Galway Utd  (0) 0  -    
Rovers (1) 1 - Sheppard 6'            
 

Airtricity League - Terryland Park - Friday 29th April 2011 

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

Karl Sheppard..on target for the Hoops

The Hoops had a number of chances to add to Karl Sheppards early header but in the end a single goal was enough to claim the points.

That vital goal came in the 6th minute when Rice and McCabe combined for the Hoops number 7 to cross for Sheppard to head powerfully into the corner of the net.

Just two minutes later another McCabe cross was missed by Galway defender Walsh and O'Neill was presented with a great chance to extend the lead but Fleming got down low to save his shot.

The home side recovered from their shakey start and Walsh got on the end of Kellys free-kick on 17 minutes but couldn't direct his header on target. Sean Kelly then fired a great shot from 25 yards not far wide.

Alan Murphy then tried his luck from the right-hand side of the box but Mannus saved comfortably. Rovers thought they had got the second goal on 24 minutes when O'Neill converted Finn's cross from close range but a linesman's flag ruled his effort out.

The home side were forced into two first-half substitutions due to injury and the 'half finished with McCabe shooting wide just after Mannus had dived to cut out a dangerous low cross from Keogh.

Rovers dominated the second-half but couldn't add to their lead. O'Neill took Finn's pass inside the area on 52 minutes but shot over the bar. O'Neill then set up McCabe in the area but a defender got across to block his effort.

Rovers continued to press but Mannus had to be on his toes to claim a corner on 63 minutes and his quick throw-out saw O'Neill almost get Dennehy in behind the defence.

McCabes great run in the 65th minute got him past the home defence down the left but his low cross evaded Sheppard. Dennehy and Finn combined in the 70th minute to set up O'Neill but his shot was blocked.

Galway continued to battle but Rovers could have got the vital second goal on 78 minutes when O'Neills touch sent Dennehy in on goal on the left and it took a fine stop by Fleming to deny the Kerryman. Oman then headed the resultant corner over the bar.

The best chance for Galway came in the 80th minute when Murphy's free-kick from 25 yards flew just past Mannus's right-hand post.

Paddy Kavanagh injected some pace into the Rovers attack when he replaced O'Neill in the 82nd minute and five minutes from time he skipped past two defenders but dragged his shot just wide of Fleming's goal.

In the 3rd minute of added-on time Ronan Finn's low shot went inches wide as Rovers finished out the game to seal the three points.