Rovers 1 Sligo Rvs 0

******* Eircom League Premier Division *******
Shamrock Rovers 1
Rowe 90+4
Sligo Rovers 0

Tolka Park - Friday 4th May 2007

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Aiden Price in action in Tolka Park tonight - picture by George Kelly

A last gasp goal from Ger Rowe provided a dramatic ending to what had been a fairly ordinary game for the most part. Right on the final whistle a mass brawl ensued after a rash tackle on a Sligo player caused a reaction. Luckily order was restored quickly but two red cards were brandished with Danny O'Connor receiving one of them.

The game was scrappy in the opening 20 minutes even on the improved Tolka Park surface. Barry Murphy made a good stop from a low shot after 6 minutes and on 18 minutes a cross from Dave O'Connor was flicked on by Myler forcing the visiting 'keeper to save. In the 24th minute some good play from Duffy set up Cassidy in the box but he fired the ball across goal and a defender cleared. The corner was quickly taken and Myler was denied by the 'keeper from close range. Two minutes later Danny O'Connor crossed for his namesake Dave to head just over.

Murphy was called into the action to save a free-kick in the 31st minute before a dangerous Cassidy free-kick was cleared by the last defender. In the 43rd minute Barry Ferguson met a Cassidy corner but his looping header went just over. The second half started slowly with Price doing well to recover from his own error at the edge of the box in the 55th minute before Murphy had to dive to push away a dangerous cross.

Rovers first chance of the second half came in the 63rd minute when Dave O'Connor raced up the left wing and his cross found Cassidy at the edge of the area but his shot went narrowly wide. In the 70th minute a Purcell free-kick from a good position cannoned off the wall. Rowe then forced the 'keeper to save at his feet when he burst into the area just two minutes later.

Sligo rarely threatened but Murphy had to be on his toes to save well from a decent free-kick from 20 yards out in the 78th minute. The game entered the last 10 minutes when McGill got down the right wing to cross low for Purcell but he failed to connect properly with the ball and Cassidy blasted the ball over the bar from a tight angle.

The Hoops raised their game for a frantic finish and Purcell almost put Rowe through in the 87th minute but a defender got across to intercept the ball. In the 90th minute a corner was headed just over his own crossbar by a Sligo defender. The Hoops had Sligo on the back foot now and following a cross the Sligo defence failed to clear and Purcell fired in a shot that the 'keeper parried and the rebound was cleared. The game entered the third minute of added on time when Rowe's header sent Purcell through but the Hoops substitute couldn't get a proper shot in and the 'keeper cleared. The dying seconds saw more Hoops pressure and the ball fell to Ger Rowe whoose effort was brilliantly saved by the Sligo 'keeper but the ball dropped into the net much to the delight of the home fans.

Line-Out

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


Substitutes :

13 Ian Ryan
14 Robbie Clarke for O'Brien 60'
15 Dave McGill for Myler 66'
16 Stephen O'Brien 17 Tadhg Purcell for Duffy 50'