REIGNING CHAMPIONS SHAMROCK Rovers put the shock of last weekend’s 5-1 drubbing at the hands of St Pat’s behind them with an emphatic 6-0 win at Tallaght Stadium tonight.
The Hoops took a half hour to break the deadlock and when they did it arrived through midfielder Chris Turner, who headed home after Craig Sives had put Gary McCabe’s free-kick back across goal.
Just two minutes later, Gary Twigg doubled their lead on what proved to be a memorable night for the Scot. The league’s top marksman converted after Ronan Finn had flighted the ball into his path.
The teams went into the interval at 2-0 but with only a minute of the second half played, Billy Dennehy found the back of the net with an excellenty-struck free-kick from all of 20 yards.
A Twigg header made it four with nine minutes remaining and substitute Daryl Kavanagh got in on the action before Twigg rounded off a miserable evening for the Louth men with a hat-trick and his eighth goal of the season.
The game at Turner’s Cross between the league’s bottom two had an identical scoreline as Tommy Dunne’s side picked up their first win of the 2012 campaign.
The Rebels were in front after 27 minutes as Ireland U19 international Daryl Horgan opened the scoring and was followed by Davin O’Neill five minutes later.
Roddy Collins witnessed his team go a man down when Keith Quinn took an early shower with forty minutes still to play.
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Striker Vinny Sullivan then redirected Gearoid Morrissey’s free-kick before O’Neill scored a hat-trick of his own either side of one from Tadhg Purcell.
In an end-t0-end game at Tolka Park, goals from Philly Hughes and substitute Philip Gorman were enough for Shelbourne, who saw off Bray.
Despite the 2-1 defeat, Seagulls striker Jason Byrne marked the night by scoring his 183rd League of Ireland goal, which took him ahead of Pat Morley into second place on the all-time charts.
Goalscorer David McDaid (right) and Stephen McLaughlin celebrate the equaliser. Credit: INPHO/Donall Farmer
In our feature game, Sligo could only manage a draw on a fine evening at the Showgrounds as Derry City kept them at bay for much of the second half.
Danny North arrived late at the back post to tap home after good work from Alan Keane down the right which led to Ger Doherty spilling a shot only as far as the Bit O’Red frontman.
Derry were level on 36 minutes when Iarfhlaith Davoren was adjudged to have brought Simon Madden down inside the area and David McDaid rifled the resulting penalty into the top corner.
Ian Baraclough’s side had the majority of possession in the second half, although Patrick McEleney did crash a shot off the bar, but had to settle for a point in the end.
A week after showing off their title credentials with a win over the Hoops, St Pat’s were held to a scoreless draw away to Drogheda United despite dominating at times.
Elsewhere, Bohemians held out after taking a two-goal lead to record a second win on the bounce at the Belfield Bowl.
Keith Ward was on target against his former side after only eight minutes when he lobbed the ball over the head of Mark McGinley from a David Byrne lay-off.
Dinny Corcoran, the hero of last weekend, notched his second of the season on 51 minutes and although Graham Rusk pulled one back from the spot for the Students, Aaron Callaghan’s men saw out the final moments to seal another valuable victory.
In the final top flight fixture, St Pat’s were held to a scoreless draw away to Drogheda United despite dominating at times a week after showing off their title credentials with a win over the Hoops.
There were also three games in the First Division and Limerick had an important win over Wexford as two of the top three teams met at Ferriscarrig Park. Rory Gaffney scored the only goal of the game with 20 minutes remaining.
Wateford and Athlone Town finished all-square – Gary Dempsey scoring for the Blues before Noel McGee equalised. Finally in the Galway derby, goals from Enda Curran, Garry Kelly, Damien O’Rourke and Gary Lyons saw SD Galway and Mervue United draw 2-2.
