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Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley wary of threat posed by Cork City's livewire attackers
It's first versus last at Tallaght Stadium on Friday evening as Shamrock Rovers look to strengthen their hold on top spot in the Premier Division when Cork City visit Dublin 24. Unbeaten in 10 games, with seven victories in their last eight, Rovers are in cruise mode and enjoying their best form of the campaign. Stephen Bradley's side sit nine points clear at the summit, albeit with two games more played than second-placed Bohemians , who they meet at Dalymount Park on Monday in a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash. Conversely, these are worrying times for Cork City, who are bottom of the league, two points adrift of Sligo Rovers and an alarming 10 points behind third-from-bottom Waterford. They travel to the capital on the back of last Friday's 2-0 home defeat to Bohemians. Manager Gerard Nash is still searching for his first win since taking charge four games ago. With no victory in eight and just two from 19 all season, Cork are in a battle to avoid relegation for a third time in six seasons. READ MORE 'The task is huge. We are in a fight, we know that,' said Nash after last week's defeat. 'We have 17 games [remaining] and we have to be better. The players care and we need to show fight and spirit now, starting in Tallaght.' The Leesiders held Rovers to a 1-1 draw at Turner's Cross early last month. Bradley is fully respectful of the challenge they bring despite the 29-point gap between the sides. Cork City's Sean Maguire was singled out by Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho 'When you have (Seán) Maguire, Djenairo Daniels and Cathal O'Sullivan, their attacking threat with those three is as good as any in the country,' said the Rovers manager, whose only injury absentee is defender Adam Matthews. 'Seán Maguire's movement is very similar to (Waterford's) Padraig Amond, very good and very clever. O'Sullivan is a very good young player and Daniels causes real problems, so they must be respected and Cork as a team must be also.' [ Shelbourne end St Pats' unbeaten home record thanks to Ali Coote goal Opens in new window ] Having gone second in the table last week, Bohs manager Alan Reynolds brings his team to his native Waterford as they strive to make it three wins on the bounce to maintain their momentum ahead of hosting arch-rivals Rovers on Monday. 'Waterford are a good side,' said Reynolds, whose team has won nine of their last 12 games since languishing second bottom of the table at the end of March. Bohemians celebrate after Rhys Brennan's goal against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on April 21st, which helped turn their season around. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho 'They had a great record against us last season and they've beaten us already at Dalymount this season, so it's another game where I think we're going into it with something to prove.' Shelbourne welcome Derry City to Tolka Park with manager Damien Duff warning his players not to be distracted by next month's Champions League clash with Linfield . 'Your league form is what gets you to Europe. Don't take your eye off that,' said Duff. 'The lads need to realise they have to be on form individually to be in contention to start or play in Europe. That's very different to just being motivated by the occasion. 'It has to be collective and it has to carry. Build the form, attack the league, take that to Europe.' Friday's fixtures (all 7.45pm) Premier Division Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers Galway United v St Patrick's Athletic Shelbourne v Derry City Waterford v Bohemians Shamrock Rovers v Cork City First Division Athlone Town v Finn Harps Dundalk v Treaty United Kerry FC v Bray Wanderers UCD v Cobh Ramblers Wexford v Longford Town
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers move five points clear after thumping win over St Patrick's Athletic
League of Ireland: Shamrock Rovers 4 St Patrick's Athletic 0 Another cleverly taken goal from the precocious Michael Noonan sent Shamrock Rovers on their way to an unexpectedly facile fourth successive win as they punished injury-hit St Patrick's Athletic's defensive frailty at Tallaght Stadium. Man of the match Graham Burke rowed in with a brace before Aaron Greene added a fourth to inflict St Pat's heaviest defeat since Stephen Kenny took charge just over a year ago. Their impressive momentum moves Stephen Bradley's Rovers five points clear at the summit of the Premier Division , albeit with an extra game played, ahead of Friday's trip for a top-of-the-table meeting with Derry City. A third defeat in four games sees St Pat's, who topped the table at the end of March, drop to sixth, seven points behind Rovers. READ MORE Having named wingback Josh Honohan in his squad for the June friendlies, Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson was an interested spectator as Rovers should have punished an error to take the lead before a minute was played. Shamrock Rovers' Michael Noonan rounds St Pat's goalkeeper Joseph Anang before shooting to score the first goal of the game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Defender Sean Hoare, a former Hoop, inexplicably took a long throw across his own penalty area which fell straight at Burke's feet. Joseph Anang saved his defender's embarrassment when parrying Burke's volley out for the first corner of the game. Hoare was soon close to redeeming his mistake when St Pat's raided with intent for the first time. Joe Redmond nodded Barry Baggley's deep corner back across goal for Hoare whose header was off target. Mason Melia then showed his promise as the 17-year-old spun Rovers' captain Roberto Lopes to set up Simon Power whose shot was deflected out for another corner. In what was still an open game, Burke, played in by Cory O'Sullivan, worked Anang again before a gross misjudgement by the Saints' goalkeeper all but gifted Rovers the lead on 22 minutes. Burke's ball down the right looked to pose little threat but Anang raced out from his goal in the hope of reaching it first only to be beaten to it by the alert Noonan. And before Anang could retreat back to his goal, the 16-year-old, in an almost identical situation to his goal in Waterford on Friday night, showed terrific composure to shoot into the unguarded net. Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson at Tallaght Stadium. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho The goalkeeping had to be more assured at the other end on 33 minutes to prevent a St Pat's equaliser. Aidan Keena dinked a clever pass through for the run of Melia to bring a good save from the well-positioned Ed McGinty. Two minutes later Rovers doubled their lead, again punishing poor defending. Burke was allowed to carry the ball from the halfway line, cut all too easily past a sluggish Jamie Lennon, before drilling a shot low and hard past Anang into the bottom corner of the net. Further punishment should have been inflicted on the disjointed St Pat's defence when Honohan ghosted between two defenders only to drive over. St Patrick's were then left incensed in stoppage time at the end of the half when Melia looked to have been tripped by Lopes inside the area. But no penalty was forthcoming. Shamrock Rovers' manager Stephen Bradley celebrates after the game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho The game was then all but over as a contest five minutes into the second half when Rovers extended their lead. Noonan showed his tenacity to win a tackle with Luke Turner. Grant pounced on the loose ball to burst forward to cross and give Burke a simple tap-in for his sixth goal of the season. Substitute Greene added the gloss with a fourth goal seconds after coming on in the 69th minute, calmly curling a low shot past Anang to the bottom corner for a well-taken fifth strike of the campaign. Champions Shelbourne's poor form continued as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw with erstwhile league leaders Drogheda United at Tolka Park, both now with just one win from their last eight games respectively. SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Grace (Clarke, 61 mins), Lopes, C. O'Sullivan; Grant, Nugent (Mandriou, 67), Healy, Honohan; Byrne (McEneff, 67), Burke (Watts, 67); Noonan (Greene, 67). ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Anang; Hoare, Redmond, Turner (McClelland, 55 mins); Elbouzedi, Baggley (Breslin, 69), Lennon, Power (Carty, 80); Kavanagh (McLaughlin, 80); Melia, Keena (Mulraney, 55). Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo). Attendance: 6,542.
