Rovers (0) 1 - Ricketts 50'  
Derry City (0) 0 -           
 

Airtricity League - Tallaght Stadium - Thursday 13th October 2011

Hoops Line out
1 Richard Brush
2 Pat Sullivan
4 Craig Sives   
5 Dan Murray (c)
19 Jim Paterson 
14 Rohan Ricketts
21 Ronan Finn
6 Stephen Rice
18 Chris Turner
9 Gary Twigg
10 Karl Sheppard

Substitutes
7 Gary McCabe
for Ricketts 74'
20 Billy Dennehy
for Sheppard 84'
11 Ciaran Kilduff
22 Conor McCormack
17 Ken Oman
8 Stephen O'Donnell
16 Ryan Thompson

The Hoops registered a very important win in the title race in a pulsating game in Tallaght. The visitors had the better of the first period but the Champions put in a fine second-half showing and Rohan Ricketts pounced on a mistake to coolly score the winner.

Both sides attacked from the start with an early Derry corner causing problems and Rovers also won a couple of early corners and Derry ‘keeper Doherty had to punch Ricketts kick out from under his crossbar.

On 9 minutes an intelligent flick from Ricketts saw Paterson race down the left and his cross was met by Twigg but he headed wide. Good pressure from Rovers then saw Ricketts slip the ball in for Sheppard but his low cross was cleared.

The Candystripes got into the game and on 17 minutes McGlynn was sent on a run into the box and he beat Dan Murray but Paterson got a vital last gasp tackle in deny him a shot on goal.

A minute later Dan Murray blocked a free-kick from McLaughlin and from the resultant corner Deery glanced his header just over the bar. The visitors continued to grow into the game and on 27 minutes a deflected shot from McEleney fell invitingly for Zayed but he directed his header straight at Brush.

A Pat Sullivan throw-in on 28 minutes saw Ricketts dummy the ball to allow Finn a strike on goal but his low shot went wide. Pat Sullivan was then on hand to block McLaughlin’s shot from the edge of the area.

Derry thought they had taken the lead on 37 minutes when McLaughlin’s cross was met by Zayed and his header beat Brush but hit the inside of the post and the ball was somehow scrambled away to safety.

Following this let-off the Hoops had a chance to snatch the lead on 40 minutes when Sullivan won a corner and Ricketts kick saw McEleney initially clear the ball but Finn beat a defender on the edge of the area and his low cross seemed to be handled by a defender but Ref. Kelly waved play on and the ball was finally cleared in front of goal.

McEleney blasted a free-kick over the bar on 45 minutes and a fine cross from Ricketts that Stephen Rice shot wide from ended the hectic first-half proceedings.

The second-half needed an improvement from Rovers and this was duly delivered. On 50 minutes a long clearance from Richard Brush was watched by defender Greacen but he allowed the ball to bounce and Rohan Ricketts stole in to take possession and lob the ball over the advancing ’keeper and into the corner of the net.

It was just the tonic that Rovers needed and the Hoops almost doubled their lead just four minutes later when a Ricketts free-kick was met at the back post by Twigg and his header across goal was met by Craig Sives but Doherty saved his point-blank effort.  

Rovers were on top now and firstly Ronan Finn stretched the visitors defence but his cross failed to find Gary Twigg. Then it was the Scotsman’s turn to race on to Ricketts ball down the left and turn his marker but he couldn’t pick out Sheppard in front of goal.

On 64 minutes Chris Turner raced down the left and crossed for Twigg but his shot was blocked by a defender. It was all Rovers as Turner and Finn both tested the Derry defence in the 68th minute.

Stephen Rice was harshly adjudged to have committed a foul just outside the area on 72 minutes but the Hoops wall did its job to block Lafferty’s shot. Richard Brush made a fine punch away from a corner and McEleney followed up with a curling shot that went wide but a corner was awarded by the officials. From the kick Ryan McBride glanced a header just over the bar.

Gary Twigg got on the end of Paterson’s fine cross on 75 minutes but his header missed the target.

A good defensive header from Craig Sives cleared a dangerous Derry free-kick with ten minutes remaining but Rovers should have extended their lead a minute later when Finn and Turner combined to set up Finn inside the area but his low shot was blocked by the feet of Doherty.

Richard Brush then claimed a dangerous cross from Harkin right under his crossbar and Stephen Rice was needed to head away a free-kick on the six-yard line with just five minutes left.

Although the visitors threw everything at Rovers in the dying minutes of the game the Hoops held out comfortably and when Lafferty headed a corner wide of Brush’s goal in the 3rd and last minute of added-on time it was the last chance of the game and Ref. Kelly’s final whistle was greeted by a tremendous roar from the Tallaght faithful as Rover took a giant step to retaining their crown.