Shamrock Rovers 2
Cork City 1
Darryl Geraghty reports from Tallaght Stadium
SHAMROCK ROVERS EXTENDED their lead at the top of the table to four points with a hard fought 2-1 win thanks to goals from Graham Burke and Liam Burt either side of Barry Coffey’s free kick to earn their first win over the Rebel Army this season.
With Dublin rivals Bohemians and St. Patrick’s Athletic closing the gap with their victories on Friday night, the pressure was on Stephen Bradley’s troops to get all three points.
It took until 20th minutes in for the real first chance at goal when skipper Ronan Finn’s low cross fell kindly into the path of Graham Burke, who’s side footed strike came back off the foot of the post, with some of the home faithful thinking it was in.
Ex-Bohs man Liam Burt was next to go close having been slipped in by Johnny Kenny’s clever touch around the corner, but was sharply denied by Oliver Byrne.
Goal scoring had been a problem for the Hoops in recent weeks – with their last goal from open play coming back on June 26th when Rory Gaffney notched the winner against Derry City – but the pressure finally told just before the half hour mark when Burke showed quick feet to fashion a yard of space before hitting a rare right footed effort into the far corner from 25-yards out.
To their credit, the visitors who didn’t let the heads drop from the set-back and, following Finn’s foul on ex-Hoops man Aaron Bolger, got themselves level moments later. Barry Coffey’s beautifully struck free kick flew into the side of the net.
The hair dryer must have been out in the home dressing room as Rovers flew out of the traps and got back in front four minutes in through an amazing solo effort from the pacey Burt who dropped the shoulder, selling two City defenders before sweeping home for his first goal for the Hoops in his first league start.
Just after the hour mark, the deadly duo of Burke and Burt combined well again before the latter was caught by Joshua Honohan. Up stepped Burke from 20-yards out but was brilliantly denied by Byrne who reacted incredibly well to get down low and to push the ball to safety.
With the visitors pushing for an equaliser, and the introduction of new signing Ben Worman, Cork forced some nervy moments as the game drew to a close, but it was Rovers who defended resolutely and should have added to their tally as Rory Gaffney overhit s square ball to fellow substitute Aaron Greene who had the goal at their mercy.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus, Ronan Finn (Darragh Nugent, 78’), Roberto Lopes, Dan Cleary, Gary O’Neill, Sean Kavanagh, Dylan Watts (Richie Towell, 65’), Markus Poom, Liam Burt (Aaron Greene, 87’), Graham Burke, Johnny Kenny (Rory Gaffney, 65’)
Cork City: Oliver Byrne, Conor Drinan, Joshua Honohan, Cian Coleman, Kevin Custovic, Jaze Kabia (Joshua Fitzpatrick, 72’), Aaron Bolger, Barry Coffey, Rokas Stanulevicius (Benjamin Worman, 78’), Cian Bargary, Tunde Owolabi
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