Dundalk (0) 2 - Fenn 52' Melligan 55'
Rovers (0) 1 - Twigg 65'

Airtricity League - Oriel Park - Monday 3rd May 2010  

1 Alan Mannus
13 Pat Flynn
5 Aiden Price
24 Dan Murray (c)
19 Danny Murphy
25 Robert Bayly
8 James Chambers
  
11 Ollie Cahill
9 Gary Twigg
23 Thomas Stewart

Substitutes
6 Stephen Rice
for Bayly 38'
15 Paddy Kavanagh
20 Billy Dennehy
for Cahill 60'
16 Robert Duggan
10 Dessie Baker
for Turner 66'

James Chambers
Unfortunate to be sent-off

Rovers went down to the Lilywhites in Oriel Park and had James Chambers controversially sent-off to be followed by an incensed Michael O’Neill. There then followed a five minute stoppage in play due to disturbances in the Rovers end of the ground.

It could have started well for Rovers when on 7 minutes a Chambers cross to the back post saw Stewart make contact with the ball but he couldn’t direct his effort on target from close range. Alan Mannus took a low cross from Kuduzovic while at the other end a deflected Murphy cross saw Cherrie dive to punch away.

The home side gradually took control and on 17 minutes a Dundalk corner was headed across goal and Fenn met the ball but Mannus was well placed to save. Chris Turner got Stewart away in the box on 20 minutes but his pull-back to Chambers saw the Hoops number eight drag his effort across goal.

Fenn had another opportunity on 23 minutes but shot just over the bar from the edge of the area. Alan Mannus was the busiest of the ‘keepers but he dealt with anything that came his way as Dundalk did all the pressing.

Pat Flynn won a corner in the 39^th minutes and Cahill’s cross saw Cherrie punch away. Twigg then chested the ball down for Chambers but he shot wide.

Dundalk continued to apply the pressure at the start of the second-half and Breen’s header was met with a flying save from Mannus. The home side went ahead on 52 minutes when Breen headed a corner towards goal and Fenn was on hand to steer the ball past Mannus.

However James Chambers almost equalised within a couple of minutes as he saw his free-kick from 25 yards leave Cherrie standing but the ball hit the butt of the post and although Price met the rebound his shot was blocked by a defender.

The home side took advantage of this piece of good fortune to increase their lead when Gaynor’s cross saw both Rice and Murphy fail to clear and Melligan gratefully slotted the ball past Mannus from inside the box. It was almost three-nil a minute later butt Mannus tipped Fenn’s header onto the inside of the post and away to safety.

Rovers fought hard to get back into the game and Billy Dennehy was introduced and his cross on 64 minutes saw Twigg feed Stewart but his shot went over. However a long throw-in from Rice was headed on by Price and Twigg pounced to score at the back post to give the Hoops some hope.

On 78 minutes another Rice throw-in saw Chambers shoot through a number of players before being blocked for a corner and the home side cleared Chamber’s corner following a scramble in the area.

The game erupted when Chambers received a second yellow card for a high challenge however it looked like both players had raised their boot in the challenge. Chambers had been booked earlier for an innocuous shove on a Dundalk midfielder.

Michael O’Neill then received his marching orders following a clash with the fourth official and the game was halted while order was restored in the crowd behind the dugouts.

Rovers threw everything forward in the dying minutes and Pat Flynn had Cherrie stretching to tip his cross over the bar. A Dennehy volley couldn’t find the target just before Referee Hancock blew his whistle to end the game.