Dundalk  (1) 1  - Byrne pen. 36'   
Rovers (1) 1 - Sheppard 16'            
 

Airtricity League - Oriel Park - Monday 2nd May 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 again for Rovers

Rovers came away from Oriel Park with a hard fought point on a warm but blustery day in Dundalk. Karl Sheppard helped himself to another goal and had a late call for a penalty turned down by Ref. Tomney who awarded what looked like a soft penalty to the home side in the first half that Jason Byrne converted.

The Hoops played against the wind in the first half and played some good football on the plastic surface. Hawkins did well to deny Sheppard an early shot and then Dennehy saw his shot from inside the box blocked.

At the other end a Byrne header at the back post didn't trouble Mannus. Rovers took the lead in the 16th minute when Enda Stevens great through ball sent Karl Sheppard in on goal on the left and he coolly slotted the ball between 'keeper Cherrie's legs and into the net.

O'Neill almost set up Finn inside the area as both sides found it difficult to create many openings in the conditions. On 35 minutes a free-kick was whipped into the Hoops area and Quigley flicked the ball towards goal but Alan Mannus got down well to his left to push the ball away.

Two minutes later the Ref. awarded a penalty as Quigley went down after minimal contact with Stevens in the box and the Ref. pointed to the spot. Jason Byrne stepped up to send Mannus the wrong way to score.

A free-kick from Dennehy on 41 minutes fell to McCabe on the edge of the area but his shot went over the bar. A minute from half-time a Ward cross was met by a Byrne header but Mannus saved comfortably.

Ten minutes into the second period saw Dundalk centre-half Hector collide with Mannus from a corner. The Hoops 'keeper took a knock but recovered to take the resulting corner kick.

Byrne then got behind the Hoops defence on the Dundalk right but he fire his shot across goal. Rovers began to get a grip on the game and on 57 minutes O'Neill flicked the ball for Sheppard to run into the box on the left but he volleyed over the bar.

Hawkins was alert to block Sheppards run into the box on the hour and a minute later a McCabe free-kick fell to Sullivan at the back post but he headed the ball over the bar.

Ronan Finn then shot over the bar from just outside the area on the right before a Gaynor cross caused panic in the Hoops defence but Mannus finally claimed the ball.

Gary O'Neill was then controversially booked as Cherrie's kicked clearance cannoned off his arms. Some great play by Stephen Rice on 71 minutes saw him cross to the back post and Sheppard hooked a shot on goal but the ball was cleared for a corner. Byrne then got a head to the ball to deny substitute Kilduff a header on goal from the resulting corner.

Sullivan then shot over the bar from the right after good battling by Sheppard. Rovers looked the most likely to score and when Sheppard took the ball into the home box with two minutes remaining it looked like he was tripped as he rounded a defender.

The Rovers players protested loudly and Manager Michael O'Neill was sent off. Deep into added-on time a long throw-in by Sullivan was headed on by Ken Oman and Sheppard got his header on target but Cherrie made a comfortable save.