Rovers 0 Longford Town 1

************* Eircom League *************
Shamrock Rovers 0

Longford Town 1
Mooney 92'

Tolka Park - Friday 31st Aug 2007

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A disappointing night for the Hoops as a spirited Longford side took all three points with a late goal. The visitors started well with Baker, Mooney and Rutherford causing problems for the Hoops defence. It took 14 minutes for the Hoops first half-chance when O'Briens deep cross almost found Cassidy.

On 16 minutes a good first touch from Baker took him away from Ferguson but thankfully his second touch let him down in front of goal. Baker was involved again in the 21st minute when his inswinging free-kick went dangerously across goal. Cassidy had a shot blocked in the box on 24 minutes and Mooneys turn and shot on 32 minutes went just over for Longford.

Rovers were finding it hard to settle into the game and a McGill free-kick hit the wall on 37 minutes and although Reynolds sent the ball back to Myler he was flagged offside. Myler then just failed to meet a quality cross from Cassidy on 38 minutes. In stoppage time in the first period Mooney had the ball in the net but was ruled offside.

The visitors pushed on at the beginning of the second half and Rutherford hit the side-netting from a deep cross on 49 minutes. Cassidy tried to release Purcell in the 54th minute but he couldn't break into the box. Rowe and Shields were introduced in the 58th minute and five minutes later Cassidy took the wrong option when he found himself in space at the edge of the area.

A Cassidy corner on 71 minutes caused panic in the Longford defence but the Ref. awarded a free against Purcell. With 15 minutes to go the Hoops created their best chance when Clarke found Myler in the box and the Hoops number ten chested the ball down and shot on the turn but Kelly came out to block his effort and Myler followed up to head just over but received an injury in the incident and had to go off.

There was too many miss-placed passes from Rovers but a good move in the 81st minute saw Purcell leave a cross for Cassidy to volley towards goal but once again Kelly stretched to tip the ball over the bar. Three minutes later substitute Doyle got down the left wing and delivered a cross that almost found Cassidys head. Rovers last chance came in the 87th minute when Rowe chased a through ball from Purcell and tried to lob Kelly from 25 yards but his effort went just wide.

With a minute to go Longford thought they had scored when a free-kick was headed in at the back post but the Linesman flagged for offside again. However two minutes into stoppage time O'Connor failed to clear and Mooney turned Ferguson to steer the ball past Murphy for the winning strike.

Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy
2 Ger O’Brien
3 Robbie Clarke
4 Alan Reynolds
5 Barry Ferguson
6 Danny O’Connor
7 John Martin
8 Eric McGill
9 Tadhg Purcell
10 Andy Myler
11 David Cassidy


Substitutes :

13 Paul Shields for Reynolds 58'
14 Dean Lawrence
15 Owen Doyle for Myler 74'
16 John McGuinness
17 Ger Rowe for Martin 58'