Shamrock Rovers got their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title charge back on track with a hard-fought win over UCD to go five points clear at the ...
Rovers turned the screw in the closing stages, but the visitors defended strongly to keep the score to a minimum. The champions were made to work for it, but saw out the win to take a step closer to another league title. Moore produced another stunning stop to deny Farrugia a second, before Cleary saw his header loop over the crossbar. Burke’s effort from distance was well saved by Healy at his near post, before Dylan Duffy produced a huge block to deny Rovers a second on the half hour mark. The hosts had full control in the opening stages and took a deserved lead on 13 minutes through Farrugia. Sean Kavanagh hit an excellent cross to Burke moments later, but the 28-year-old guided his header well wide.
Shamrock Rovers players celebrate Neil Farrugia's goal. Image: Ben Brady/INPHO. Shamrock Rovers 1. UCD 0. Ronan MacNamara reports from Tallaght Stadium. NEIL ...
Moore was out like a flash to deny Farrugia after some gorgeous link up play from Gaffney and Burke as Rovers continued to pepper the UCD goal. The Hoops continued to launch an assault on the visitors goal through Gaffney, Jack Byrne, Burke and a glancing header from Gannon. Farrugia almost turned provider for Gaffney again after the break but his finish hit the side netting before Sean Kavanagh’s snapshot drew a fine save from Moore.
An early Neil Farrugia strike proved enough to take all three points, helping the three-in-a-row chasing Hoops extend their lead to five points with just ...
Jack Byrne went close with a left footed effort that narrowly missed the target, before Lee Grace saw his header miss the foot of the post by inches. The frustrated groans continued to ring around Tallaght as the Hoops lack of killer instinct in the final third continued. Dylan Duffy’s beautifully curled effort from the edge of the area looked destined for the top corner, only to be denied by an incredible finger tipped save from Mannus at full stretch. And the substitute was forced into action straight away as ex-Preston front man Burke smashed another effort towards the near post. Jack Byrne and Graham Burke went close early on before Neil Farrugia opened the scoring after just 13 minutes. In the midst of such a busy period, it was surprising that the home side made just one change with the return of Lee Grace to captain the side in place of Ronan Finn.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus, Sean Gannon, Lee Grace, Daniel Cleary, Dylan Watts (Lennox 89), Graham Burke (Finn 85), Sean Kavanagh, Gary O'Neill (Greene 63), ...
The Hoops picked up where they left off at the start of the second half with Burke, Gaffney and Farrugia once again causing headaches for the UCD defence. The Hoops continued to push forward in search of more goals to reflect their dominance with Gaffney, Graham Burke and Jack Byrne all having attempts on the UCD goal. Shamrock Rovers sit five points clear at the top of the SSE Airtricity League table after a dominant display over UCD at Tallaght Stadium on Monday night.