St Patrick’s Athletic 0
Shamrock Rovers 2
WHAT A WAY to properly reintroduce yourself.
Trevor Clarke scored a simply sensational long-range goal to secure victory for Shamrock Rovers against St Patrick’s Athletic.
It was the first of the left back’s second spell with the club having returned from England during the winter.
His former manager at Bristol Rovers, Joey Barton, barely had a good word to say about Clarke as he headed home.
Someone should send him a clip of this.
It was the kind of goal you dream of. There almost seemed to be a hush throughout a sold-out Richmond Park in the milliseconds between the Dubliner unleashing the effort from 30 yards and it striking the top corner.
Some of his teammates held their heads in disbelief at the quality. Clarke made a beeline for the Rovers bench as Rovers celebrated as one.
Picking up a lose ball near the centre circle, Clarke drove forward before letting rip. The momentum he carried himself forward with only added to the allure of the goal.
In an instant this Dublin derby was won, a crucial second to provide breathing space following Johnny Kenny’s opener.
On a milestone night for Chris Forrester, his 300th appearance for the Saints, there was nothing else to celebrate.
After four wins on the spin Tim Clancy’s side just weren’t capable of making it five – registering just one shot on target in a tame second half.
Rovers’ opening goal, when it came in the 20th minute, was down to the aggression and composure of Lee Grace in defence followed by the awareness and precision of Kenny.
The 19-year-old striker, deputising for the injured Rory Gaffney as the focal point of the Rovers attack, was clinical.
Grace’s tenacity to beat Jason McClelland for possession near the half way line paid dividends when the ball broke kindly for him to be able to play a quick pass over the top.
He did so with his weaker right foot and put it exactly where Kenny wanted. The on-loan Celtic star was in acres of space between left-sided centre back John-Alan McGrath and full back Anto Breslin who had been caught slightly high up the pitch.
Kenny’s reading of the situation was perfect, realising he had the time and space over his shoulder to let the ball run across in order to get a quick shot away without the need to take a touch or break setride.
He fired from just outside the box and perhaps caught Saints goalkeeper Dean Lyness of guard by aiming low to his left rather than to the opposite corner where he had more of the goal to aim for.
Kenny cupped his ears as he ran towards the packed away end, savouring the moment and his third goal of the season.
Rovers’ best chance to double their lead before the break came in the 32nd minute when a punchy Byrne corner was glanced inches wide by Dan Cleary.
An almost identical opportunity fell to Forrester from Jake Mulraney’s delivery at the opposite end and, like the Rovers defender, it whizzed just past the far post.
It would have been the perfect tonic just before the interval, instead inspiration needed to be found elsewhere.
There was none to be found for the home side.
Other than one Mulraney shot which was easily saved at the near poost Tim Clancy’s side weren’t able to muster much of a comeback.
It seemed as if one rasping shot from Jamie Lennon in the 68th minute might rouse a side that had won four on the bounce coming into this.
But it wasn’t to be, and instead it was Clarke’s outrageous run and long-distance effort just over 60 seconds later which sealed the win for the champions.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Dean Lyness; Sam Curtis, Noah Lewis, John-Alan McGrath, Anto Breslin; Jason McClelland (Conor Carty 73), Jamie Lennon, Adam Murphy (Thijs Timmermans 73), Chris Forrester, Jake Mulraney (Carl Axel Sjoberg 87); Eoin Doyle (Mark Doyle 73.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Dan Cleary, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Neil Farrugia, Jack Byrne, Gary O’Neill, Markus Poom, Graham Burke, Trevor Clarke (Ronan Finn 80); Johnny Kenny (Aaron Greene 80).
Referee: Rob Hennessy.