Rovers  (1) 2  - Turner 11' Oman 81' 
St Patricks Ath (0) 0 - 

Airtricity League - Tallaght Stadium - Friday 18th March 2011 - ko 8.00pm

Hoops Line out
1 Alan Mannus
2 Pat Sullivan
3 Enda Stevens
24 Ken Oman
5 Dan Murray (c)
18 Chris Turner
7 Gary McCabe 
9 Gary Twigg
19 Gary O'Neill
21 Ronan Finn
20 Billy Dennehy

Substitutes:

6 Stephen Rice
for Finn 73'
11 Ciaran Kilduff
for O'Neill 65'
10 Karl Sheppard
for Twigg 81'
13 Pat Flynn
8 Stephen O'Donnell
15 Paddy Kavanagh
16 Ryan Thompson

      Pat Sullivan

A goal in each half and a missed Gary McCabe penalty just before half-time would suggest a convincing win for the Hoops but St Pats pressed for long periods and only a combination of poor finishing and good defensive play kept the Saints scoreless.

On a calm fine evening in Tallaght the game started evenly with Murray denying North a shot on goal and a Billy Dennehy free-kick causing problems but Turner's header was cleared.

Rovers took the lead on 11 minutes in fine style when Finn layed the ball off to Turner and the Hoops number 18 fired a shot from 25 yards that beat Rogers and went in off the inside of the post.

However the Hoops failed to get hold off the game and gradually the visitors began to make inroads in the Rovers half. Daniels North's close range cross was parried by Alan Mannus in the 23rd minute but he recovered to claim the ball.

Murphy and Bermingham were getting crosses on both the left and the right but the Hoops defence coped relatively comfortably.

As the half drew to a close Ronan Finn almost threaded a ball into the box for Twigg but Rogers advanced to save. Finn then shot over the bar after a neat one-two with O'Neill.

Rovers had a great chance to extend the lead on 44 minutes when a long Murray punt saw O'Neill and Evan McMillan tangle in the box and Ref. Connolly pointed to the spot.

Gary McCabe stepped up to shoot low into the left-hand corner but Rogers got down well to make a fine one-handed save.

The second-half saw an Enda Stevens cross find Gary O'Neill in the box but his effort go wide of Roger's goal. At the other end Shane McFaul received a cross from Murphy in the box but thankfully his shot was blocked.

Murphy then headed over from Bermingham's cross as the Saints started to take control of the game. On 54 minutes Alan Mannus was relieved to see a deflected shot go just wide of his right hand post after Sullivan's initial headed clearance.

Billy Dennehy got a couple of crosses into the box but McMillan cleared on both occasions.

On 68 minutes former Hoop Stephen Bradley curled a free-kick into the box and Mulcahy lost his marker to glance his header just wide of the Hoops goal.

The Saints continued to press and when Ian Daly turned on the edge of the area and fired a shot on goal it took a brilliant save from Mannus to deny an equaliser.

A couple of corners kept the pressure on the Hoops defence and when Bradley blocked Sullivan's clearance it fortunately rebounded back to Mannus.

In the 76th minute a long throw-in from Murphy saw McFaul shoot from the corner of the six-yard box but Turner was alert to block his effort and Ken Oman headed the resultant corner clear.

The Hoops had a rare foray forward in the second-half when a McCabe free-kick saw Murray lay the ball off for substitute Rice to feed Oman inside the box on the left and he evaded a defender to shoot on goal but Bermingham got across to deflect the ball just over the bar.

Billy Dennehy made a good run down the right before Turner won a corner in the 81st minute and Dennehy whipped in a fine cross for Oman to meet the ball and send his header past Rogers and into the net. The Hoops had finally broken the Saints resolve.

The visitors pushed men forward and Rovers almost added to their tally but Rogers saved from Dennehy and Sheppard headed over in the dying minutes.