Kildare County 0 Rovers 3

Rovers advance in the League Cup...

Eoin Doyle
On target in the 37th min.

The Hoops overcame the challenge from Kildare this afternoon despite a very bumpy pitch and the surreal sight of a funfair in full swing behind one of the goals! Tadhg Purcell almost scored after just 20 seconds when he pounced on a mistake to round the 'keeper but shot into the side-netting.

The Hoops opened the scoring on 20 minutes just after a Kildare corner had caused some danger in the area. Purcell did well to make space and he laid the ball off for Rice to shoot home inside the box. Darren Stapleton was called on to clear his lines twice as the home side tried to make inroads on the visitors defence.

Rovers went further ahead on 37 minutes when a good Murphy corner was met by Doyle and he directed his fine header past the 'keeper into the corner of the net. A free-kick from Stapleton caused a Kildare defender to head across his own goal just before the break.

The home side briefly rallied in the second period when their number eight failed to connect properly with the ball when in a good position in the area and just after an hours play Barry Murphy was troubled by a deep corner but the ball was eventually cleared.

Purell almost got John Martin in on the right but two defenders got across to block the danger in the 75th minute. Rovers got their third when Doyle crossed to the back post for Creevy to knock the ball over the line three minutes from time. Alan Murphy almost made it four right at the end when he intercepted a back pass to round the 'keeper but the angle was too tight and the ball rolled across the face of the goal.

Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy
2 Corey Treacy
3 Darren Stapleton
4 Mark Langtry
5 Barry Ferguson
6 Eric McGill
7 John Martin
8 Stephen Rice
9 Tadhg Purcell
10 Eoin Doyle
11 Alan Murphy


Substitutes:

13 Ger O'Brien
14 Daragh Maguire
15 Robbie Creevy for Martin 80'
16 Karl Coleman
17 Dessie Baker for Purcell 77'