Rovers (1) 1  - Stewart 13'
Sporting Fingal (0) 2 - O'Neill 87' Crowe 88'
Airtricity League - Tallaght Stadium - Saturday 9th October 2010  

1 Alan Mannus
13 Pat Flynn 
4 Craig Sives
5 Aidan Price
3 Enda Stevens
8 James Chambers
18 Chris Turner
6 Stephen Rice (c)
9 Gary Twigg
20 Billy Dennehy
23 Thomas Stewart

Substitutes:
7 Stephen Bradley
11 Neale Fenn
15 Paddy Kavanagh
19 Danny Murphy
16 Pat Jennings

Chris Turner
Fine game in midfield despite penalty miss...

Rovers inability to add to their first-half lead cost them dearly as Sporting capitalised on late sloppy defending to snatch the points in front of a stunned Tallaght crowd.

There was a great atmosphere in Tallaght Stadium as the game kicked-off in relatively fine conditions except for a swirling wind that seemed to be blowing into the West stand. Rovers started the game well with Flynn and Chambers combining to find Twigg in the box but he couldn’t set-up Stewart with his header. At the other end Crowe failed to find the target at the back post following Byrne’s cross.

The Hoops were ahead on 13 minutes when Dennehy put Twigg in behind the defence and the Scotsman’s excellent first touch put him in on goal and he squared the ball for Stewart to score into an empty net.

It was just the start the Hoops needed but the visitors hit-back with Crowe having a shot blocked and then Mannus had to punch the ball away from Byrne’s cross. On 20 minutes Stewart dispossessed Browne on the left and laid the ball back for Twigg but he shot over the bar.

A Stephen Rice long throw-in found its back to the Hoops captain and he set-up Chambers on the edge of the area but his shot went just over. On 27 minutes Turner almost found Stewart in the area and seconds later it was Tommy Stewarts turn to try set-up Turner in the box with a back-heel but a defender got back to clear.

Fingal soaked up the pressure and won two successive corners with Browne heading over the bar from the second kick. Colin Hawkins then headed just wide from a corner on 36 minutes. A Chambers free-kick on 38 minutes didn’t really trouble Clarke in the visitor’s goal.

Right on the whistle for half-time a Rice high ball unto the area fell to Sives and his goal bound shot was well blocked by Fitzgerald.

Rovers needed a second goal and within six minutes of the restart they had two glorious chances. First Turner sent Twigg in on goal and although his first touch was good his attempted lob over the advancing keeper didn’t come off. Dennehy was then put in down the left and he had a clear sight of goal but elected to slide the ball to Stewart but a defender got back to block.

Rovers forced two corners in the 55^th minute but couldn’t breach the visitor’s rearguard. A great turn by Dennehy on 59 minutes saw the Kerry man race into the area at an angle but Clarke parried his shot.

On the hour it was Mannus who had to get down well to save a free-kick by Williams from 25 yards. On 63 minutes a brilliant tackle by Turner saw him trade passes with Stewart before racing in on goal and he was brought down by Clarke as he tried to round the ‘keeper. Referee Hanney opted to show Clarke a yellow card and Turner stepped up to take the spot kick but he crashed his shot off the Fingal cross-bar.

On 66 minutes another golden opportunity was missed when Stevens ball to Twigg in the box saw the Hoops number 9 shrug off a defender before shooting only to see Clarke block his shot with his legs before Stewart followed up with a low shot that Clarke saved again.

As the game entered the final 15 minutes the visitors took off a defender and introduced Kirby and ex-Hoop Ollie Cahill. They began to make chances but Fitzgerald miss-hit his shot when well placed on 79 minutes.

Dennehy made a good run on 80 minutes down the right but his cross couldn’t find Twigg at the back post. Alan Mannus punched away a corner with 5 minutes remaining but two minutes later it began to unravel for Rovers.

A ball into the box looked like it was covered by Price but hesitancy on his part as he waited for Mannus to claim the ball allowed O’Neill to get in between them to knock the ball into the net.

Worse was to follow a minute later when Crowe found himself in space on the left and his shot took a deflection to take it past Mannus and send the Hoops fans into shock. Although there was 4 minutes of added-on time the stunned Hoops couldn’t mount a decent attack and the final whistle was met by a deathly silence inside the Stadium.