Shamrock Rovers

Chris Forrester topped and tailed victory with a brace as St Patrick's Athletic got back to winning ways.

Then Daniel Krezic was fouled and a free from Aaron Bolger found Keating at the back post. It was a fixture that felt like a six pointer, with both teams eager to make up for defeats before the international break. Doyle (Lonergan, 61). And with the rain continuing to drizzle down, the home side dominated from the off against a team they beat in all four meetings last season. To their credit, the home side rallied at the start of the second half without ever really threatening but Kenny added the crucial third goal to kill the game on 71 minutes with a close range header from Towell’s cross. They key moment of the game came on 31 minutes when Benson was dismissed for a high challenge on Grace in front of the Rovers bench.

Fans of horse racing know that Fridays at Dundalk can be confusing and this was a night where course and distance form went out the window as Shamrock ...

Yet it will frustrate O’Donnell that the second goal came from a corner with Grace in the right place after Gaffney overpowered Martin. His side were already a goal behind at that point, with the Hoops breakthrough goal a reflection of how they were switched on. Prior to this trip, their only victory there in the last four-and-a-half years came when Dundalk fielded a second-string side while distracted by European engagements in a chaotic 2020.

Dundalk 0-4 Shamrock Rovers At the seventh attempt, Shamrock Rovers recorded their first win in this season's SSE Airtricity League after thrashing ten-ma.

Then, the game’s big talking point arrived on 31 minutes, when Benson was shown a straight red card by referee Arnold Hunter for a high challenge on Grace right in front of the dugouts – meaning Dundalk would have to play about an hour with just ten players. The Lilywhites should have equalised just five minutes later, however, when a lovely exchange between Connor Malley and Benson saw the former slip John Martin through on goal, but the Dundalk forward blazed over the top when it looked easier to score. After what was a cagey opening to affairs, The Hoops took the lead after 22 minutes, when a Daniel Cleary ball into the penalty box was met at the far post by Gaffney, who managed to get himself in ahead of a static Archie Davies to head home and make it 1-0.