Hoops Line out
1 Oscar Jansson
2 Kerrea Gilbert
4 Craig Sives
5 Ken Oman (C) 
3 Conor Powell
22 Stephen Rice
20 Billy Dennehy
7 Gary McCabe
9 Gary Twigg (c)
10 Gary O'Neill
15 Killian Brennan

Substitutes
19 Sean Gannon
for Gilbert ht
16 Daryl Kavanagh
for O'Neill 84'
22 Colm McCormack
for McCabe 87'
14 Aaron Greene
23 Colin Hawkins
8 Stephen O'Donnell
30 Reyaad Pieterse

The Hoops got back to winning ways on a wet and cold night in Tallaght. Gary McCabe's low first-half shot opened the scoring and Hoops number 9 Gary Twigg netted a brace in the second-half.

A lively opening to the game saw Mulvenna shoot on goal for the Drogs but Jansson saved easily while a good tackle by Prendergast denied Twigg a shot following Powell's through ball. Gary O'Neill had a great chance to open the scoring after only five minutes when he got the better of Prendergast but side-footed the ball just wide of 'keeper Sava's right-hand post.

Drogheda favourite Declan O'Brien tried his luck from distance on 8 minutes but again Jansson was well placed to save. Rovers gradually got the upper hand and McCabe and Gilbert linked up well on 11 minutes but the resultant cross was cleared. A couple of minutes later Billy Dennehy crossed but Gary Twigg couldn't direct his header on goal.

The Hoops kept pressing and Sava was quick off his line to deny Twigg from Dennehy's through ball. On 24 minutes a Dennehy low free-kick was blocked and the ball fell to Brennan but his dipping shot just cleared the crossbar.

[GOAL 1:0 - 31st min.] Rovers finally broke the deadlock when Jansson's clearance up field saw O'Neill control the ball and feed McCabe on the right-hand side and he took one touch before drilling his shot past Sava and into the net.

The Drogs hit back on 3 minutes when Ryan Brennan ran across the Hoops defence but his shot was deflected and the resultant low corner caused problems for the Hoops defence but the ball was eventually cleared. On 38 minutes a McCabe free-kick on the right was headed across goal by Ken Oman and Twigg's touch forced Sava to save and Brennan's follow-up shot was blocked. Sean Brennan then shot narrowly wide for the visitors from distance with 40 minutes on the clock.

Stephen Rice had a good chance on 41 minutes but he saw his shot from McCabes pass blocked by a defender in front of goal. Two minutes later Gary Twigg forced Sava into a diving save from Gilbert's cross and although Dennehy hit the net from the rebound the goal was ruled out for offside.

[GOAL 2:0 - 55th min.] After a lackluster start to the second-half the Hoops went two up when a cross from Rice was headed down by Twigg to O'Neill and he layed the ball back to Twigg to volley past the helpless 'keeper.

Just three minutes later Dennehy fed O'Neill on the edge of the area and he in turn picked out Twigg in the box but Sava dived to his right to save the Scotsman's shot. The visitors went looking for a goal back but Twigg was on hand to head away a free-kick before Gavin Brennan got the better of Powell but his low cross was ahead of the strikers.

A short corner on 65 minutes saw Dennehy pass to Brennan and his curling shot from 20 yards forced Sava into another fine save. On 76 minutes Killian Brennan won a free-kick 30 yards out and he stepped up himself to shoot on goal but his excellant strike hit the crossbar.

[GOAL 3:0 - 82nd min.] Rovers wrapped up the points when Rice forced a corner and Dennehy sent in a cross that was met by Ken Oman but he saw his header cleared off the line only for the predator Gary Twigg to respond quickest and head the ball into the net.

[GOAL 3:1 - 89th min.] The Drogs grabbed a consolation goal when O'Brien received the ball just outside the box and he set himself up to curl a fine shot past Jansson and into the net.

Hoops Line out
30 Reyaad Pieterse
2 Kerrea Gilbert
4 Craig Sives
17 Graham Gartland
 
3 Conor Powell
22 Stephen Rice
18 Chris Turner
7 Gary McCabe
9 Gary Twigg (c)
16 Daryl Kavanagh
15 Killian Brennan

Substitutes
20 Billy Dennehy
for Powell 63'
14 Aaron Greene
for Kavanagh 67'
23 Colin Hawkins
for Sives 75'
10 Gary O'Neill
8 Stephen O'Donnell
22 Colm McCormack
1 Oscar Jansson

On a bright but breezy afternoon in Sligo the Hoops went down by three goals and had Chris Turner and Graham Gartland sent off in the second half.

Rovers had an early chance when a deflection took the ball into the path of Gary Twigg on the left hand side of the area but the angle was tight and Rogers saved the shot with his leg. The Scotsman then headed over from a McCabe free-kick.

