Dundalk 0

Niall Newberry reports from Tallaght Stadium

SHAMROCK ROVERS REMAIN top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table after recording a narrow 1-0 win over Dundalk at Tallaght Stadium tonight.

A header from Roberto Lopes just past the hour-mark was all that separated the sides on a night where Dundalk’s hopes for European qualification were dealt a major blow.

The table-toppers started the brighter, and created the game’s first opening on seven minutes, with Graham Burke firing a shot from outside the penalty box wide of the post.

Having won just once in their last nine outings, Rovers continued to threaten, and Rory Gaffney’s angled effort had to be gathered at the second attempt by Nathan Shepperd.

However, the Dundalk goalkeeper had Liam Burt’s long-distance shot well covered, not long before Burke poked an effort from the edge of the area which fizzed inches wide.

Having weathered that early storm, Dundalk then began to assert authority with their first effort on 22 minutes; a brilliant ball from Archie Davies was right on the head of the inrushing John Martin, who forced veteran goalkeeper Alan Mannus into a good save.

Right on the half-hour mark, it was Johannes Yli-Kokko who played in Daniel Kelly, whose powerful goalbound shot was crucially blocked out by Rovers defender Lee Grace.

Moments later, a quick counter-attack resulted in Martin being allowed to carry towards goal, but with options to his left and right, his dipping attempt sailed over the crossbar.

The Lilywhites had one more attempt before the half-time break; a cross from Davies was headed at the back post onto the framework by Martin following sustained pressure.

Four minutes into the second period, skipper Daryl Horgan slipped Martin in, but the Dundalk forward took a touch too many before eventually being denied by Mannus.

At the other end, Dundalk were almost made to pay for their flurry of missed chances, with Burt pulling back for Dylan Watts, who turned wide when it looked easier to score.

Stephen O’Donnell had never won as a head coach in Tallaght on his seven previous attempts, and was becoming increasingly more animated as the night progressed.

And for good cause, for it was Rovers who finally broke the deadlock on 62 minutes, when Cape Verde international Lopes headed home from a Watts right-field corner.

Still reeling from that concession, the visitors almost shipped a second when Watts turned and fired towards goal, but luckily for The Lilywhites, it went just off target.

Gaffney had a goal ruled out for offside earlier in the half, but almost sealed the points for The Hoops inside the final 10 minutes when his rasping shot was saved by Shepperd.

Ex-Sheffield Wednesday man Sam Durrant was introduced from the bench, and almost levelled for Dundalk when carrying the ball a long way before being foiled by Mannus.

But that attempt was the best O’Donnell’s side could conjure up in the closing stages, as Rovers returned to winning ways, as well as keeping themselves at the top of the table.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Alan Mannus; Daniel Cleary, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Ronan Finn (Trevor Clarke 72), Gary O’Neill, Dylan Watts (Richie Towell 76), Sean Kavanagh; Graham Burke (Johnny Kenny 72), Liam Burt (Markus Poom 53); Rory Gaffney.

DUNDALK: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Darren Brownlie, Louie Annesley, Hayden Muller (Robbie McCourt 81) ; Greg Sloggett (Alfie Lewis 64), Connor Malley (Cameron Elliott 81), Johannes Yli-Kokko (Sam Durrant 75); Daniel Kelly, John Martin (Patrick Hoban 64), Daryl Horgan.

Referee: Neil Doyle

Attendance: 6,021