Irish Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers wear Drogheda United down and leapfrog them at top of the table
League of Ireland Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 3 (Greene 50, Grace 53, Gaffney 90+3) Drogheda United 0 Aaron Greene scored his second sublimely-taken goal of the week as Shamrock Rovers wore down Drogheda United at Tallaght Stadium to leapfrog them to the top of the Premier Division table. Central defender Lee Grace provided the assist for Greene's opener before heading a second himself in a dynamic three-minute spell early in the second half which effectively sealed the points. Substitute Rory Gaffney added a third goal in stoppage time following a defensive blunder. A second win over Drogheda this year, and a seventh of the campaign, thus sees Rovers back at the summit, on goal difference ahead of in-form Derry City, for the first time since winning their four-in-a-row titles at the end of the 2023 season. READ MORE With Josh Honohan returning at left-wingback the only change from Monday's win over Sligo Rovers, Hoops enjoyed plenty of possession throughout a first half of utter frustration for Stephen Bradley's side. With a solid shape and focus, Drogheda came to spoil with goalkeeper Luke Dennison spoken to for timewasting as early as the 10th minute. Nonetheless, it was Kevin Doherty's side who had the game's first real opening two minutes later when Shane Farrell curled a free kick not far wide. As was the case in Monday's win over Sligo, Rovers had to show patience in moving the ball to find openings, finally cutting Drogheda open when going direct on 25 minutes. Jack Byrne's long ball over the top found the run of Greene in behind. He worked it back to Matt Healy who fed Graham Burke to drive straight at Dennison. Rovers' patience looked to have finally paid off six minutes later following incisive approach play by Danny Grant, Burke and Byrne which resulted in Owen Lambe tripping Honohan to concede a penalty. Burke had opened the scoring emphatically from the spot against Sligo on Monday. But it wasn't to be on this occasion. The penalty lacked conviction as it arrowed wide off the base of a post. Rovers upped the tempo from the restart, tenaciously pinning Drogheda inside their area. And whatever may have been said at half-time worked as they were 2-0 up inside eight minutes. The opening goal in the 50th minute caught Drogheda's back line flat footed as Grace dinked a telling pass in behind. Greene controlled the dropping ball superbly on his chest before turning and calmly lobbing it over Dennison for a delightful fourth goal of the campaign. Three minutes later, Dennison pushed a shot from Healy out for a corner. Byrne's delivery was on the money as Grace rose highest to get his head to the ball and find the net for his second goal of the season. Gaffney then capped Rovers' dominant evening three minutes into added time. Dennison merely succeeded in heading an attempted clearance from outside his area against Michael Noonan with the ball rebounding to Gaffney who walked it into the net. Derry City move second after an 82nd minute Danny Mullen goal gave them a 2-1 victory away to second-bottom Cork City, the Candystripes fifth win in six games. Derry led from the 27th minute at Turner's Cross when Gavin Whyte set up Liam Boyce for his fourth goal of the season before Dutch striker Djenairo Daniels scored a 62nd minute equaliser. Kerr McInroy scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as champions Shelbourne came from behind to beat St Patrick's Athletic 2-1 at Tolka Park. Mason Melia had given the Inchicore side a first half lead before Harry Wood levelled three minutes into the second half. A 27th-minute strike from Darragh Leahy brought Waterford a 1-0 victory over Galway United at the RSC as they made it four wins on the spin in new manager John Coleman's first game in charge. Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Grace, Lopes, C. O'Sullivan; Grant (J. O'Sullivan, 84), Nugent (Ozhianvuna, 84), Healy, Byrne (Barrett, 84), Honohan; Burke (Gaffney, 73); Greene (Noonan, 83). Drogheda United: Dennison; Ahui, Keeley, Cooper (Oluwa, 59); Lambe, Farrell (Cruise, 72), Brennan (Bolger, 63), Heeney, Kane; Davis, Douglas-Taylor. Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin). Attendance: 6,101.
