Shamrock Rovers 0
Dundalk 2
STEPHEN KENNY’S DUNDALK had A happy return to Tallaght Stadium as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions came away with a 2-0 win tonight.
It was at the home of Shamrock Rovers where the Lilywhites claimed their second consecutive title last October and the current league leaders were set on their way by an early David Webster own-goal.
Rovers captain Gary McCabe was given his marching orders for a bad tackle at the end of the first half and ex-Hoops midfielder Ronan Finn added a second for the visitors on 46 minutes.
The Hoops made just one change from the side which claimed a 4-0 win over Bohemians in the derby, with Dean Clarke coming in for Gary Shaw.
Ciaran Kilduff suffered a fractured vertebrae in Monday night’s EA Sports Cup defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic, meaning David McMillan started as Dundalk’s only fit striker.
The opening ten minutes provided little in the way of chances as both sides felt their way into the game with some neat triangles around the middle of the park.
Max Blanchard had to time his tackle to perfection to snuff out Daryl Horgan in the 14th minute but his central defensive partner Webster wasn’t quite as lucky seconds later.
Darren Meenan sent a low ball across the goal mouth and Webster’s attempted clearance ended up in his own net.
The visitors continued to create and they had produced two decent chances just before the half-hour mark.
First, Daryl Horgan went on a terrific run, leaving a couple of Rovers players in his wake, before choosing to slip in McMillan but the former UCD man could only poke wide.
Then Andy Boyle rose highest to head a corner the wrong side of Barry Murphy’s post.
Rovers’ task became considerably more difficult on 31 minutes when they lost their captain to a red card as McCabe caught opposing skipper Stephen O’Donnell with a dangerous over-the-ball challenge and referee Neil Doyle sent him for an early bath.
O’Donnell limped off with an injury right on the half-time whistle to be replaced by Robbie Benson.
The champions wasted no time after returning back onto the pitch for the second half and it was a Rovers old boy who doubled their lead.
Horgan’s deep cross was cushioned back towards the penalty spot by a Meenan header and Finn arrived late to stroke past Murphy.
A driving run forward by Gannon moments later deserved a goal but Murphy stood strong to keep out the full-back’s effort.
While Rovers brought on Danny North to try ease the pressure as an attacking outlet but, struggling to deal with their numerical disadvantage, they rarely troubled the Dundalk defence.
Down the other end, McMillan should have turned a Meenan cut-back home, then Gavin Brennan had to make a goal-line clearance from Horgan after great work by Finn.
There was also a bonus for Kenny in the closing stages as Patrick McEleney made his return to first team action since recovering from a groin injury picked up in the defeat to Cork City last month.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Barry Murphy, Simon Madden. Max Blanchard, David Webster, Gavin Brennan, Killian Brennan, Gary McCabe (c), Michael Drennan (Trevor Clarke 82), Brandon Miele, Patrick Cregg, Dean Clarke (Danny North 52).
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey, Chris Shields, Stephen O’Donnell (c) (Robbie Benson 46), Daryl Horgan, Ronan Finn, Darren Meenan (John Mountney 77), David McMillan (Patrick McEleney 72).
Referee: Neil Doyle.
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