Shamrock Rovers 3 Longford 0
A WONDERFULLY EXECUTED volley from Gary McCabe helped Shamrock Rovers secure their place in the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup tonight as they beat Longford Town 3-0 in Tallaght Stadium.
The winger caught the ball on the sweet spot to double the home side’s lead in the first half after Sean O’Connor had opened the scoring, and they went on to canter to a comfortable win.
With plenty of FAI Cup pedigree himself, Pat Fenlon named an attack-minded team. Dean Kelly partnered Karl Sheppard up front, while Gary McCabe, Sean O’Connor and Stephen McPhail all lined up ahead of defensively positioned midfielder, Robert Bayly.
For Tony Cousins’ side, first division goal-machine David O’Sullivan was alongside Gary Shaw in attack, and former Rovers men, Stephen Rice, Pat Sullivan and Pat Flynn all started.
Having already scored nine goals in two games at Tallaght Stadium this season against Rovers’ B team, which is just three short of the amount netted by the Hoops’ first team in the Premier Division this term, Longford started brightly.
Gary Shaw and Kevin O’Connor linked up twice in the opening period, and both went close with efforts that had the home crowd gasping.
However, a sweeping move after 25 minutes involving Kelly, Sheppard and O’Connor resulted in the latter smashing a shot past Paul Hunt, which cancelled out the away side’s good work up until that point.
Kelly forced Hunt into a smart save two minutes later, and shortly after that McCabe thumped home a superb volley from 20-yards after Pat Flynn had blocked Sheppard’s initial strike.
At times the home side’s 4-1-3-2 formation meant they had several men over in attack, and the first half came to a close with Sheppard, McPhail and McCabe all having efforts on goal.
The second half saw both teams slow their play down to something akin to a walking pace, but there was some late action in the half.
Sean O’Connor was sent off for a second bookable offence with five minutes remaining, and Patrick Cregg then marked his home debut for Rovers with a goal in injury-time.
Elsewhere, Finn Harps advanced to the next round at the expense of Wexford Youths after a 2-1 away win at Ferrycarrig Park. Thomas McMonagle gave the visitors a 1-0 halftime lead before Michael Funston made it 2-0 on 73 minutes.
Dean Broaders reduced the deficit to the minimum with a mintute to go, but Finn Harps held on to make the quarter-finals.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy, D O’Connor, Kenna, McGuinness, Madden, Bayly (Cregg 73), McPhail, McCabe (Waters 65), S O’Connor, Sheppard, Kelly (Kilduff 82). Substitutes: Hyland, Cornwall, Robinson, Cregg, Finn, Waters, Kilduff.
LONGFORD TOWN: Hunt, Haverty, G O’Connor (Mulhall 78), Rice, Shaw (Hynes 65), K O’Connor (Shannon 70), Sullivan, Cowan, Flynn, Gorman. Substitutions: Bennion, Shannon, Salmon, Hynes, Mulhall, Pender, Morris.
