St. Patrick’s Athletic 1-0 Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers had their title celebrations put on hold for yet another week as St. Patrick’s Athletic kept the European battle interesting with a 1-0 win at Richmond Park.
Simon Power broke the deadlock against his former club on 37 minutes. His rocket from the edge of the box found the top right-hand corner after excellent build up play from back.
The Saints were unlucky not to have a second before the interval. Kian Leavy made a trademark run into the box, drew a low save from Ed McGinty, and Mason Melia somehow blazed the rebound over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Gaffney’s two late efforts were Rovers’ best of the game. His free header on 74 minutes was caught easily by Joseph Anang, and his volley soon afterwards was dramatically turned wide of the post.
Deep into injury time, Graham Burke controlled beautifully and looped a speculative volley which dipped agonisingly wide of the post before the whistle was inevitably blown.
The Tallaght outfit will have to wait until at least next week’s visit of Derry City to officially seal their fifth title in the last six seasons.
St. Patrick’s Athletic: J. Anang, A. Kazeem (J. McClelland 80′), T. Grivosti, J. Redmond, A. Sjöberg, J. Lennon, B. Baggley, C. Forrester (D. Robinson 80′), S. Power (R. McLaughlin 90+4′), K. Leavy (J. Garrick 87′), M. Melia (C. Carty 90+4′)
Shamrock Rovers: E. McGinty, S. Kavanagh (R. Gaffney 64′), A. Matthews (J. McGovern 81′), C. O’Sullivan, D. Cleary, D. Nugent (A. McEneff 90+1′), M. Healy (L. Grace 64′), D. Watts, D. Mandroiu, G. Burke, M. Noonan (C. Malley 64′)
Galway United 2-0 Bohemians
Bohemians suffered a hammer blow in the first test of their tough run in, a 2-0 loss in Galway seriously damaging their European ambitions. The Connacht side have moved out of the playoff spot, for now.
Rob Cornwall was close to opening the scoring when he guided Dayle Rooney’s corner just wide of Brendan Clarke’s right post after half an hour.
It was Galway, however, who drew first blood. Patrick Hickey notched up his first goal since April, Bobby Burns’ cross meeting him at the near post where he scrambled the ball over Kacper Chorazka after 37 minutes
Niall Morahan handled the ball inside the area towards the hour mark, handing David Hurley the chance to double the Tribesmen’s advantage from the penalty spot, done with ease into the bottom left.
Bohs’ efforts for any type of consolation were in vain. Rooney came somewhat close from a free kick which sailed just over the crossbar, and substitute Connor Parsons did well to create space for a flash shot in stoppage time.
Galway United: B. Clarke, B. Burns, G. Buckley, K. Brouder, J. Esua, A. Bolger, D. Hurley (A. Piesold 90′), P. Hickey (R. Slevin 73′), J. Keohane, D. McGuinness (E. McCarthy 65′), S. Walsh (J. Sivi 90′)
Bohemians: K. Chorazka, J. Flores, C. Byrne, R. Cornwall (C. Parsons 46′), N. Morahan (L. Kavanagh 78′), A. McDonnell (K. Buckley 68′), A. Meekison (C. Whelan 46′), D. Devoy, D. Rooney, R. Tierney (M. Strods 78′), J. Clarke
Shelbourne 3-1 Sligo Rovers
The champions continued their incredible run of four consecutive wins with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Sligo Rovers at Tolka Park. A top four spot is theirs to lose now.
The visitors took the lead after just 20 minutes. Will Fitzgerald caused mayhem down the Shels left, dazzling Sean Gannon and launching an awkward cross on top of Wessel Speel. The goalkeeper parried and Cian Kavanagh was in the right place to finish from close range.
Mipo Odubeko’s equaliser ten minutes later will likely be up for goal of the season. He received the ball with his back to goal from Kerr McInroy. Just as it looked like he was being pushed outwards, he generated a venomous shot from miles out directly into the bottom left.
Joey O’Brien’s side would’ve gotten itchy as the game went on, but their lead finally came with ten minutes to go. Daniel Kelly drove the ball low into a crowded box and watched it bounce over Sam Sargeant for his second goal of the week.
The game was put to bed in stoppage time by substitute John Martin, who finished well after being slipped through on goal by the in-form Harry Wood.
