IRELAND SENIOR CALL-UP Jack Byrne added another starring role to his growing highlight reel with a brace to see Shamrock Rovers past a dogged UCD side at Tallaght Stadium.
The Hoops could have won by a cricket score as Aaron Greene, in particular, was wasteful in front of goal but had to settle for a nail-biting finish.
Yoyo Mahdy had equalised against the run of play for UCD seven minutes before the break after Byrne had opened the scoring.
The former Manchester City man curled home from the edge of the box but his shot really should have been saved by Conor Kearns, who had it covered before letting the ball squirm out of his grasp.
Greene had already missed a golden opportunity from a sublime Byrne through-ball at that point, and Aaron McEneff was just as wasteful when played through by Dylan Watts.
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Kearns did manage to redeem himself with an outstanding save to claw Byrne’s shout of the top corner on the half-hour.
And the Students made Rovers pay for their poor finishing as Mahdy started and finished a move that saw Neil Farrugia skin a defender before teeing up the striker.
Stephen Bradley celebrates with Orjan Vojic after the game. Oisin Keniry / INPHO
Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO
Rovers should have regained the lead when Greene missed a tap-in on the line, and Ronan Finn also squandered a chance from close range before the break.
The Hoops’ pressure eventually told in the second period as Finn’s cross was diverted to Byrne seven minutes from time, and he kept calm to net through a sea of bodies.
And McEneff added the third in injury-time as Kearns was caught going for broke by charging up for a corner, and the Derryman ran the ball into an empty net.
Murray Kinsella and Bernard Jackman look ahead to a huge weekend for the provinces in Europe and Ryan Bailey catches up with Ian Keatley on the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly:
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Byrne the star again as Rovers leave it late to see off UCD
Shamrock Rovers 3
UCD 1
Dave Donnelly reports from Tallaght Stadium
IRELAND SENIOR CALL-UP Jack Byrne added another starring role to his growing highlight reel with a brace to see Shamrock Rovers past a dogged UCD side at Tallaght Stadium.
The Hoops could have won by a cricket score as Aaron Greene, in particular, was wasteful in front of goal but had to settle for a nail-biting finish.
Yoyo Mahdy had equalised against the run of play for UCD seven minutes before the break after Byrne had opened the scoring.
The former Manchester City man curled home from the edge of the box but his shot really should have been saved by Conor Kearns, who had it covered before letting the ball squirm out of his grasp.
Greene had already missed a golden opportunity from a sublime Byrne through-ball at that point, and Aaron McEneff was just as wasteful when played through by Dylan Watts.
Kearns did manage to redeem himself with an outstanding save to claw Byrne’s shout of the top corner on the half-hour.
And the Students made Rovers pay for their poor finishing as Mahdy started and finished a move that saw Neil Farrugia skin a defender before teeing up the striker.
Rovers should have regained the lead when Greene missed a tap-in on the line, and Ronan Finn also squandered a chance from close range before the break.
The Hoops’ pressure eventually told in the second period as Finn’s cross was diverted to Byrne seven minutes from time, and he kept calm to net through a sea of bodies.
And McEneff added the third in injury-time as Kearns was caught going for broke by charging up for a corner, and the Derryman ran the ball into an empty net.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Bone, Lopes, Grace, Kavanagh; Bolger, McEneff, Finn; Byrne, Watts (Coustrain 59), Greene.
UCD: Kearns; Tobin, Scales, Collins, Dignam; O’Neill, O’Farrell, Molloy; McClelland, Farrugia, Mahdy.
Referee: John McLoughlin.
Murray Kinsella and Bernard Jackman look ahead to a huge weekend for the provinces in Europe and Ryan Bailey catches up with Ian Keatley on the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly:
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
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