Airtricity League wrap: Hat-trick for Twigg as Hoops get back to winning ways
REIGNING CHAMPIONS SHAMROCK Rovers put the shock of last weekend’s 5-1 drubbing at the hands of St Pat’s behind them with an emphatic 6-0 win at Tallaght Stadium tonight.
The Hoops took a half hour to break the deadlock and when they did it arrived through midfielder Chris Turner, who headed home after Craig Sives had put Gary McCabe’s free-kick back across goal.
Just two minutes later, Gary Twigg doubled their lead on what proved to be a memorable night for the Scot. The league’s top marksman converted after Ronan Finn had flighted the ball into his path.
The teams went into the interval at 2-0 but with only a minute of the second half played, Billy Dennehy found the back of the net with an excellenty-struck free-kick from all of 20 yards.
A Twigg header made it four with nine minutes remaining and substitute Daryl Kavanagh got in on the action before Twigg rounded off a miserable evening for the Louth men with a hat-trick and his eighth goal of the season.
The game at Turner’s Cross between the league’s bottom two had an identical scoreline as Tommy Dunne’s side picked up their first win of the 2012 campaign.
The Rebels were in front after 27 minutes as Ireland U19 international Daryl Horgan opened the scoring and was followed by Davin O’Neill five minutes later.
Roddy Collins witnessed his team go a man down when Keith Quinn took an early shower with forty minutes still to play.
Striker Vinny Sullivan then redirected Gearoid Morrissey’s free-kick before O’Neill scored a hat-trick of his own either side of one from Tadhg Purcell.
In an end-t0-end game at Tolka Park, goals from Philly Hughes and substitute Philip Gorman were enough for Shelbourne, who saw off Bray.
Despite the 2-1 defeat, Seagulls striker Jason Byrne marked the night by scoring his 183rd League of Ireland goal, which took him ahead of Pat Morley into second place on the all-time charts.
In our feature game, Sligo could only manage a draw on a fine evening at the Showgrounds as Derry City kept them at bay for much of the second half.
Danny North arrived late at the back post to tap home after good work from Alan Keane down the right which led to Ger Doherty spilling a shot only as far as the Bit O’Red frontman.
Derry were level on 36 minutes when Iarfhlaith Davoren was adjudged to have brought Simon Madden down inside the area and David McDaid rifled the resulting penalty into the top corner.
Ian Baraclough’s side had the majority of possession in the second half, although Patrick McEleney did crash a shot off the bar, but had to settle for a point in the end.
A week after showing off their title credentials with a win over the Hoops, St Pat’s were held to a scoreless draw away to Drogheda United despite dominating at times.
Elsewhere, Bohemians held out after taking a two-goal lead to record a second win on the bounce at the Belfield Bowl.
Keith Ward was on target against his former side after only eight minutes when he lobbed the ball over the head of Mark McGinley from a David Byrne lay-off.
Dinny Corcoran, the hero of last weekend, notched his second of the season on 51 minutes and although Graham Rusk pulled one back from the spot for the Students, Aaron Callaghan’s men saw out the final moments to seal another valuable victory.
In the final top flight fixture, St Pat’s were held to a scoreless draw away to Drogheda United despite dominating at times a week after showing off their title credentials with a win over the Hoops.
There were also three games in the First Division and Limerick had an important win over Wexford as two of the top three teams met at Ferriscarrig Park. Rory Gaffney scored the only goal of the game with 20 minutes remaining.
Wateford and Athlone Town finished all-square – Gary Dempsey scoring for the Blues before Noel McGee equalised. Finally in the Galway derby, goals from Enda Curran, Garry Kelly, Damien O’Rourke and Gary Lyons saw SD Galway and Mervue United draw 2-2.
Results
Premier Division
First Division
As it happened: Sligo Rovers v Derry City, Airtricity League Premier Division
Column: Let’s hope this Drogheda United side stick around for a while
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Airtricity League Derry City Dundalk First division LOIlive Premier Division Round-Up Shamrock Rovers Sligo Rovers