On 17 minutes Conor Powell was alert to cut out a long wind assisted ball as North looked to get in on goal. A minute later Mark Quigley took advantage of the wind to shoot first time from 35 yards out and the ball beat Pieterse but rattled off the Hoops crossbar.

Sligo were hitting balls over the Hoops defence and on 22 minutes Pieterse did well to advance from his area to clear. Two minutes later another lofted ball saw North take possession and although he rounded Pieterse he was forced wide and couldn't hit the target.

On 26 minutes a fine run by Gary McCabe saw his dangerous low cross cleared and a minute later McCabe again crossed from the right but Rogers got to the ball before Turner. Kavanagh then raided down the right but his cross was straight at Rogers.

[GOAL 1:0 - 30th min.] Quigley ran at the Hoops defence and although Brennan made a fine intercepting tackle the ball deflected into the path of North on the left-hand side of the box and his shot beat the wrong-footed Pieterse at his near post.

[GOAL 2:0 - 37th min.] The Hoops went two behind when they failed to properly clear a corner and the ball fell for Cawley whoose dipping shot from 20 yards out beat Pieterse and ended in the roof of the net.

Rovers started the second half brightly with McCabe shooting low but Rogers got down to push his shot away. Kavanagh then attacked the box but could only force a corner. The Hoops task got harder when on 51 minutes Chris Turner was shown a straight red car from Referee Connolly for raising his hand at Alan Keane although the Sligo defender cetainly made the most of it.

Sligo were happy to play on the break and on the hour a dangerous cross from McCabe was punched away by Rogers and a Sligo counter-attack saw North break into the area on the left but Pieterse advanced and dived at this feet and did enough for North to lose control of the ball.

Rovers introduced Dennehy and Greene but couldn't break down the Sligo defence and on 75 minutes Quigley shot from a tight angle on the left-hand side of the box but Pieterse saved well.

[GOAL 3:0 - 77th min.] It was mission impossible on 77 minutes when North skipped past sub Colin Hawkins to race into the area and beat Pieterse with a low shot.

Rogers was called into the action on 84 minutes when Gartland found Dennehy in a central position just on the edge of the area but his first time shot was saved by the Sligo 'keeper. Gartland then received a very soft second yellow card after a tackle on Cretaro and Rovers were reduced to nine men. It was just a case then of seeing the game out as Sligo dominated possession in the remaining minutes.

Hoops Line out
30 Reyaad Pieterse
2 Kerrea Gilbert
23 Colin Hawkins
4 Donal Branagan    
3 Jack Memery
19 Sean Gannon
8 Stephen O'Donnell
6 Conor McCormack
9 Dean Ebbe
13 Lorcan Shannon
14 Aaron Greene

Substitutes 
20 Sean Dixon
for Ebbe 88'
17 Tom O'Rourke
for Shannon 89'
15 Karl McGrath
16 Dean Power
6 Paul Moffat
1 Oscar Jansson
25 Lee Steacy

The Hoops advanced to the semi-finals of the Leinster Senior Cup after a deserved victory over St Pats. Goals from Sean Gannon, Dean Ebbe and Aaron Greene sealed the victory. The game was held up for over 10 minutes in the 75th minute due to a bad knee injury to Referee Coombes, who had to be stretchered off.

It was a day of heavy downpours in Dublin and the game started in poor conditions.Pieterse made a decent stop from Dempseys shot after 6 minutes while Gannon forced Pats 'keeper Brandon to save his shot following O'Donnell's corner.

Rovers started to dominate possession but oly after Colin Hawkins denied Kelly a run int the box with a fine tackle. Lorcan Shannon was causing the St Pats defence no end of problems and on 22 minutes he cut inside form the left but shot wide.

Shannon was involved again just two minutes later when his cross fell for O'Donnell but former Hoop Aidan Price was on hand to block his goalbound shot. On 27 minutes a Shannon corner to the back post saw Hawkins rise to meet the ball but his header missed the target.

Ryan Coombes tested Pieterse on 31 minutes with a shot from outside the box but the Hoops 'keeper was well placed to save. Rovers should have taken the lead on 34 minutes when Shannon was again the provider this time sending his cross low into the area but both Dean Ebbe and Sean Gannon couldn't get the vital touch in front of goal.

[GOAL 1:0 - 44th min.] Aaron Greene fed Shannon on the left and his cross was met by Dean Ebbe and he found San Gannon on the right and his first time shot gave Brandon no chance to give the Hoops a deserved lead at the break.

Dean Ebbe had a great chance to extend the lead just after the break when Greene cut out a back pass and rounded the 'keeper but the angle was too tight to shoot and he crossed for Ebbe but his close range shot was blocked by a defender. Donal Branagan made a fine interception in the area on 57 minutes to deny Conor Pepper a clear shot on goal for the Saints.

[GOAL 2:0 - 60th min.] Conor McCormack stretched to flick the ball to Ebbe just outside the box and his shot beat Brandon and rested in the left corner of the net.

