Shamrock Rovers 0

St Patricks Athletic 2
Keegan 18', Molloy 87'

FAI Cup Semi Final - Tolka Park - Friday 27th October 2006 ko 7.30pm

Rovers Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy, 2 Paul Gannon, 3 Robbie Clarke, 4 Aidan Price, 5 Ger O'Brien,
6 Dave Cassidy, 7 Jamie Duffy, 8 Eric McGill, 9 Tadhg Purcell, 10 Padraig Amond,
11 David O'Connor.

Substitutes : 13 Dean Lawrence, 14 Glen Walsh for O'Connor 81', 15 Keith Lyons, 16 Dave Vickory for Amond 68', 17 Ciaran Kilduff, 18 , 20 John McGuinness.

Match Report

The Hoops can take great credit from a gutsy performance that had the Saints on the back foot for long periods of the game. Rovers started well and after an early scramble in front of Barry Murphys goal, took the game to the Premier Division side. On 4 minutes Amond burst into the box and cracked a shot off Barry Ryans left-hand post. A corner just a minute later fell to Amond again but he was unable to get full contact on the ball and Ryan saved. The young Hoops continued to match the Saints and Purcell almost put Amond through with a long pass on 17 minutes.

However the visitors got the breakthrough a minute later when Foley found Keegan in the box and he turned and shot from a tight angle and to the Hoops dismay the ball found its way past Murphy and into the far corner of the net. Rovers hit back and the impressive Clarkes cross found Cassidy but he was unable to direct his header on goal under pressure. Some good defensive play from Lynch cleared the danger on 25 minutes before McGill tried his luck with a long range effort in the 30th minute.

The Hoops stepped up the pressure and Clarkes cross went right across the Saints goal before some great play from O'Connor saw him race into the area and cross low for Purcell but he couldn't get a shot in. Ger O'Brien came to the rescue on 35 minutes when he cut out a dangerous cross on the six yard line and injured himself in the process. Purcell couldn't connect with Amonds fine cross on 37 minutes and the Hoops ended the half when Clarke fired in a fine shot that just went wide.

The second half was only 7 minutes old when O'Connor found Duffy at the far post and despite a good turn he was unable to get a shot on goal from close range. Mark Quigley was introduced at half-time for St Pats and he caused some problems for the Hoops defence and forced Murphy into a decent save. The game became scrappy and this suited the visitors who seemed content to stop Rovers playing.

Rovers regrouped with Eric McGill playing his heart out and a good turn by O'Connor in the 69th minute set up Purcell on the edge of the box but Ryan saved his weak shot. Rovers best chance to equalise came in the 72nd minute when Cassidys header into the box wasn't dealt with and Duffy took advantage to knock the ball past Ryan but his effort went inches wide. Pats scrambled away a deep free-kick from Clarke two minutes later and the Hoops then had to defend a long throw that caused some problems.

As the minutes ticked away a Duffy corner fell to Cassidy at the back post but there were too many defenders present and the ball was scrambled to safety. Substitute Walsh then had a headed effort that Ryan easily saved. With three minutes remaining a cross was met by Pats substitute Armstrong and his downward header was missed by O'Brien and Molloy pounced to wrap up the tie. Molloys muted celebrations was matched by heartbreak from the Hoops fans but the team received a fitting ovation at the final whistle for a gallant display.