Two second half goals enabled Shamrock Rovers keep pace with Dundalk at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table as the Hoops eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cork City before 3,122 fans at the Tallaght Stadium. Right back
Two second half goals enabled Shamrock Rovers keep pace with Dundalk at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table as the Hoops eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cork City before 3,122 fans at the Tallaght Stadium.
Right back Joey O’Brien notched his first goal for the club in the 51st minute when he swept home a low drive from the edge of the area after a superb Ronan Finn cross from the left.
Roberto Lopes made the points safe ten minutes with a fine header from a Jack Byrne corner on Rovers keft hand side. That was just after Mark McNulty made a terrific save to deny O’Brien his second whose firm header connected with another Byrne free kick from the right.
Stephen Bradley’s men were frustrated in the opening half as a well-organised Leeside team kept matters scoreless until the break. Rovers had monopolized possession though and the visitors were struggling to create anything worthwhile.
The closest they came to scoring in the opening 45 minutes was an attempted sixteenth minute cross from the left by Trevor Clarke that deceived McNulty and rebounded into play off the crossbar.
Dylan Watts’ header from Clarke’s deep left wing cross was deflected away by the Cork defence for a corner in the 12th minute. Seven minutes before the break, Lopes might have scored from a Jack Byrne left wing free kick but his header flashed just wide.
On an excellent night for football, the second half was a different matter and Rovers have Dundalk in their sights as only goal difference divides this season’s “Big Two.”
