A SIMPLE WIN over Finn Harps tonight means that Shamrock Rovers stay joined on points with Dundalk at the top of the Premier Division.
Harps hadn’t lost in their last four but were well beaten with Ronan Finn and a penalty from Dylan Watts doing the damage for the Tallaght team with first-half goals before Aaron Greene added a late third.
The visitors took the lead on just six minutes when Greene squared to Finn to shoot home from close range after Peter Boyle in the Harps goal had to down to stop but not smother a shot from Dan Carr.
Advertisement
Rovers doubled their lead from the penalty spot on 32 minutes when Dylan Watts sent Burke the wrong way. Burke had conceded the spot kick when he was beaten in a race to the ball by Greene following a neatly-dinked pass by Finn.
Seven minutes from time, a back-post finish made it three with Greene slotting home a delivery from Byrne.
At 2-0 to Rovers, Harps were stuck in the traps and were fortunate not to add a third when Roberto Lopes headed narrowly over the hosts’ crossbar following a free-kick from Jack Byrne, who was omitted from the Republic of Ireland senior squad earlier in the day but seemed to be enjoying his trip to the north-west.
The second half was reasonably quiet, with Stephen Bradley’s team having asserted their control beforehand. Burke had to scamper from his line to make a decent stop from Greene, who had gotten away having played a nine one-two with Byrne on 68 minutes.
Shamrock Rovers' Ronan Finn and Finn Harps' Mark Russell. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
Finn Harps: Peter Burke; Niall Logue, Sam Todd, Daniel O’Reilly; Colm Deasy, Mark Coyle (Keith Cowan 77), Jacob Borg (Tony McNamee, half-time), Mark Russell; Caolan McAleer, Nathan Boyle (Liam Walsh 83), Mikey Place.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Manus; Joey O’Brien, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace, Trevor Clarke (Ethan Boyle 77); Greg Bolger (Dean Dillon 83), Dylan Watts, Dan Carr (Joel Coustrain 64), Ronan Finn, Jack Byrne; Aaron Greene.
Referee: Robert Hennessy.
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Rovers stay joint top as Greene, Watts and Finn steer them past Finn Harps on the road
Finn Harps 0
Shamrock Rovers 3
Alan Foley reports from Finn Park
A SIMPLE WIN over Finn Harps tonight means that Shamrock Rovers stay joined on points with Dundalk at the top of the Premier Division.
Harps hadn’t lost in their last four but were well beaten with Ronan Finn and a penalty from Dylan Watts doing the damage for the Tallaght team with first-half goals before Aaron Greene added a late third.
The visitors took the lead on just six minutes when Greene squared to Finn to shoot home from close range after Peter Boyle in the Harps goal had to down to stop but not smother a shot from Dan Carr.
Rovers doubled their lead from the penalty spot on 32 minutes when Dylan Watts sent Burke the wrong way. Burke had conceded the spot kick when he was beaten in a race to the ball by Greene following a neatly-dinked pass by Finn.
Seven minutes from time, a back-post finish made it three with Greene slotting home a delivery from Byrne.
At 2-0 to Rovers, Harps were stuck in the traps and were fortunate not to add a third when Roberto Lopes headed narrowly over the hosts’ crossbar following a free-kick from Jack Byrne, who was omitted from the Republic of Ireland senior squad earlier in the day but seemed to be enjoying his trip to the north-west.
The second half was reasonably quiet, with Stephen Bradley’s team having asserted their control beforehand. Burke had to scamper from his line to make a decent stop from Greene, who had gotten away having played a nine one-two with Byrne on 68 minutes.
Finn Harps: Peter Burke; Niall Logue, Sam Todd, Daniel O’Reilly; Colm Deasy, Mark Coyle (Keith Cowan 77), Jacob Borg (Tony McNamee, half-time), Mark Russell; Caolan McAleer, Nathan Boyle (Liam Walsh 83), Mikey Place.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Manus; Joey O’Brien, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace, Trevor Clarke (Ethan Boyle 77); Greg Bolger (Dean Dillon 83), Dylan Watts, Dan Carr (Joel Coustrain 64), Ronan Finn, Jack Byrne; Aaron Greene.
Referee: Robert Hennessy.
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Aaron Greene Finn Harps heating up League of Ireland LOI Shamrock Rovers TIGHT AT THE TOP