Five-star Rovers put Celtic to the sword
SHAMROCK Rovers showed their Premier Division class to ease past the Wexford Celtic challenge in their Wexford Volkswagen Cup third round tie in a rain-sodden Sinnottstown Lane on Sunday.
With the heavens opening and muck-stained kits the order of the day, it was one of those occasions when the conditions could have levelled the playing field and, like unheralded Hereford’s famous FA Cup win over Newcastle in a mudbath in 1972, a shock could have been on the cards.
However, the Enniscorthy side went about the job in a thoroughly professional manner and picked off their opponents with ruthless efficiency when the opportunities presented themselves.
Although Wexford Celtic were comprehensively outplayed, they were still in with a fighting chance with half-time approaching as they trailed 1-0, but two quickfire goals just before the interval settled the contest.
It was imperative for the hosts, who play their trade in Division 2, to get off to a good start if they were to have any hope of shocking the Premier Division champions, but unfortunately for Wexford Celtic it was Rovers who made the early breakthrough.
With less than two minutes on the clock Eoin McDonald sent in a beautiful cross from the right wing and the inrushing Ricky Fox directed his header beyond Celtic goalkeeper Donal O’Connor.
O’Connor was called into action moments later, making a good block with his feet to deny Marty Kelly after fine build-up play involving Fox and Ricky Dwyer.
The visitors were doing the lion’s share of the pressing as Marty Kelly, Ricky Dwyer and Eoin McDonald all tried their luck in the opening half hour, with Seán Hopkins and Cian Doyle managing to get efforts on target at the other end without troubling Rovers goalkeeper Seán Allen.
The Enniscorthy outfit cranked up the pressure as the half wore on and Alan Freeman went close to doubling their advantage on 34 minutes, but his crisp volley from a Ricky Dwyer corner flew narrowly over the crossbar.
The pressure paid off in the 43rd minute when Freeman did manage to get his name on the scoresheet.
A short corner between Ricky Dwyer and Martin McKeown was worked into Eamonn O’Brien and his blocked effort fell into the path of Freeman, with the full-back making no mistake, sweeping the ball home. It was game over in first-half injury time as Eamonn O’Brien ran on to a pass from Ricky Dwyer and rifled the ball to the corner of the net.
With conditions deteriorating in the second-half, it was never going to be pretty but Rovers did manage to add two further goals in the final ten minutes as a dogged Wexford Celtic outfit tired.
On 61 minutes Donal O’Connor did well to save a stinging drive from substitute Seamus Casey, and moments later the netminder had to be alert to block a Martin McKeown shot after John O’Connor found him with a pinpoint pass.
The only real sight of goal that Celtic had in the second period was when substitute Eoin Reck fired a difficult chance wide on 74 minutes, and Rovers really stamped their authority on proceedings before the final whistle.
In the 83rd minute Eoin McDonald was fouled in the area and he dusted himself down before arrowing the penalty to the corner of the net, and a minute later substitute Dan Carroll put the icing on the cake when drove a thunderous 30-yard free-kick beyond Donal O’Connor. WEXFORD CELTIC: Donal O’Connor, Steve Healy, Adam Roche, Seán Carmody, Seán Hopkins, Cian Doyle, Wayne Carty, Johnny McManus, Willie Lambert, Darren Lambert, Stuart Hayden. Subs. - Eoin Reck for Doyle, James Quinn for D. Lambert, Dylan Kehoe for Hayden, also Kevin Frewen. SHAMROCK ROVERS: Seán Allen, Alan Freeman, Trevor Breen, Ian Sinnott, Eoin McDonald, John O’Connor, Ricky Dwyer, Ricky Fox, Marty Kelly, Eamonn O’Brien, Martin McKeown. Subs. - Seamus Casey for O’Brien, Dan Carroll for Fox, Paudge Doyle for Freeman, also Mikey Carroll, Lee Murphy, Seán Wildes. REFEREE: Derek Campion.