Rovers 2 Waterford Utd 0

************* Eircom League *************
Shamrock Rovers 2
Rowe 80' Purcell 85' pen.

Waterford Utd. 0

Tolka Park - Tue 10th July 2007

---------------------------------------

For 80 minutes this game failed to ignite with the visitors clearly intent on avoiding defeat and the Hoops unable to provide the spark to open the game up. On a cool and calm evening on a good pitch debutant John Martin went close with a shot from outside the box within the first minute. However it was close to the 15th minute before the next chance arrived with Martin finding space in the box but Delaney parried his shot from a tight angle.

Waterfords tactics of not letting Rovers on the ball in their half was working well and time after time the Hoops lost possession. Dan O'Connor was lucky in the 28th minute when he lost the ball in midfield but Sullivan was flagged for offside as he ran on to a pass. A Tyrrell free-kick was on target a minute later but Delaney saved. The Waterford 'keeper was quick off his line in the 31st minute to head the ball away as Purcell chased down a long ball.

Purcell burst into the area on 35 minutes but the ball ran away from him after a good first touch. Rovers were dealt a blow in the 37th minute when 'keeper Stephen O'Brien pulled up while taking a goal kick and had to be replaced by John McGuinness. An inswinging free-kick from Tyrrell was met by the head of Myler at the back post on 42 minutes but his effort was straight at Delaney.

Five minutes into the second half a good corner from Tyrrell saw Purcell just fail to get a touch. Waterford's best chance of the game came in the 53rd minute when centre-half Reid smashed a header off the crossbar from a corner. The Hoops had the ball in the net on the hour but the Ref. blew for a foul on Delaney. A quick free kick sent substitute Cassidy away down the right on 66 minutes but a Waterford defender got to clear the ball just as Purcell threatened. From the resultant corner Delaney punched the ball away at the back post.

Cassidy was involved again in the 77th minute when crossing for Rowe to head straight at Delaney at the back post. However the deadlock was broken just three minutes later when Purcell's flick sent Cassidy away behind the defence and his sublime cross was met by Rowe to head past Delaney to the relief of the home fans. Three minutes later a Purcell knock down set up McGill in the box but the ball was taken off his toe as he was about to shoot. With five minutes remaining Rovers broke again and Cassidy was upended just inside the box and it took the intervention of the Linesman for the Ref. to award a penalty. Purcell coolly tucked the ball into the corner to seal the game.

Line-Out

1 Stephen O'Brien
2 Ger O'Brien
3 Robbie Clarke
4 Dean Lawrence
5 Barry Ferguson
6 Dan O'Connor
7 John Martin
8 Dave McGill
9 Tadhg Purcell
10 Andy Myler
11 David Tyrrell


Substitutes :

13 Alan Reynolds
14 Dave Cassidy for Martin 54'
15 Ger Rowe for Myler 62'
16 John McGuinness for S O'Brien 37'
17 Padraig Amond