Rovers (2) 4 - Turner 31' Dennehy 37' Sheppard pen. 65' Finn 84'  
Galway United (0) 0 -           
 

Airtricity League - Tallaght Stadium - Friday 28th October 2011

Hoops Line out
16 Ryan Thompson
2 Pat Sullivan
4 Jim Paterson   
5 Dan Murray (c)
17 Ken Oman
15 Rohan Ricketts
20 Billy Dennehy
22 Conor McCormack
18 Chris Turner
14 Dean Kelly
10 Karl Sheppard

Substitutes
21 Ronan Finn
for Murray ht
19 Gary O'Neill
for Kelly 61'
6 Stephen Rice
for Ricketts 63'
3 Enda Stevens
7 Gary McCabe
9 Gary Twigg
1 Richard Brush

The Hoops scored four goals and collected the Airtricity League trophy in Tallaght Stadium and also notched up the 100th League goal in Tallaght  Stadium thanks to Ronan Finn's 84th minute strike.

It was the visitors that started well with Bobby Ryan forcing Ryan Thompson to tip the ball over the bar in the first minute.

A good turn by Gilmore in the box forced Jim Paterson to make a good block on 9 minutes as with the pressure off Rovers they were guilt of some sloppy passing early on.

However when Conor McCormack was fouled on 13 minutes Karl Sheppard took a quick free-kick to send Dean Kelly in on goal and he clipped his shot over 'keeper Winn but the ball hit the post.

Alan Murphy then went close for the Tribesmen with a free-kick from the edge of the area and at the other end Ricketts found Sheppard in the box but he couldn't get a shot on goal.

A Ricketts cross was flicked on by Kelly to Billy Dennehy but 'keeper Winn got down well to push the shot away.

Alan Murphy pouinced on a misplaced pass from Sullivan after 29 minutes but he lobbed his effort just over the bar.

The Hoops took the lead on 31 minutes when a Ricketts cross was headed out as far as Turner and he planted first time volley past Winn and into the corner of the net.

Rovers went two up when Sheppard was fouled and Dennehy curled the free-kick towards goal and Chris Turner and 'keeper Winn both failed to connect and the ball nestled into the corner of the net.

Ken Oman headed over the bar in front of goal from Ricketts corner after Winn had saved Ricketts low drive in the last action of the half.

Galway came out fighting in the second-half but Rovers gradually took control and Billy Dennehy, Chris Turner and Rohan Ricketts all went close with shots from the edge of the area.

Dean Kelly hit the post after he rounded 'keeper Winn on the hour while at the other end a rare Galway attack saw Thompson dive at the feet of Cauldwell to clear the danger.

On 65 minutes Galway's number 2 Rory Gartlan was shown a straight red card for clipping the heels of Karl Sheppard as he was about to shoot on goal and the Hoops number 10 dusted himself down to score the resultant penalty.

Dennehy then forced Winn to tip his free-kick over the bar and Sheppard took advantage of a mistake to shoot narrowly wide.

Rovers continued to make chances but it wasn't until the 84th minute when Ronan Finn twisted and turned in the box before shooting low past Winn that Rovers could celebrate their 100th League goal in Tallaght.

There were other chances before the end of the game but Jin Gu Kim almost snatched a consolation goal when he flicked a cross on goal but Ken Oman was alert to clear the ball off the line.

The whistle sounded and Rovers could celebrate a hard fought 17th League Title.