Shelbourne: W. Speel, T. Wilson (K. Ledwidge 46′), L. Temple, S. Gannon, M. Mbeng (E. Caffrey 46′), J. Lunney (H. Wood 58′), K. McInroy, J. Henry-Francis, D. Kelly, A. Coote (S. Boyd 63′), M. Odubeko (J. Martin 73′)
Sligo Rovers: S. Sargeant, S. Stewart (K. McDonagh 81′), O. Denham, P. McClean, E. Agbaje, S. Quirk, J. McManus (W. Waweru 90′), J. Hakiki, W. Fitzgerald, O. Elding, C. Kavanagh (R. Manning 46′)
Drogheda United 1-0 Cork City
Drogheda United got the job done against a heavily rotated and already relegated Cork City, a 1-0 win enough to maintain their touching distance with the top four.
Darragh Markey and Owen Lambe linked up well trying to force an early opening. Markey’s cross on 12 minutes couldn’t have been better, finding Josh Thomas who couldn’t react quick enough to guide his header into the net.
The breakthrough eventually came when Conor Kane’s drive forward on the left ended with a pinpoint cross, Thomas the profiteer this time when he headed in his seventh goal of the season to end the stalemate just before half time.
The Boynesiders drew an incredible fifteen corners, one of which Conor Keeley got on the end of and forced a camera save over the bar from David Odumosu on 66 minutes.
Substitute Dare Kareem almost recreated his recent goal against Derry City, latching onto Keeley’s knockdown, controlling and unleashing a volley which struck the inside of the post and teasingly dashed along the goal line.
Fiacre Kelleher avoided embarrassment late on after he diverted Kane’s cross into his own goal, only to be saved by the linesman’s flag indicating an offside.
Drogheda United: L. Dennison, C. Kane, A. Quinn, C. Keeley, J. Bolger (G. Cooper 72′), O. Lambe, R. Brennan, S. Farrell (L. Heeney 83′), D. Markey, J. Stretton (D. Kareem 67′), J. Thomas (W. Davis 83′)
Cork City: D. Odumosu, M. Kiernan, C. Lyons (A. Nolan 46′), F. Kelleher, R. Feely, D. Crowley (F. Anderson 46′), S. Murray, K. Kamara, E. McLaughlin (J. Fitzpatrick 46′), C. Drinan (C. Lutz 69′), B. Lee (C. Hanover 79′)
Waterford 1-2 Derry City
Waterford slipped into the playoff spot as Tiernan Lynch’s Derry City picked up three valuable points at the RSC.
Brian Maher saved Mark Connolly’s blushes after just five minutes. The centre back slipped and watched Padraig Amond run in behind. The ball was squared to Tommy Lonergan but Maher was quick to close him down with a save.
Lonergan eventually got his goal fifteen minutes later. A long ball forward was flicked on by Amond, and his strike partner emphatically rifled high into the net from a relatively tight angle.
Unsurprisingly, Michael Duffy was heavily involved in the equaliser. He dazzled Ryan Burke with his magical footwork, before his low cross was easily converted by Gavin Whyte from inches out.
Whyte turned provider for Duffy six minutes later. Radkowski gifted the ball to the former Portsmouth player at the back and he played his teammate in behind for an easy finish past Stephen McMullan.
Waterford: S. McMullan, R. Burke, R. Mansfield, K. Radkowski (T. Coyle 75′), G. Horton, D. McMenamy (M. Smith 81′), J. Olayinka (S. Glenfield 68′), K. White, C. Noonan, P. Amond, T. Lonergan
Derry City: B. Maher, B. Fleming (S. Todd 72′), J. Stott, M. Connolly, H. Cann, R. Boyce, R. Benson, C. Winchester (C. Dummigan 55′), M. Duffy, A. O’Reilly, G. Whyte (A. Frizzell 72′)
This week’s fixtures:
Bohemians vs St. Patrick’s Athletic (Monday)
Galway United vs Drogheda United (Friday)
St. Patrick’s Athletic vs Waterford (Friday)
Sligo Rovers vs Cork City (Saturday)
Derry City vs Shamrock Rovers (Sunday)
Bohemians vs Shelbourne (Sunday)
