Shamrock Rovers 1
Rowe 65'
Limerick FC 1
Heffernan 60'

Tolka Park - Sunday 10th September 2006 ko 3.00pm

Rovers Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy, 2 Ger O'Brien, 3 Robbie Clarke, 4 Aidan Price, 5 Ray Kenny,
6 Paul Shields , 7 Dave Cassidy, 8 Mark O'Brien, 9 Tadhg Purcell, 10 Gerard Rowe,
11 Dave O'Connor.

Substitutes : 13 Anto Flood for Rowe 77', 14 Ian Ryan,
15 David McGill for Cassidy 66', 16 Jamie Duffy for O'Connor 54', 17 John McGuinness.

Match Report

A frustrating day for Rovers as they failed to extract maximum points from fellow title chasers Limerick FC. The game was hard fought and physical but offered little in the way of goalmouth action in the first 30 minutes. Rowe was sent away down the right after 5 mins. but his low cross was well defended. Purcell tried to set Rowe away on 11 mins. but the 'keeper O'Neill got to the ball first. Dave Cassidy was finding a lot of space on the right wing and Rovers almost exploited this in the 17th minute but again his low cross was well defended in the Limerick box.

Barry Murphy was called into action on 30 mins. getting down low to save a long range effort. Straight away at the other end Cassidy forced the visiting 'keeper to parry away a shot and O'Connors follow-up was weak. Rowe then headed just over the bar from a corner. The Hoops best chance of the half came in the 36th minute when good work by Rowe saw his low cross palmed away by the 'keeper straight to Cassidy but a defender got back to clear the shot off the line. Two minutes later O'Brien went on a fine run into the box but he elected to set-up Purcell and the 'keeper was able to block the pass. Price needed a good defensive header to clear a free-kick as the first half ended.

There was a little more spark in Rovers play at the start of the second period. Purcell dragged a shot just wide before O'Connor did well to cross to Cassidy but the Hoops number seven was unable to keep his shot down. Limerick wasted a good position in the 59th minute when the number nine got behind the defence but Murphy saved his low shot. However a minute later a Murphy clearance to Kenny was intercepted by Heffernan and he gleefully ran into the area and shot past the advancing 'keeper to give the visitors the lead.

Rovers hit back and a nice flick from Rowe set up Shields but the 'keeper did well to block his effort. A piece of magic fron Rowe in the 65th minute saw him turn a couple of defenders in the box and shoot past the 'keeper for the equaliser. The game then descended into a midfield battle with Limerick content to play on the break. Purcell burst into the area in the 79th minute but his shot was just wide. Substitute Anto. Flood took advantage of some poor defending to gain possession at the edge of the six-yard area but he couldn't force the ball home from the tight angle. With a minute to go Flood set up Duffy just inside the box but he took too much time to shoot and the chance was lost. In the dying seconds Limerick wasted a free-kick in a good position and the game ended all-square.