Rovers  (2) 2  - Sheppard 8' Dennehy 25'    
Sligo Rovers (1) 1 - Doyle 4'          

Aggregate score: 4-1
 

Setanta Sports Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg - Tallaght Stadium - Tue 19th April 2011 

Hoops Line out
1 Alan Mannus
2 Pat Sullivan
3 Enda Stevens 
17 Ken Oman
5 Dan Murray (c)
6 Stephen Rice 
22 Conor McCormack
21 Ronan Finn
20 Billy Dennehy 
19 Gary O'Neill
10 Karl Sheppard

 Substitutes:    
15 Paddy Kavanagh
for Dennehy 79'
16 Ryan Thompson
14 Dean Kelly
for O'Neill 70'
7 Gary McCabe
for McCormack 63'
11 Ciaran Kilduff 
13 Pat Flynn
23 Colm Corcoran
 

The Hoops secured their place in the Setanta Sports Cup final thanks to goals from Karl Sheppard and Billy Dennehy in an entertaining 2nd leg clash in Tallaght.

The Hoops were stunned on 4 minutes when Keane crossed for Doyle to plant his header into the corner of the net. It was the perfect start for Paul Cook’s men but Rovers responded immediately when Billy Dennehy went close from a Karl Sheppard cross.

On 8 minutes the equaliser on the night arrived when Dennehy rounded Keane to cross to the back post and Sheppard was on hand to shoot high into the net. On 15 minutes a McCormack corner was punched clear by Clarke but the ball fell to Ronan Finn on the right and his shot brushed the left hand post.

The game was open and both sides played attacking football. Ronan Finn was turning on the style and Clarke did well to claim his cross on 23 minutes but two minutes later he could do little as Finn raced into the Sligo area to pull back a low ball for Dennehy to place the ball into the corner of the net.

Good defensive play by Davoren denied Finn another run on goal but the ball did fall for Rice to shoot on goal but Clarke saved. Conor McCormack then burst forward into the box and he slipped the ball to Gary O’Neill but his low shot was saved.

On 36 minutes Aaron Greene provided the cross for Doyle to head on goal but Mannus tipped the ball over the bar. Foran met the resulting kick but his header failed to hit the target in front of goal.

Alan Mannus made a fine catch from a Joseph Ndo corner while at the other end Ken Oman saw his headed “goal” ruled out for leaning on a defender.

Sligo went looking for goals in the second half and when Greene was released in the box on the left it took a brilliant save from Mannus to deny the Sligo number 22.

Rovers were defending well and on 62 minutes it took a good interception from Stevens to deny Doyle a run on goal. On 66 minutes Sheppard teed-up Finn to shoot but his effort was blocked. Sheppard couldn’t direct his header on target from a Dennehy cross a minute later.

Horgan headed over the bar for Sligo and at the other end some good control by Dennehy saw him race into the box and he found Dean Kelly with a low cross but the Hoops substitute had a heavy first touch and Clarke advanced to claim the ball.

Dan Murray made a good defensive header from Ndo’s cross on 75 minutes and two minutes later Sheppard just failed to get a decisive touch to Dennehy’s fine cross.

The last ten minutes saw the visitors try to get a consolation goal but it was Rovers Captain Murray that had the last say when he headed just over the bar from a McCabe corner in time added-on.