The Saints hit back and Dean Kelly was unlucky when his close range effort hit the crossbar on 65 minutes and a minute later the same player took a free-kick on the left and Pieterse had to get down quickly to keep out his low drive.

Rovers always looked threatening going forward and Stephen O'Donnell found Greene on the edge of the box on 76 minutes and he turned well to shoot on goal but Brandon touched the ball onto the crossbar. A minute later the game was stopped as the Referee lay on the ground and after a 10 minute stoppage he was carried off with what appeared to be a bad knee injury.

When the game resumed the visitors tried desperately to get back into the game but Ian Daly miscued in front of goal and shot wide in the 85th minute while Pat Flynn shot hig and over when well placed just outside the box.

[GOAL 3:0 - 89th min.] Rovers sealed the victory when O'Donnell played a fine ball into the path of Greene and he turned well to slot the ball past Brandon and into the net.

Deep into injury time the Saints had a chance to score a consolation when Flynn was played in through the center of the Hoops defence but Pieterse advanced quickly from his line to make a fine blocking save and ensure a clean sheet for Rovers.

Hoops Line out
1 Oscar Jansson
22 Colm McCormack
4 Craig Sives
17 Graham Gartland 
3 Conor Powell
22 Stephen Rice
18 Chris Turner
7 Gary McCabe
9 Gary Twigg (c)
16 Daryl Kavanagh
20 Billy Dennehy 

Substitutes
15 Killian Brennan
for Kavanagh 62'
14 Aaron Greene
for Dennehy 75'
2 Kerrea Gilbert
for McCormack 80'
10 Gary O'Neill
19 Sean Gannon
23 Colin Hawkins
30 Reyaad Pieterse

Rovers dropped two more home points as the Students grabbed a late equaliser after a more positive 2nd half performance. A Billy Dennehy free-kick and a fine goal from Daryl Kavanagh had given the Hoops a first-half advantage.

Rovers started well with McCabe raiding down the right and he got into the area but his low cross was well defended.

[GOAL 1:0 - 5th min.] Gary Twigg was fouled 20 yards out on the right and Billy Dennehy stepped up to take the free-kick and shoot low into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Chris Turner then forced UCD 'keeper to push away his low shot and Kavanagh clipped his shot over the bar from just outside the box. On 11 minutes Oscar Jansson had to be alert to claim a through ball from Paul Corry. Rovers failed to build on their good early start with Gary Twigg heading wide from Dennehy's free-kick on 17 minutes.

On 20 minutes a Kavanagh cross saw Twigg try an overhead kick but his effort went wide. On 27 minutes another Kavanagh cross was headed wide again this tim from Dennehy. Two minutes later a good run from Turner into the UCD area ended with Twigg shooting across goal and wide. The game went through a dull period and was crying out for some individual piece of skill to liven up proceedings.

[GOAL 2:0 - 39th min.] Daryl Kavanagh provided the quality that the game lacked when he took the ball from midfield and ran on goal and from outside the area on the left he curled a fine shot past McGinley and into the corner of the net.

The Students had the last chance of the half when the impressive Corry played Lyons in on goal but the UCD forward saw his lob over Jansson clear the Hoops crossbar.

UCD showed their intent early in the second-half when Corry pounced on an error by Stephen Rice and shot on goal but his effort hit the crossbar. Rice and Twigg combined in the 51st minute with the Hoops number 6 shooting wide from the edge of the area. Substitute Belhout just failed to get on the end of a cross from Ledwith as the second-half opened up with the visitors in a more attacking mode.

Gary Twigg thought he had put the game beyond the Students on 55 minutes when he poked home following McGinley's save from Turners shot but he was flagged offside.

[GOAL 2:1 - 59th min.] The Students were given a lifeline when McCormack tripped Ledwith in the area and Referee McKeon pointed to the spot. Graham Rusk sent Jansson the wrong way to score.

Straight from the kick-off Daryl Kavanagh crossed for Twigg to drag his shot wide of the goal. The Hoops number 16 was replaced soon after by Killian Brennan. The Students had a chance on 63 minutes but O'Connor headed over the bar from a corner. Two minutes later a Conor Powell long ball saw Twigg control the ball well but he shot wide from a tight angle on the left.

A corner on 66 minutes for the Students wasn't dealt with by the Hoops defence and Douglas headed just over the bar. On 73 minutes Brennan and Twigg combined and the Hoops substitute was only denied by the advancing UCD 'keeper. Sives then headed into the side-netting from McCabe's deep corner. On 76 minutes a Powell cross was missed by McGinley and the ball fell to McCabe on the right hand side of the box but he shot over the bar.

With 11 minutes remaining O'Connor got on the end of a cross but his close range header saw Jansson well positioned to save.

[GOAL 2:2 - 90th min.] The Students got their reward for a more attacking performance in the second-half when O'Connor ran on to a defensive splitting pass on the right hand side of the area to shoot past Jansson and into the corner of the net for the equaliser.