Shelbourne 0
Shamrock Rovers 0
SHAMROCK ROVERS’ search for a first victory of the season continues, as they were held to a scoreless draw by Shelbourne this evening.
It was a well-deserved point for the diligent hosts, who fought extremely hard off the ball and largely limited their Dublin rivals to half chances.
It is a performance that bodes well for the remainder of the season for Damien Duff’s outfit, while Stephen Bradley will be left frustrated after his talented squad dropped points for the fifth time this season.
The reigning champions’ inconsistent start to the campaign was epitomised by Monday’s 4-4 draw with newly promoted Cork City, in which they needed two late goals to rescue a point.
Going into tonight’s game, Stephen Bradley’s men were without a league win in their first four matches and sat seven points adrift of table toppers Derry City.
Shelbourne, meanwhile, were seventh on four points and coming off the back of a frustrating loss in Dundalk.
There were three changes for the hosts following that Oriel Park encounter, with Matty Smith, Shane Farrell, and Luke Byrne starting in place of Andrew Quinn, Kameron Ledwidge, and Kian Leavy.
Meanwhile, the Hoops made six changes from Monday’s game. Roberto Lopes, Sean Hoare, Graham Burke, Sean Kavanagh, Richie Towell, and Neil Farrugia all came into the side, while Darragh Nugent, Trevor Clarke, Johnny Kenny, Markus Poom, Lee Grace, and Dylan Watts made way.
After a scrappy start, Rovers had the first real chance, with Conor Kearns doing well to turn away Graham Burke’s powerful low shot from the edge of the area.
Shortly thereafter, Luke Byrne threw himself in the way of Neil Farrugia’s goalbound effort after a clever through pass from Jack Byrne.
By this point, the visitors were largely controlling the play but struggled to find many clear-cut openings when confronted by a dogged and well-organised Shels defence.
Rovers threatened again just before the half-hour mark, but Gary O’Neill’s header from Byrne’s delivery did not have enough power to seriously trouble Kearns.
The Hoops had Shels consistently pinned back into their own half as the break approached, and it felt as if there was only one side likely to break the deadlock.
Yet Bradley’s men were looking increasingly frustrated amid a very tight game, with O’Neill’s wayward attempt from distance summing up their lack of attacking spark.
The only downside from a Shels’ perspective was that they offered little down the other end, though just before the break, Matty Smith tested the underworked Alan Mannus, forcing the goalkeeper to tip away a powerful shot from Evan Caffrey’s set-piece delivery.
Rovers had a great chance just after the break. Byrne produced an inch-perfect cross from the right-hand side for an unmarked Gaffney, but the striker’s header was straight at Kearns.
Shels grew in confidence as the contest wore on, and the impressive Jack Moylan was causing problems to the opposition defence with his pace, hold-up play and dribbling ability.
Rovers were still occasionally threatening though and went very close as the game entered its final 20 minutes, with Kearns expertly tipping away Towell’s powerful drive from the edge of the area.
But it was a rare opportunity with Shels’ defensive discipline impeccable throughout.
Towards the end, Byrne was coming deeper and dictating play, and at one stage, his inviting cross missed the head of Gaffney by inches.
A late Rovers onslaught was expected, with Shels desperately kicking the ball into touch on a regular basis in the dying stages.
But it never really materialised with the home side even having a few promising moments late on, with Caffrey blazing over after a well-worked attack and Tyreke Wilson’s tame effort easily saved by Mannus.
In the end, though, a point apiece was a fair reflection on what was an intense and at times brutal battle between two sides currently struggling at the wrong end of the table.
Shelbourne: 1. Conor Kearns 29. Paddy Barrett (Ledwidge 46) 23. Luke Byrne 2. John Ross Wilson 6. JJ Lunney (McManus 54) 21. Gavin Molloy 27. Evan Caffrey 17. Shane Farrell 13. Tyreke Wilson 11. Matty Smith (Leavy 65) 10. Jack Moylan (Robinson 81).
Subs: 19. Scott van der Sluis 25. Daithi Folan 32. Kameron Ledwidge 4. Andrew Quinn 7. Brian McManus 24. Sean Cummins 37. Kian Leavy 15. Kyle Robinson 26. Gbemi Arubi
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Alan Mannus 3. Sean Hoare 4. Roberto Lopes 6. Daniel Cleary (Grace 46) 16. Gary O’Neill 11. Sean Kavanagh (Clarke 77) 23. Neil Farrugia 17. Richie Towell (Kenny 84) 10. Graham Burke (Burt 88) 29. Jack Byrne 20. Rory Gaffney
Subs: 25. Leon Pohls 2. Sean Gannon 5. Lee Grace 14. Simon Power 15. Darragh Nugent 18. Trevor Clarke 19. Markus Poom 24. Johnny Kenny 27. Liam Burt
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)
