Rovers return with a bang
ON A novel night for Irish club football, it was the old dogs for the hard road who prevailed as Shamrock Rovers claimed the President’s Cup and put down a marker of intent for the season ahead.
The curtain raiser to the new campaign saw the North Stand opened to spectators for the first time as Tallaght Stadium became the first SSE Airtricity League ground to have four seated stands in operation.
How long it will be before every other top-flight club has similar modern facilities is anyone’s guess but at least Rovers are setting the standard — as they are on the field of play too.
In front of President Michael D Higgins, who had welcomed Lee Grace and Joe Redmond to Áras an Úachtaráin earlier in the week, the line-ups suggested the Saints were taking it more seriously.
After a cagey first half, it was Rovers, on the back of five changes at the break, who pulled clear with a brace from Trevor Clarke and a goal from new signing Josh Honohan.
Clarke broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when picked out by Conan Noonan in the inside left channel.
A surge of pace was followed by a powerful leftfoot finish beyond Marcelo Pitaluga, the new Saints keeper.
It wasn’t long before the Hoops doubled the lead when Honohan rose high in the box to direct a header past Pitaluga — the close-season signing from Cork City celebrated with a mock throw of a dart.
Rovers wrapped it up when the impressive Clarke bagged his second with a fine individual effort in the 88th minute before Jamie Lennon grabbed a stoppage-time consolation for the Saints.
The official attendance of 8,053 contrasts well with the President’s Cup final ten years ago which saw just 1,300 spectators.