Drogheda Utd (0) 0  -       
Rovers (0) 1 -  Twigg 90+4'               
 

Airtricity League - Hunky Dorys Park - Friday 15th July 2011 

Hoops Line out
16 Ryan Thompson
13 Pat Flynn
3 Enda Stevens
5 Dan Murray
4 Craig Sives
8 Stephen O'Donnell
7 Gary McCabe 
6 Stephen Rice
22 Conor McCormack
14 Dean Kelly
19 Gary O'Neill

Substitutes

21 Ronan Finn
for O'Donnell ht
9 Gary Twigg
for O'Neill 57'
20 Billy Dennehy
for McCormack 57'
1 Alan Mannus
2 Pat Sullivan
17 Ken Oman
15 Paddy Kavanagh

Ryan Thompson...first league start for the Hoops

A Gary Twigg well taken goal in the dying seconds of added on time gave the Hoops all the points after a lacklustre display in Drogheda.

With seven changes from the starting eleven in the Champions league game, the Hoops started brightly with Dean Kelly forcing a save from Trimble in the Drogs goal after only 35 seconds. Kelly then provided a low cross that O'Neill just failed to connect with.

However the home side had their own chance to take the lead on 5 minutes when Ryan Thompson failed to claim a cross and Craig Sives was on hand to head the ball off the line.

Dean Kelly shot wide from a quickly taken free-kick on 18 minutes and Ryan Thompson atoned for his shakey start when he blocked O'Briens shot at the back post.

Stephen O'Donnell tried to get Gary O'Neill in on goal after 23 minutes but Trimble advanced to get a touch on the ball. Dan Murray was fortunate a minute later when he failed to cut out a long ball and Corcoran had a chance to shoot but Thompson saved his tame effort.

Gary McCabe shot well off target after good approach play on 33 minutes and a minute later Sives couldn't direct his header on goal from McCabes corner.

Ronan Finn was introduced at half-time but it was the home side that had the first chance of the second-half when McNally shot narrowly wide on 53 minutes.

Gary Twigg and Billy Dennehy were introduced as Rovers continued to struggle to make chances but in the 63rd minute a long throw from Rice was headed on by Sives and the ball fell invitingly for McCabe but his goal bound shot was blocked.

Rovers were lacking quality in their set pieces and wasted a number of opportunities throughout the second half.

On 74 minutes a long ball from Stevens was knocked across goal by Sives and Gary Twigg connected with the ball but Trimble dived to save his effort and the ball bounced around the box before being cleared.

On 79 minutes a McCabe flick saw Dennehy race into the area but he shot over the bar under pressure. On 85 minutes a cross by Kelly saw Twigg glance his header across goal.

The home side wasted an opportunity with two minutes remaining when Mulvenna failed to exploit a break with Rovers exposed at the back.

As the game neared the end of the four added-on minutes a long ball from Pat Flynn was knocked on by Dean Kelly to Billy Dennehy and his astute header put Gary Twigg in the clear and the Scotsman showed his prowess in front of goal as he lobbed the ball over Trimble and into the net for an unlikely winner.