Shamrock Rovers 0

Dundalk 0

Gavin Cooney reports from Tallaght Stadium 

AS DUNDALK JOURNEYED to Dublin for the first time this season, the week’s blue skies were slowly sketched pewter, and similarly, their latest title defence is becoming increasingly shaded in grey. 

Red-hot favourites before the season began, all is now slightly less definitive than it had been. Dundalk have now won just one of their opening four games following a scrappy, haggard goalless draw with Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght. 

The champions were the better side – carving out the better chances – but missing the guile of Patrick McEleney and Robbie Benson, they were quelled by a doughty Rovers performance in which Lee Grace, Greg Bolger and Joey O’Brien were all impressive. 

As has become a trend in the early weeks of the season, Rovers started quickly, and fashioned an early chance: Greg Bolger’s sweeping cross-field pass was laid off by Joel Coustrain to Orhan Vojic, whose volley was deflected narrowly over the crossbar. Rovers maintained a high tempo, with Ronan Finn hurtling about the pitch, causing Brian Gartland a couple of nervy moments in possession. 

Dundalk grew into the game, however: their influence growing in step with Chris Shields’ at the base of the midfield. They came closest to scoring in the first-half, too: a Michel Duffy free-kick met Sean Hoare’s forehead on its way to cannoning off the crossbar, as Dane Massey’s tame follow-up was hacked off the line. 

With Pat Hoban a much more effective outlet than Vojic, Dundalk began bringing their wide players into play. Another Duffy free-kick was punched by Alan Mannus only as far as Dan Kelly who cut across a low volley that flew narrowly wide.

A Duffy corner – won by Kelly – caught an unmarked Hoban unawares in the six-yard box – meaning he headed tamely wide – while on the stroke of half-time Hoban’s elaborate, long-range one-two with Duffy ended with a more powerful header flying narrowly over the bar. 

 The rain fell harder in the second-half, and with it came greater Dundalk pressure. Duffy and Kelly continued to probe, and the latter drove a volley narrowly over Mannus’ crossbar. 

Stephen Bradley swapped Vojic for Dan Carr, and immediately Rovers improved. Shiels’ inexplicably played a square pass directly to Trevor Clarke, who forced a smart save from Rogers. 

That was enough to stir the South Stand into voice, and Rovers’ enjoyed their best spell with Carr offering much more physicality. Rovers were no longer knocking fruitless balls over the top for Vojic, but were now using Carr with his back to goal. He brought those around him into play, particularly Jack Byrne, with the ambition of a neat pass into the penalty area perishing with Ronan Finn’s heavy touch. 

In the meantime, Dundalk grew increasingly frustrated. A corner routine whereby Duffy pulled the ball back for Sean Murray to arrive to the edge of the area was complicated by the referee’s presence, while minutes later Sean Gannon shot wildly over the bar for want of a better option. 

Dan Kelly then wasted Dundalk’s best chance of the second-half with seven minutes remaining. He was picked out unmarked at the back-post by Duffy, but screwed his first-time volley high into the night sky. 

There were late Dundalk wails for a penalty when Sean Gannon went to ground in the penalty area, but they went ignored. 

Rovers still have an issue to solve in front of goal, and didn’t create enough tonight to deserve a win, but were sturdy enough to mine something from an imprecise, knotted Dundalk performance. 

It is early days yet – and a point isn’t a bad result for the champions – but nonetheless, it’s not the comortable start Vinny Perth would have desired. 

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Roberto Lopes, Joey O’Brien, Lee Grac Trevor Clarke; Greg Bolger, Aaron McEneff; Ronan Finn, Jack Byrne (Sean Kavanagh 89′), Joel Coustrain (Brandon Kavanagh 82′); Orhan Vojic (Dan Carr 56′)

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Sean Hoare, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Sean Murray (Joe McKee 80′), Jamie McGrath; Daniel Kelly (Cameron Dummican 89′), Michael Duffy, Patrick Hoban (Georgie Kelly 87′)

Referee: Paul McLaughlin

Attendance: 4167