A forgettable first half led to a pulsating second period that saw an improved performance from the Hoops and Gary Twigg pounced for a deserved winner just eight minutes from time. However the home side saw Chambers fire a 25 yard free-kick off the inside of the post in the 8th minute of added-on time although the fourth official had indicated six minutes.
A scrappy first half saw Barrett fire wide from a tight angle in the first minute but there was a lack of quality in both teams play and subsequently few chances. Barry Murphy held a low Duffy cross on 14 minutes before Rovers first effort on goal on 19 minutes saw Twiggs header to Sives fall to Cahill but he volleyed wide.
Twigg had a chance in the 23rd minute when he lobbed the ball over the advancing Skinner but his effort went wide of the target. Two minutes later Robinson sent Twigg on a run down the right but this time he failed to connect properly with his shot.
After Sives made a fine defensive header it was Twigg again who saw his shot blocked for a corner on the half-hour but once again the delivery of the corner was poor. Purcell then headed straight at the home ‘keeper from Cahill’s free-kick.
Jamie Duffy tested Murphy with a fine effort on 35 minutes and the Hoops ‘keeper dived to his right to save. A minute later Rice nicked the ball off Skinner but Robinson could only knock the ball over the Drogs cross-bar.
Michael O’Neill introduced Stephen Bradley at half-time and he had a huge impact on the game. Rovers upped the pace right from the restart and Robinson’s diving header forced Skinner to save at the second attempt.
Pat Flynn found Purcell down the right whose cross fell to Cahill at the back post but he dragged his shot across goal. A good Bradley cross found Twigg but his header couldn’t find Purcell in the box.
On 58 minutes Duffy turned Flynn and Murphy had to get down well to push his shot around the post. A minute later a Bradley cross saw a defender impede Twigg as he tried to get a header on goal but the Ref. waved play on.
Sives got back to deny Duffy a shot on goal having lost possession from a quickly take free-kick and the Hoops moved the ball up the other end for Bradley to play Twigg in on goal but the Hoops top goal scorer tried to flick the ball past Skinner to no avail.
The game was opened up now and very entertaining with Chambers volleying wide on 67 minutes before Cahill did the same at the other end a minute later. On 71 minutes Flynn miss-judged his clearance and Duffy pounced but sent his shot wide.
Stephen Rice then shot wide from Cahill’s cross as the Hoops began to put the home side under serious pressure. Bradley’s free-kicks and corners were proving effective and he found Twigg in the 75th minute but the Scotsman saw his header hit the cross-bar and Price fired the rebound over the bar.
Bradley’s delivery on 77 minutes saw Sives head narrowly wide. The game turned for Rovers in the 81st minute when Duffy took advantage of a ball over Price to run on goal but he volleyed his shot high and over. From the kick-out the ball fell to Cahill who ran at the home defence and crossed for the irrepressible Twigg to head the ball down and over the diving Skinner to score.
Bradley almost caught out Skinner with a quickly taken free-kick in the 89th minute and the subsequent corner was headed by Sives off the cross-bar and Twigg just failed to convert the rebounding ball.
However in the 8th minute of added-on time the Ref awarded a free-kick outside the Hoops area and Chambers fired a shot that beat Murphy but crashed off the inside of the post and was cleared. The huge Rovers crowd greeted the final-whistle with delight as the Hoops claimed a hard won three points.
