Shamrock Rovers 2
Dundalk 2
— Niall Kelly reports from Tallaght Stadium
MIKEY DRENNAN HIT a quick-fire double as Shamrock Rovers came from two goals down to earn a point against 10-man Dundalk.
Former Hoops favourite Ronan Finn silenced the Tallaght crowd when he pounced to put the champions 2-0 up — just 13 seconds into the second half.
But on a night for old heroes and new, Drennan struck twice in the space of four minutes to ensure both sides remain unbeaten after this early-season classic.
His first came from the penalty spot after Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers was shown a straight red for a clumsy challenge on Ryan Brennan.
But there was a touch of class about his spectacular equaliser, rifled high into the top corner on the stroke of the hour.
Drennan then missed a glorious opportunity to snatch all three points four minutes from the end when he blazed over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
And despite their numerical advantage — and six minutes of added time — Rovers couldn’t bring an end to Dundalk’s remarkable unbeaten run which now stands at 18 games in all competitions.
In fact, it was Dundalk goalscorer Dave McMillan who very nearly had the last laugh with the final kick of the game only to be denied by Craig Hyland.
The draw leaves four points between the sides, though Dundalk’s advantage at the top was cut to the bare minimum by Cork City’s win in Drogheda.
Martin O’Neill was among the Tallaght crowd and there was no shortage of drama to entertain the Ireland boss. It was a game defined by mistakes at both ends, as well as a moment of class from Drennan.
Missing playmaker Keith Fahey due to suspension, Rovers settled the quickest although the better chances in the first half all went the visitors’ way.
Daryl Horgan nearly opened the scoring in 13th minute, though there would have been more than a stroke of luck involved had his looping cross dipped underneath Hyland’s crossbar rather than dropping on top of it, while Rogers was relieved to see a Gary McCabe drive whistle the wrong side of his post.
Dundalk’s best chances in the opening period came courtesy of Rovers’ mistakes, and the warning signs were there long before McMillan opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time with his fifth of the season.
He would have loved the chance presented to Darren Meenan in the 28th minute. Ryan Brennan’s poor attempt to switch the play from right to left put the Rovers defence in all kinds of trouble, and although Meenan beat Conor Kenna to the ball, his shot came back off Hyland’s legs.
McMillan wouldn’t make the same mistake when he got his opportunity. This time it was David Webster who underhit the pass and McMillan beat Hyland with no fuss.
It was the first home league goal Rovers have conceded since last July — the first of the Pat Fenlon era, in fact.
And if Tallaght seemed stunned by that sucker-punch, it was nothing compared to Dundalk’s second in the opening moments of the second-half.
Finn’s creativity made him an obvious favourite during his Tallaght days but, with the boos ringing in his ears, he showed his former employer no mercy. He outmuscled Webster to win McMillan’s flick on and finished past Hyland.
Dundalk seemed to be cruising to a seventh win in eight games but the evening was turned on its head when a defensive lapse allowed Ryan Brennan to steal in on 52 minutes, and Rogers brought him down.
When the dust finally settled, his replacement Gabriel Sava’s first job was to pick the ball out of the net as Drennan smashed home from the spot.
And the former Aston Villa youth levelled the match with sublime finish on the stroke of the hour, cutting in from the right and holding off Andy Boyle before smashing the equaliser across Sava and into the top corner.
Drennan had two gilt-edged chances for his hat-trick but poked one at Sava at the back post, and then blazed over in the 86th minute after a smart pull-back by sub Brandon Miele.
McMillan very nearly snatched all three points at the death but Hyland wasn’t to be beaten for a third time.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Craig Hyland, Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, David Webster, David O’Connor, Patrick Cregg (Danny North 80), Stephen McPhail, Ryan Brennan, Gary McCabe (Kieran Marty Waters 86), Sean O’Connor (Brandon Miele 75), Mikey Drennan.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey, Chris Shields, Darren Meenan (Gabriel Sava 54), Ronan Finn (John Mountney 83), Richie Towell, Daryl Horgan (Stephen O’Donnell 70), David McMillan.
Referee: Neil Doyle
