Shelbourne

Boyne Rovers 3 Shelbourne 0

Playing their second preseason friendly against League of Ireland opposition, Boyne Rovers emerged clear winners from a match against a Shelbourne team at Stamullcn on Sunday last.

However, during the first 10 minutes of play Rovers appeared somewhat disorganised, and if it were not for the alertness of Boylan in goals might have found themselves trailing by at least a goal, but gradually they settled down and began to get their game going.

Rovers midfield began to get a grip on the game ‘ and to create the openings for their strikers. It came as no surprise when Rovers did take the lead 25 minutes into this half. Malone’s cleverly chipped free was lobbed into the Shels net by Murphy, to give Rovers a deserved lead. Rovers, with Brannigan prominent, made many more openings in the remainder but lack of finishing prevented them from going further ahead.

On the resumption, Rovers again began to dictate the trend in play and with Taaffe (who had come on in the first half in place of the injured McCann) showing some fine touches, it seemed only a matter of time before Rovers would stretch away. And so they did with two goals in a minute, 15 minutes into the half. The first of these was created by Smith and McDonnell, who turned the ball into the path of Quinn, who hammered the ball home from 16 yards.

The second goal was set up by Murphy and Brannigan, the latter being unlucky not to score, the ‘ keeper saving bravely, but Owen McDonnell was on hand to steer the ball home and give Rovers a three-nil winning margin.

Following this outbreak of scoring, Shels seemed to fall away and Rovers began playing with more assurance and on many occasions they came close to going even further in front. With twenty minutes of the match remaining, Rovers replaced Boylan (their ‘ keeper) with Declan Weldon and a most able deputy he proved as on the rare occasions that Rovers’ defence was caught napping he foiled Mahady from putting one back for Shels.

Boylan in goal gave his usual faultless display; the back four of Rock, McCann, Malone and Reynolds were uncompromising and solid. Even when they lost McCann and McDonnell took his place at the heart of the defence, they gave nothing away. The midfield of Murphy, Smith, McDonnell, Quinn (and Taaffe when introduced) refused to allow Shelbourne any room and were always looking to get forward. The front two of Brannigan and Owen McDonnell (making an impressive debut) both gave the Shels defence an unsettling afternoon.