Shamrock Rovers 2
Galway United 0
SHAMROCK ROVERS RETURNED to winning ways tonight in Tallaght Stadium, and closed the gap on leaders Dundalk and Derry, who both drew, with a 2-0 win over Galway United.
With Danny North injured, Mikey Drennan got his chance up front for Rovers, and the Tallaght men instantly looked more dynamic than in previous games, especially with Brandon Miele playing more centrally.
And it was from that position after eight minutes that he scored when he drove towards goal before finding the bottom corner with a clean left-footed strike.
Not short on confidence themselves, Galway responded well, and Padraic Cunningham was unlucky to see his shot from inside the box blocked on 20 minutes, while Vinny Faherty’s volley licked the top of the crossbar shortly after that.
Gary Shanahan played his part in that chance too, and from the right he was a constant danger, while Drennan should have doubled the home side’s lead on the stroke of half time when Miele landed the ball on his head, but he guided his effort wide.
Both Shanahan and Devaney had the beating of their men in the wide areas, and they combined on the hour mark, with the latter sending a deep cross to the back post where Shanahan headed off the crossbar.
Galway continued to impress as the second period unfolded, quelling much of the Rovers attack, and Shanahan maintained his presence in the game and set up Ruari Keating with a superb cross, but the substitute headed just past the post with 10 minutes remaining.
And that missed opportunity came back to haunt Tommy Dunne’s men as Trevor Clarke made the points secure late on, smashing home Gareth McCaffrey’s cross that was missed by Paul Sinnott who swung wildly at the ball in the six-yard box.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy, Madden, Blanchard, D O’Connor, G Brennan, Cregg, McCabe, K Brennan (Webster, 89), D Clarke (T Clarke, 69), Miele, Drennan (McCaffrey, 73) SUBS: Hyland, Webster, Cornwall, Heaney, T Clarke, McCaffrey, Purdy.
GALWAY UNITED: K Horgan, Walsh, C Horgan, Cantwell, Sinnott, Shanahan, Devaney, Sullivan (Foley, 83), Connolly, Cunningham (Keating, 75), Faherty (Curran, 75). SUBS: Dillon, Melody, Foley, Raftery, Curran, Ludden, Keating.
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Gwan Connacht
Was looking forward to good match and hopefully a Connacht win until I saw the ring master himself, Frank Murphy is refereeing.
@Mike Faherty: are you suggesting a guy who played for Munster and Connacht is bias towards Leinster?
@Rudiger McMonihan: more so that he is incompetence defined, and as a unabashedly proud Munster supporter, Connacht losing would leave his Munster team as the only undefeated province and basically assured the trophy. Why can’t we have the referee from Ulster, like Chris Busby, if we can’t have a non IRFU ref?
@Rudiger McMonihan: Not at all, he is just as likely to ruin it for either or both sides, as the guys just loves being the centre of attention. That been said history tells us that Connacht normally come out the wrong side of his questionable decisions.
@Mike Faherty: appalling referee, never knowingly spares use of his whistle. It may just be coincidence but he saves his worst performances for Connacht games, and they are usually on receiving end….
Should be an interesting game, albeit not error free from either side. Neither team put out their first choice 23, but that’s not exactly a bad thing. Sean O Brien and Fitzgerald will relish this chance to play against an international centre and outhalf, while I am excited to see how Frawley plays for Leinster…haven’t seen enough of him, but he has looked quality. Many changes to Leinster’s pack, but can hardly say it looks weak. The Rainbow Cup should be treated as a good runabout for both teams, but it’s hard to feel like it is a serious interpro.
Looking forward to players like Penny, Frawley, Blade, and Daly playing themselves into the Irish squad this summer. Should be a good game.
@David Finn: you forgot Gavin Thournbury he will surley be an international before long
Connacht would be world champions if they only ever played irish teams. If they brought their interprovcial form to the rest of the league they’d be a serious force.
Saying that I can’t see leinster losing tonight.
@Chris Mc: eh… Connacht were second in their conference this season.
@Chris Mc: what are you on about? Connacht lost both games against Munster and their game v Ulster in pro14.
The interest in this game (on the East coast anyway) is ‘underwhelming’ …I suspect Connacht will win.
@Alan ODoherty: You were very quiet last week?