St Patricks Ath 2 Rovers 1

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The good state of the Richmond Park pitch helped the two sides to produce an entertaining game in front of a large crowd. Rovers started the game well and Rowe and Myler were involved in the early play as the Hoops took the game to the hosts. Rowe's free-kick in the 11th minute found Ferguson but his back header went over the bar. A minute later a good throw by O'Brien found Danny O'Connor in the box but he just failed to get his shot in. Rowe then turned his marker brilliantly but shot into the side of the net.

Rovers best chance of the half came in the 14th minute when O'Connors ball was dummied by Myler and Cassidy found himself free inside the area at an angle to the goal. He tried to lob the advancing 'keeper but Ryan got a hand to the ball and pushed it away for a corner. Barry Murphys only involvement in the first 20 minutes was to take a good catch from a cross.

The game turned in the 26th minute when Joseph Ndo held the ball up well and then hit a long ball forward that Clarke looked to have under control but a slip by the Hoops defender let Anto Murphy in on goal and he shot past his namesake for the opening goal. St Pats were now playing with confidence and started to apply pressure on the Hoops defence.

A great catch by Murphy from a low cross in the 36th minute was followed by controversy just four minutes later when Ref. Kelly adjudged that Cassidy dived in the box and duly produced a yellow card when it looked like the Hoops number eight had been tripped. A good cross from O'Brien was just behind Myler and he couldn't direct his header on goal in the 42nd minute and right on the blow at the other end O'Neill fluffed a good chance when heading wide in front of goal.

St Pats upped their game in the second half and a fantastic run by Ndo in the 53rd minute saw Clarke make a vital block from his goal bound shot. Murphy then got down well to push away Faheys low shot and from the resultant corner the Hoops number one produced a brilliant save to claw away a point-blank header from O'Neill. Quigley then turned well on the left and fired a shot off the Hoops cross-bar. Paisley shot just wide as Pats looked for the second goal.

The Hoops were thrown a lifeline in the 68th minute when Purcell was tripped in the box from Cassidys corner and Ref. Kelly awarded a penalty but Mylers spot-kick hit the inside of the right hand post and was cleared. Following another Murphy save from Mulcahys low shot in the 75th minute the Hoops attacked and Purcells cross was met by Rowe but his effort was just off-target.

The Hoops had a goal ruled out for offside in the 77th minute before Danny O'Connor made a fine interception to deny Quigley a certain goal when he cleared from close range. Quigley then blasted a shot from the resultant corner just wide. The Hoops were caught napping when a corner was not defended properly and defender Maguire headed into the corner of the net for the second goal in the 85th minute. However the Hoops responded immediately with Ferguson and O'Connor almost forcing a goal from a deep cross and Myler heading straight at Ryan from a corner. However a great cross from sub Dave O'Connor was met by Purcell in the 87th minute to get the Hoops back into the game. There was one more chance to come before the final whistle when Ryan dived to just cut out a cross with Ferguson lurking at the back post.

Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy
2 Ger O'Brien
3 Robbie Clarke
4 Aiden Price
5 Barry Ferguson
6 Danny O'Connor
7 Jamie Duffy
8 Dave Cassidy
9 Andy Myler
10 Ger Rowe
11 Derek Pender


Substitutes :

13 Ian Ryan for Price 73'
14 Tommy Barrett
15 Dave O'Connor for Pender 66'
16 Stephen O'Brien 17 Tadhg Purcell for Duffy 49'