Shamrock Rovers 4
Cork City 4
DESPITE AN audacious first-half wonder goal by Darragh Crowley, Cork City were left frustrated as a Shamrock Rovers late show saw them earn a dramatic 4-4 draw.
A pulsating game was interrupted for a lengthy stoppage late on for treatment to City’s Aaron Bolger after a sickening clash of heads with Trevor Clarke. It became immediately apparent that Bolger was in trouble as players from both teams called for urgent attention.
Bolger eventually left the field on a stretcher to applause from all sides of the ground. After the game Cork City tweeted: “Bolger is conscious, and has gone to hospital to be assessed.”
Rovers had led early through Rory Gaffney, before goals from Ruairi Keating and Crowley turned the game on its head.
Lee Grace leveled proceedings in the second half, but efforts from Crowley (again) and Kevin Custovic appeared to seal all three points for the Rebels.
But Rovers showed great resilience in the dying minutes as two late goals from substitutes Simon Power and Sean Hoare saw them claim an improbable point.
It could have been even better for Stephen Bradley’s men, but some desperate defending late on saw Cork earn a draw that they deserved on the balance of play.
Both sides had gotten off to mixed starts after three games played. Shamrock Rovers were without a win, having drawn with Sligo Rovers and Drogheda, before losing at home to Derry City on Friday.
Colin Healy’s team, meanwhile, were beaten by Bohemians and Derry, before last week’s emphatic, morale-boosting 4-0 victory over UCD.
Roberto Lopes and Ronan Finn were both unavailable for the Hoops, who made four changes from Friday.
Neil Farrugia, Sean Kavanagh, Graham Burke, and Sean Gannon all dropped to the bench, while Lee Grace, Daniel Cleary, Rory Gaffney, and Darragh Nugent came into the team.
Meanwhile, there was just one change for the visitors — Gordon Walker came into the side in place of Barry Coffey, though he was replaced by Kevin Čustović shortly before half-time.
Rovers created the first chance. Jack Byrne’s searching ball found Trevor Clarke, whose low cross was turned inches wide by the onrushing Gaffney.
The Hoops continued to threaten and Clarke was looking lively, as his driving run won the hosts a free kick on the edge of the area, though Byrne blazed wastefully over from the ensuing set piece.
Moments later, however, the deadlock was broken after what felt like a game of ping-pong inside the area. Byrne’s corner founds its way to Gary O’Neill, whose low shot was saved, before Gaffney’s initial effort on the follow-up was blocked for the second time by the feet of Jimmy Corcoran, but the striker blasted home at the third attempt following some neat footwork to evade the defenders and hand the reigning champions the advantage.
Rory Gaffney finds the net for Shamrock Rovers... eventually 😅#LOI | #SHACOR pic.twitter.com/v0YhrhYFyR
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) March 6, 2023
The Hoops went close shortly thereafter. Dylan Watts’ sweetly struck free kick from just outside the box came back off the crossbar.
Gaffney then threatened a second after the half-hour mark, winning the ball on the edge of the area and going on a mazy run but Corcoran was equal to the low shot from the edge of the area.
Cork had scarcely threatened up to that point but found themselves level out of nothing.
Ciaran Bargary’s low cross was turned home first time by Ruairi Keating to silence the vast majority of the crowd.
The visitors’ confidence was high as a result and they took the lead with an incredible effort not long after.
Alan Mannus left his line to make a hasty low clearance. It fell to Crowley, roughly 40 yards out, taking one touch before his perfectly executed lob landed just out of the backtracking goalkeeper’s reach and into the net — you won’t see many better goals this season!
The game remained very open thereafter and Clarke went close on the brink of half-time. The 24-year-old wing-back latched on to a lofted ball from Byrne, but Cork skipper Cian Coleman got back well to prevent the Bristol Rovers loanee from getting a clear shot on goal as his effort went inches to the wrong side of the post, leaving Rovers frustrated going in at the break.
🏌️♂️ FORE!
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) March 6, 2023
Darragh Crowley puts Cork City in front with a sensational strike 🤩#LOI | #SHACOR pic.twitter.com/GWdnn1K21H
Fearing the prospect of more dropped points, Stephen Bradley introduced former Ireland U21 international Neil Farrugia at the break in place of Darragh Nugent.
Rovers pressed for an equaliser and found one in simple fashion eight minutes after the re-start, as Lee Grace rose above everyone else to head home Jack Byrne’s corner from the left.
Graham Burke replaced Markus Poom as the Hoops searched for a third, but it was Cork who found one.
Matt Healy’s free-kick was only half-cleared. It broke for Kevin Custovic who slotted home for his first goal since signing on loan from Danish First Division club Vejle Boldklub at the beginning of the season.
Cork went close again in the 65th minute — a corner fell to Coleman whose low shot was saved by Mannus as Rovers began to look increasingly ragged.
The sense of relief didn’t last long as the hosts were punished moments later.
Cian Bargary’s cross broke kindly for Crowley, who finished with aplomb for his second to give the Leesiders some breathing space.
The game appeared far from over though and Gaffney saw a header hit the crossbar before a powerful Watts effort was deflected just over amid a late Rovers onslaught.
As the game entered its dying minutes, it essentially became an attack-v-defence session as the contest was played almost exclusively in the visitors’ half — Farrugia struck a powerful effort just wide as Cork seemed set to hold on.
The newly promoted side were eventually punished as Simon Power’s close-range finish ensured a thrilling finish to this highly entertaining contest.
But the crowd’s enthusiasm was curtailed with five minutes to go amid worrying scenes — a nasty collision saw Bolger and Clarke collide at pace, prompting medics to rush onto the field before the stricken Cork player was taken off on a stretcher.
Then, deep into injury time, Sean Hoare headed home from a set piece to make it 4-4 amid an incredible climax.
Rovers fans urged their fans on for a fifth but it wasn’t to be as the visitors secured a hard-fought point.
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Alan Mannus 5. Lee Grace 6. Daniel Cleary 16. Gary O’Neill (Hoare 72) 18. Trevor Clarke 15. Darragh Nugent (Farrugia 46) 19. Markus Poom (Burke 57) 7. Dylan Watts (Towell 72) 29. Jack Byrne 24. Johnny Kenny (Power 64) 20. Rory Gaffney
Subs: 25. Leon Pohls 2. Sean Gannon 3. Sean Hoare 10. Graham Burke 11. Sean Kavanagh 14. Simon Power 17. Richie Towell 23. Neil Farrugia 27. Liam Burt
Cork City: 20. Jimmy Corcoran 2. Gordon Walker (Kevin Čustović 38, ) 4. Cian Coleman 6. Ally Gilchrist 5. Matt Healy 8. Aaron Bolger (Winbo 90) 11. Cian Bargary 16. Daniel Krezic (Varian 64) 9. Ruairi Keating 17. Darragh Crowley 18. Josh Honohan
Subs: 26. Aaron Mannix 7. Tunde Owolabi 14. Albin Winbo 21. Ethon Varian 22. John O’Donovan 24. Cian Murphy 27. Kevin Čustović 28. Jonas Häkkinen 30. Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh.
Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin)