Shamrock Rovers 1
Rowe 90'pen.
Cobh Ramblers 0

Tolka Park - Friday 15th September 2006 ko 8.00pm

Rovers Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy, 2 Ger O'Brien, 3 Robbie Clarke, 4 Aidan Price, 5 Ray Kenny,
6 Paul Shields , 7 Jamie Duffy, 15 Dave Cassidy , 9 Andy Myler, 10 Gerard Rowe,
11 Dave O'Connor.

Substitutes : 13 Derek Pender, 14 Vinny Perth for Myler 90+3',
16 David McGill for O'Connor 59', 17 Padraig Amond for Duffy 64', 20 John McGuinness.

Match Report

A dramatic finish to a fairly ordinary game saw the Hoops take all the points and there was a general sigh of relief around Tolka park. The Hoops started well and played to a high tempo in the first 30 minutes. After just 4 minutes Myler got to a low Rowe cross but his effort hit the outside of the post. Duffy then forced the 'keeper into a good save with a volley in the 7th minute. After 13 minutes a good move saw Rowe feed Myler in the box but his cross was well defended. Barry Murphy was forced into his first save on 19 minutes from a free kick and straight away O'Connor broke down the left and his cross found Rowe but his shot was blocked.

Ger O'Brien found Myler behind the Cobh defence in the 27th minute but his first touch let him down and Cobh cleared. A dangerous corner from the visitors was defended well in the 31st minute and a couple of minutes later the Cobh number seven showed his pace to get behind O'Brien but the Hoops defender got back to nick the ball away. Ray Kenny completed the clearance from the resultant corner. On 38 minutes Myler put Cassidy through with a good pass but a combination of a poor first touch and the advancing 'keeper cancelled out the chance.

Early in the second half O'Connor got behind the defence but couldn't bring the ball under control and Cassidy forced the 'keeper to scramble across goal with a free-kick from the edge of the area. The hard working Rowe got behind the visitors defence from Price's pass on 55 minutes but there was no Rovers players in support and the chance was lost. The Hoops were finding it more difficult to create chances and Rowes effort in the 65th minute was on target but a defender got back to block.

Cassidy had another free-kick from the edge of the area but this time the 'keeper fumbled tha ball but there was no-one on hand to capitalise on the error. The Hoops had their clearest chance of the 'half on 73 minutes when Rowes cross fell nicely to McGill but the 'keeper saved his low shot well albeit at the second attempt. The Hoops wasted another free-kick opportunity just two minutes later when Myler shot tamely over the bar.

With just 7 minutes remaining the visitors pushed forward and a mix-up between Price and Murphy almost let in a Cobh attacker. Straight away another Cobh attack this time down the right saw Price seemingly push the Ramblers number 9 over in the box however the striker got up to fire a low shot across goal that was almost touched in at the far post.

As the game entered the dying minutes Cassidy and Rowe combined to set up O'Brien but his well struck shot was too close to the 'keeper. The game had entered the three minutes of stoppage time when Rowe fed O'Brien down the right and his deep cross was met by the head of substitute Amond at the back post and the ball seemed to hit the hand of the last defender. The Ref. pointed to the spot much to the anger of the Cobh defence but Rowe kept his head to send the 'keeper the wrong way and claim the points for Rovers.