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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Shamrock Rovers v Shelbourne, Airtricity League

We went minute-by-minute live from Tallaght Stadium, as the Hoops took on Shels.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this evening’s action. E-mail paul@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

Full-time: Shamrock Rovers 4-0 Shelbourne

FT: Dundalk 2-1 UCD

FT: Bray Wanderers 2-4 Drogheda United

FT: Derry City 2-0 Cork City

FT: Monaghan United 0-1 Sligo Rovers

Hello, and welcome to this evening’s game between Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne. We’re coming at you live from Tallaght Stadium.

Here are the teams:

SHAMROCK ROVERS: 1. Oscar Jansson 14 Aaron Greene 6. Stephen Rice 5. Ken Oman (c) 19. Sean Gannon 20. Billy Dennehy 9. Gary Twigg 18. Chris Turner 4. Craig Sives 21. Ronan Finn 15. Killian Brennan Subs: 30. Lee Steacy 7. Gary McCabe 16. Daryl Kavanagh 10. Gary O’Neill 17. Graham Gartland 23. Colin Hawkins 22. Conor McCormack

SHELBOURNE: 1. Dean Delaney 2. Gareth Mathews 3. Lorcan Fitzgerald 4. Andy Boyle 6. Glen Cronin (c) 7. Conan Byrne 9. Philly Hughes 11. Brendan McGill 14. Paddy Kavanagh 16. Stephen Hurley 23. Ian Ryan Subs: 5. Stephen Paisley 8. Dave Cassidy12. Brian Shorthall 13. Paul Skinner 17. Sean Byrne 19. Philip Gorman 24. Anto Murphy

Of course, there’s a few other Airtricity League games taking place tonight. You can check out all the latest team news here.

In a game that has already started tonight, Drogheda have gone ahead against Bray, courtesy of a Dean Marshall goal.

None other than the President of Ireland himself, Michael D Higgins, has just been welcomed by the announcer here.

It has just been announced that kick-off has been delayed by ten minutes in tonight’s game, due to “traffic congestion”.

The teams are out and we’re off…

Rovers have just attempted an audacious shot at goal, straight from the kick-off.

PENALTY FOR ROVERS!

Red card for the Shels keeper Delaney, who took down Billy Dennehy after he burst through on goal.

GOAL FOR ROVERS!

Gary Twigg consummately drills a penalty to substitute Skinner’s left. Meanwhile, Brendan McGill has been taken off.

The worst possible start for Shels so. They certainly have a mountain to climb now.

Paddy Kavanagh drills a dangerous ball across the box, but fortunately for the visitors, there’s no Rovers player on hand for the tap in.

That’s Twigg’s fourth goal in four games by the way.

Unsurprisingly, given their man advantage, Rovers appear very much in the ascendancy, though they haven’t carved out any clear-cut chances since the goal.

Andy Boyle has just prevented Aaron Greene from doubling Rovers’ advantage with a last-ditch tackle as he was about to pull the trigger from close range.

Conan Byrne has just had a rare glimpse at goal for Shels, but his shot is deflected away for a corner.

GOAL FOR ROVERS!

That’s an absolute shocker! Hurley passes the ball back without looking. Unfortunately for him, the goalkeeper is out of position and so, the ball trickles slowly into the net. This game is quickly turning into a disaster for Shels.

It’s still more or less one-way traffic here, with Rovers constantly threatening to add a third.

Out of nowhere, Ronan Finn hits a powerful shot from outside the area that Skinner can only palm into the top corner. The sub goalkeeper will disappointed not to have done better there.

HALF TIME: SHAMROCK ROVERS 3-0 SHELBOURNE

So, at half-time, the game seems effectively over already, with the Hoops well in control. In truth, it’s looked that way since the seventh minute, when Rovers went ahead and Shels were reduced to ten men.

Ken Oman has been replaced by Graham Gartland.

And the second half has begun…

Meanwhile, elsewhere…

Incredible stuff! Finn’s shot hits the post and Twigg’s shot on the rebound is then cleared off the line by Boyle.

Another chance for Rovers, as a dangerous-looking cross is sliced by the defender for a corner.

Paddy Kavanagh goes through on goal for another rare Shels chance, but Jansson gets down well to make the save.

Paddy Kavanagh goes through on goal for another rare Shels chance, but Jansson gets down well to make the save.

Substitutions: Dennehy replaced by McCabe for Rovers, and Byrne replaced by Murphy for Shels.

Each Rovers pass is now being cheered by sections of their support, indicating how comfortable the home side are currently. And as I type that, a cross-cum-shot is desperately cleared for a corner by Ryan.

Michael D gives us a wave (INPHO/Donall Farmer):

GOAL FOR ROVERS!

Well this is embarrassing. Adrian here — and I’m not in Tallaght. The wireless system has finally fallen over having wobbled all night and Paul is left shouting into a can, connected to a piece of string.  He’s text me to say the game has finished 4-0 with Greene getting the last ‘after latching on to a poor back header from Ryan”. What a pro.

And, with that game at Tallaght ending, that concludes the voting from the League of Ireland jury tonight. Cork City were beaten in Derry — meaning they have one point from a possible 12. Both Louth clubs won and Sligo took three points from Roddy Collins’ Monaghan. Interesting.

Paul is currently heading downstairs to talk to the players and managers in Dublin so stay tuned for that. Thanks for your company.

Read: Live: Leinster v Ospreys, Pro12>

Read: Column: Shelbourne doing it their way, and doing just fine>

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