DUNDALK MAINTAINED THEIR four-point lead at the top of the Airtricity League table tonight as they brushed aside a lacklustre Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght, eventually winning 3-0.
The game was only three minutes old when David McMillan pounced on a loose back pass before heading for goal, but Barry Murphy was quick off his line to force the striker’s shot wide.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
The slippery surface, due to a heavy downpour before kick-off, meant there were some risky tackles in the opening exchanges, and with the games coming thick and fast, the withdrawal of Stephen O’Donnell after 13 minutes was surely a worrying sight for Stephen Kenny.
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The midfielder appeared to limp off, but, despite that, the visitors dominated the entire opening half, and chances for Ronan Finn, Patrick McEleney and McMillan all came and went as the Hoops struggled to find any footing in the tie.
A neat McMillan knock-down to McEleney on 20 minutes offered Dundalk their best scoring opportunity of the half, but the former Derry man blazed over from close range.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
As the rain continued to fall in the second period, Dundalk maintained their pressure on the home defence, and they finally had the lead seven minutes after the restart.
John Mountney’s corner-kick was headed goalwards by Brian Gartland, and despite Murphy saving, the defender forced in the rebound for his fourth league goal in seven games.
Gartland was involved in their second too, which was eventually turned in by Dane Massey who was set up by former Rovers man Ciaran Kilduff just after the hour mark.
The latter then made it 3-0 with 70 minutes played, converting Finn’s cross from the right, and the current champions played the rest of the tie at a canter to keep their hopes of three league titles in a row well and truly alive.
Dundalk's three-in-a-row bid still on track after comfortable win over Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers 0
Dundalk 3
DUNDALK MAINTAINED THEIR four-point lead at the top of the Airtricity League table tonight as they brushed aside a lacklustre Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght, eventually winning 3-0.
The game was only three minutes old when David McMillan pounced on a loose back pass before heading for goal, but Barry Murphy was quick off his line to force the striker’s shot wide.
The slippery surface, due to a heavy downpour before kick-off, meant there were some risky tackles in the opening exchanges, and with the games coming thick and fast, the withdrawal of Stephen O’Donnell after 13 minutes was surely a worrying sight for Stephen Kenny.
The midfielder appeared to limp off, but, despite that, the visitors dominated the entire opening half, and chances for Ronan Finn, Patrick McEleney and McMillan all came and went as the Hoops struggled to find any footing in the tie.
A neat McMillan knock-down to McEleney on 20 minutes offered Dundalk their best scoring opportunity of the half, but the former Derry man blazed over from close range.
As the rain continued to fall in the second period, Dundalk maintained their pressure on the home defence, and they finally had the lead seven minutes after the restart.
John Mountney’s corner-kick was headed goalwards by Brian Gartland, and despite Murphy saving, the defender forced in the rebound for his fourth league goal in seven games.
Gartland was involved in their second too, which was eventually turned in by Dane Massey who was set up by former Rovers man Ciaran Kilduff just after the hour mark.
The latter then made it 3-0 with 70 minutes played, converting Finn’s cross from the right, and the current champions played the rest of the tie at a canter to keep their hopes of three league titles in a row well and truly alive.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy, Webster, O’Connor, Heaney, Madden, McCabe, Miele (Doona, 65), T Clarke, Shaw, Boyd, D Clarke (Kiely, 62). SUBS: Cornwall, Kiely, Gleeson, Hanney, Doona, Dobbs, Gibbons.
DUNDALK: Sava, Gartland, Boyle, Massey, Keane, O’Donnell (Shields,13), Mountney, Horgan, McEleney (Shiels, 77), Finn, McMillan (Kilduff, 55). SUBS: Rogers, Shields, Benson, Barrett, Kilduff, Shiels, Meenan.
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