Shamrock Rovers

Ahead of the Premier League big two showdown at Old Trafford tomorrow night, it's the big two of Irish football, Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk, who cross.

We've got Lucan and we'll do our work now that this game is out of the way and hopefully we'll put in a performance in Dalymount,' said Long. 'He was fantastic,' said Long of the 22-year-old Scot. What were the odds on that double? As a pointer, the last two league games for Rovers followed midweek European exertions, and both were drawn, against Drogheda and Derry. 'The timing of the third goal killed us. You don't just decide to switch it on and off.

Today's Premier League action gets underway inside the hour. First up Leeds host Chelsea from 2pm. Speaking ahead of the game Leeds manger Jesse Marsch says ...

*** Rory McIlroy is now in a share of 11th place during his final round of the BMW Championship in Delaware this evening. The Icelandic team won comfortably in the end, recording a 3-0 win in Slovenia. Ireland have beaten Turkey 7-0 in their final EuroHockey qualifier at the Sport Ireland Campus in Blanchardstown. Mark English has picked up a bronze medal in final of the 800 metres. There's plenty of Irish involvement in the final day of the European Championships in Munich.

Shamrock Rovers took a huge step towards retaining their league title with a crushing victory over nearest challengers Dundalk at Tallaght Stadium.

From the resultant free kick, Cleary picked out Greene in acres of space with the 32-year-old turning supplier on this occasion as he rolled the ball across to Towell for another tap-in. The visitors did much of the pressing after that but were badly exposed when Rovers broke to take the lead on 13 minutes. Dundalk came into the game with a chance of closing the gap at the top of the table to a single point, albeit with a game more played, but their inexperience showed as their high line was exposed time and time again by a Rovers side who never really had to get out of second gear.

The champions are in action in the SSE Airticity League Premier Division this evening.Shamrock Rovers face Dundalk in a top of the table clash.

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Front pair Rory Gaffney and Aaron Greene weren't capable of stretching the Ferencvaros rearguard midweek, but they found Dundalk much more accommodating ...

That was game over, with Mannus producing an exhibition of goalkeeping in the final quarter to prevent Dundalk from registering a consolation. Dundalk did have plenty of the ball, yet Rovers weren’t too perturbed by that as they were able to soak pressure and then threaten every time they shifted the ball forward quickly. That’s why in the aftermath of Thursday, minds immediately shifted to the visit of their main title rivals. With Europa Conference League group stage football assured regardless, Hungary was a free hit that ended up delivering a few unwanted punches. This game was effectively decided by a pair of first-half counter-attacks from the Hoops, finding weakness in Dundalk at a time where the visitors perhaps thought they were starting to get on top. If Thursday’s lesson in Ferencvaros was a dent to the ego, this was the ideal way for all involved with

The champions learned a sobering European lesson in Budapest on Thursday night at the hands of Ferencvaros but this Tallaght Stadium victory reaffirmed their ...

To their credit, Dundalk finished off the opening half on the front foot and they continued to press in search of a goal on the restart. The concession of the goal and the loss of Benson in the middle of the park clearly affected Dundalk as the tempo in their play dropped and Rovers asserted control. Within 60 seconds The Hoops were two goals to the good but there was a degree of controversy just seconds beforehand at the other end of the pitch. Both Hoare and Grace failed to adequately clear their Iines but Cleary did so with the perfect pass up the left hand flank , releasing Gaffney who showed the covering McCourt a clean pair of heels as he spurted 60 yards into the Dundalk box. Seven points now separate Rovers and Dundalk with the leaders also enjoying a game in hand and a superior goal difference of nine to their closest rivals. But Rovers exploited the visitors' lack of pace at the heart of their defence with a ruthless clinical edge that saw the home attack of Rory Gaffney, Richie Towell and Aaron Greene on fire.

SHAMROCK ROVERS' fans were singing 'Stand up for the champions' before half-time. Aaron Greene of Shamrock Rovers scores his side's first goal. 1.

"So it was 'could we be in a really strong position?’ in the league. But, having been denied at one end, Dundalk were again exposed at the other as Greene raced clear on the left and this time crossed low for Gaffney to tap home. “What have we left now, ten games? But when Cleary then took the free kick, Dundalk’s high defensive line was asleep as Greene ran in beyond them on the left to cross for Towell to tap in at the far post. Bradley said: “We spoke on Thursday in the (Ferencvaros) dressing room after the game that this was the game of the week. But the Hoops’ fans can also be confident in their team to go on and win the title, because no one on the team is going to celebrate a title early like the supporters.

Shamrock Rovers are seven points clear at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division this morning.Stephen Bradley's side beat second-placed ...

By Matthew Foley. Shamrock Rovers regained a seven-point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League on Sunday night with an emphatic 3-0 victory over ...

Up next is a return to European action and a return to Tallaght Stadium as Rovers take on Ferencváros in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off match. Martin had found the back of the net for the Lilywhites but the goal was disallowed due to a foul on Cleary. The Hoops remained on top and continued to threaten as they searched for a second goal, with Gaffney coming close on two occasions but failing to beat Nathan Shepperd in the Dundalk goal.