BYRNE INSPIRES ROVERS AS SAINTS SLIP AND UCD CRUISE
SHAMROCK ROVERS extended their lead at the top of the Premier Division table to four points with a routine win over a lacklustre Sligo Rovers at Tallaght Stadium. Dan Carr’s first-half strike was followed up by Ronan Finn and a wonderful Jack Byrne strike in front of the watching Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy and assistant Robbie Keane. It was mostly one-way traffic in this one as Stephen Bradley’s charges had their inevitable lead on 39 minutes. The Bit O’Red were sloppy in dealing with Byrne’s corner, as Carr was allowed nod to the net while unmarked at the back post. Further poor defending from Liam Buckley’s side led to the league leaders’ second, Finn forcing the ball past Mitchell Beeney from the angle on 64 after a struggling Sligo were carved open. Byrne’s curling effort from the angle settled matters, sailing into the top corner eight minutes from time to cap off a wonderful display.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; O’Brien, Grace, Lopes, Clarke (Kavanagh 68); Finn (Watts 67), Bolger; Greene, Byrne, McEneff; Carr (Joel Coustrain 80).
Scorers: Carr 39, Finn 64, Byrne (82).
SLIGO ROVERS: Beeney; Morahan, Mahon, Callan-McFadden, Banks; Dunleavy, Cawley (Warde 78); Twardek, Murray (Fordyce 78), Parkes (Liam Kerrigan HT); Coughlan.
Referee: Rob Rogers (Dublin) AARON DRINAN wrecked St Patrick’s weekend for Harry Kenny’s misfiring Saints. Waterford’s on-loan striker from Ipswich Town scored in each half at a soaked RSC to secure their first home win of the season, against a team with a paltry haul of one goal in their last four games. Mikey Drennan is Pat’s only goalscorer this season. Waterford gave them the blues, starting with Drinan’s opener on 18 minutes. When the Saints failed to clear Kevin Lynch’s free-kick into the box, Drinan was first to react by heading through a thicket of defenders beyond Brendan Clarke. Drinan grabbed a second on 63 minutes after JJ Lunney did the spadework.
WATERFORD: Connor; Feely, Kouogun, Delaney, Lynch; Chvedukas (Poynton 56), Lunney; Elbouzedi, Héry (Duggan 46), Twine (Akinade 81); Drinan. Scorers: Drinan 18, 63.
ST PATRICK’S ATH: B Clarke; Madden, Desmond, Toner, Bermingham; Lennon, McCabe; Miele (Markey 73), Forrester (Webster 67), D Clarke (Shaw 67); Drennan.
Referee: P McLaughlin (Monaghan). THE basement battle went the way of UCD as goals from Timmy Molloy and a Richie O’Farrell double helped The Students to their first win of the season. In the process, Collie O’Neill’s side leapfrogged their opponents off the foot of the table at the expense of a beleaguered Harps outfit. The sides were level at half time but UCD kicked it up a gear in the second half – coming inches from taking the lead when Gary O’Neill’s rasping 35-yard free kick was touched onto the bar. They got their goal just past the hour as Yoyo Mahdy held the ball up and saw his shot saved by Ciaran Gallagher, but Molloy was on hand to turn home the rebound. O’Farrell got his first 10 minutes later, latching onto Gary O’Neill’s perfectly-weighted through-ball and placing his
effort in the far corner. The midfielder – who was unplayable for large periods – got his second seven minutes from time, curling home after his initial effort was blocked. Onwards and upwards for UCD.
UCD: Kearns; Tobin, Scales, Collins, Dignam; O’Farrell, O’Neill, Molloy; Coffey (Farrugia 76), McClelland, Mahdy (McDonald 86).
Scorers: Molloy 61, O’Farrell 71, 83. Booked: Coffey, O’Farrell
FINN HARPS: Gallagher; Scott, Borg (Place 83), Cowen; Kavanagh, Ascroft, Coyle (Boyle 65), Cretaro (McNamee 72), O’Reilly; McAleer, Boyd. Booked: Borg, Cowan, Kavanagh, Coyle, Boyd. Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).