wide.
It’s been a lively start to this game, with both sides missing early chances.
Meenan’s hanging cross is headed wide by Miele.
The visitors certainly haven’t been afraid to attack the reigning champions in these early stages.
Sava breathes a sigh of relief.
O’Connor charges down the goalkeeper’s kick and it deflects into the net, but the referee disallows the goal, suggesting it came off the Rovers player’s hand.
Miele crosses and it narrowly misses Devine, with Sava subsequently collecting the cross.
Shamrock Rovers have looked the better side in these opening stages.
Big chance for Dundalk!
Gartland heads on a corner and Chenchinski denies Massey from close range.
Rovers are really working hard here to press Dundalk’s backline and put them under pressure at every opportunity. Meenan closes down Barrett before Connolly then chases a ball back to Sava, forcing him into slicing it out of play.
GOAL! Dundalk 1-0 Shamrock Rovers (Robbie Benson)
And there’s Dundalk’s first league goal of 2017. Duffy does well on the left and sees his shot block. Duffy then pulls it across for Benson to score from close range.
Dundalk on the attack again and McEleney sees his shot deflected out for a corner. The resulting set piece is sent to the back post but it’s slightly too high for Kilduff to make contact.
Free-kick to Rovers in a dangerous position 30 yards out from goal as O’Connor is brought down. Miele steps up but curls it just wide with Sava scrambling.
There’s one minute of additional time to be played.
Half-time: Dundalk 1-0 Shamrock Rovers
The latest Premier Division scores around the grounds…
Here’s that goal:
32: GOAL!
— eir Sport (@eirSport) February 24, 2017
DUNDALK 1-0 Shamrock Rovers (Benson). Robbie Benson taps in after some great work from Duffy #DUNvSHA #LOI https://t.co/WiIDROir42
GOAL! Dundalk 2-0 Shamrock Rovers (Ciaran Kilduff)
The champions double their advantage and deservedly so. McEleney provides an inch-perfect cross for Kilduff to power a header past Chencincski.
Super work from McEleney to win the ball and put it on a plate for Kilduff.
52: GOAL
— eir Sport (@eirSport) February 24, 2017
Dundalk 2-0 Rovers (Kilduff). Sensational from McEleney as he tees up Kilduff to make it 2-0. #LOI #DUNvSHA https://t.co/xQcpX5F8ZC
SUBSTITUTIONS – Rovers bring on Ronan Finn and Sean Boyd for Connolly and O’Connor.
Former Lilywhites man Finn receives a frosty reception from the home fans as you might expect.
YELLOW CARD – Moments later, Finn brings down O’Donnell and picks himself up a booking. Inevitable.
DUNDALK CHANGE – O’Donnell gets a standing ovation as the captain is replaced by Conor Clifford.
ANOTHER ROVERS SUB – Graham Burke is introduced for Lopes.
And here comes Jamie McGrath, with Michael Duffy coming off.
GOAL! Dundalk 2-1 Shamrock Rovers (Graham Burke)
Rovers have one back, and it’s a debut goal for substitute Graham Burke. Only on the field, the former Aston Villa youth gets into the box and loops a shot over Sava.
Game on?
Full-time: Dundalk 2-1 Shamrock Rovers
Rovers hit the bar right at the death with Sean Boyd helping on a free-kick, but the whistle goes and Dundalk have the three points.
Things to learn from 2012: don’t be sh!te
Given, O’Shea, Keane & Doyle have been great servants for us but its time for all 4 of them to retire after euro 2016 and give the younger players like Duffy, O’Dowda & Byrne a chance.
Starting 11 should be: Randolph Coleman Clark Keogh Brady McCarthy Hendrick Walters Hoolahan McClean Long
Such a let down and anti climax. I remember my own boys and their friends all decked out in green……so let’s manage expectations
Don’t play injured goalkeepers. Stop using players for media work cos they have native accents and thus include them in the 23. Let the people follow the Irish team and not some country called 3
It’s coming home
To be fair we overachieved in most tournaments prior to 2012 so we were due a bad one
Not sure getting out of the group should be the minimum for every tournament. We had come top players in them tournament also..
Don’t think it could ever be as bad as the Trapattoni era again, ugh, just typing that old spoofers name has left me depressed.