Kilkenny City 0

Shamrock Rovers 1
Purcell 40'

Eircom League - Buckley Park - Tuesday 31st October 2006 ko 7.30pm

Rovers Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy, 2 Ger O'Brien, 3 Robbie Clarke, 4 Aidan Price, 5 Ian Ryan,
6 Ray Kenny, 7 Derek Pender, 8 Eric McGill, 9 Tadhg Purcell, 10 Andy Myler,
11 Derek McGill.

Substitutes : 13 David Cassidy for Purcell 75', 14 Chris Breen for Pender 65', 15 Dave O'Connor for D.McGill 62', 16 John McGuinness.

Match Report

Rovers took the three vital points thanks to Tadhg Purcells 40th minute strike but should have finished with a more convincing scoreline as they spurned a number of good opportunities especially in the second-half. The Hoops dominated the first half and Purcell had two good chances firstly going through on goal at an angle and overhitting his cross to Pender and then when the ball fell kindly for him in the box he found himself one on one with the 'keeper but his effort was saved. Myler also saw his header go over when well placed.

The game changed in the last 5 minutes of the 'half. A deep free-kick from David McGill was headed back across goal by Kenny and the ball fell for Purcell to shoot home from close range. Sweetman was then sent off for the home side when his late lunge sent Pender sprawling. A Pender free-kick right on the blow of half-time rebounded to O'Brien and he saw his shot whistle past the far post.

The second half was only three minutes old when O'Brien found Kenny on the six yard line but he dragged his shot wide of the goal. Kenny again found himself in front of goal a minute later but his attempt to find Purcell only found the home 'keeper. Two great crosses from Pender were well defended in the 57th minute before the home sides first real effort on goal saw a long range shot go narrowly wide.

Pender then went on a good run in the 65th minute but scooped his shot over the bar and injured himself in the process and was replaced by Breen. Two minutes later sub O'Connor beat the right full and sent in a great cross that Myler should have scored with but instead he miss-timed his jump and couldn't direct his header on goal.

The Hoops had a real let-off in the 71st minute when Kilkennys number ten fired in a long range effort that cannoned off the cross-bar. A minute later an O'Connor free-kick saw Kenny head over from inside the area. Good work from Breen in the 75th minute set up Eric McGill but he shot wide. Two minutes later Breen set up the same player again inside the area but again the shot was off target.

With 10 minutes remaining a Cassidy free-kick was headed over by Price from close range. The Cats number ten tried his luck again from long range and wasn't far off the target in the 84th minute. In a nervous closing five minutes Cassidy forced the 'keeper to tip over two shots and Breen could only head across goal from a corner but although the second goal remained elusive the Hoops did just enough to claim the three points.