Report: Ryan McMullen / Image Credit: Sportsfile
A disappointing night for Shamrock Rovers as Dundalk score 2 and pick up all 3 points in Oriel Park.
Going into the game Rovers Head Coach Stephen Bradley made 3 changes following Monday night’s win against Derry City bringing in Sean Gannon for injured Neil Farrugia as well as Dylan Watts coming in for Jack Byrne and Aaron Greene coming in for Rory Gaffney.
Dundalk started the game on the front foot and were forced multiple corners and free kicks in the first 10 mins however never managed to trouble Leon Pohls in the Rovers goal.
Dundalk continued to have most of the possession during the first half although it looked like Rovers had found a breakthrough when Johnny Kenny took a shot on goal from the right hand side of the box, Dundalk goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd saved the shot but didn’t manage to hold on to it, the ball then fell for Sean Gannon who scored the rebound which was then ruled out for offside.
Following the offside goal Rovers started to have the majority of possession but failed to create any clear-cut opportunities.
Both teams would go in level at the break. As the score line suggested, the first half was fairly even with both teams having chances and spells of possession but not finding a way to trouble the goalkeepers at either end of the pitch.
At the start of the second half, it was Rovers who created the better opportunities and in the 67th minute the ball fell to Rovers substitute Rory Gaffney in the box who’s shot just went wide of Shepperd’s goal.
Shortly after however it was Dundalk who found the opener when centre half Lewie Annesley picked up a breaking ball in midfield and drove forward before taking a shot which ended up in the top right corner of the goal, leaving Leon Pohls with no chance.
Just 3 minutes later Dundalk found their second when their Captain Patrick Hoban headed home a Keith Ward free kick from the right wing, the header went deep into the bottom right corner just beating Pohls.
Rovers looked to get back into the game following the goal when a Graham Burke shot from outside the box was denied from Shepperd late on.
Five minutes of injury time was then added but Dundalk managed to defend any Rovers attacks and ultimately see the game out to come away with all three points.
Next up for Stephen Bradley’s side is another trip to Louth as they take on Drogheda next Friday ( July 7th ) with kick-off set for 7:45 pm at Weavers Park.
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls, Gannon, Hoare, Lopes ©, Cleary, Watts, Greene (Burke 71), Kavanagh, Towell (Burt 71), Poom, Kenny (Gaffney 62).
Shamrock Rovers unused substitutes: Leitis, Power, Nugent, Cruise, Lennox, Noonan.
Dundalk: Shepperd, Davies, Leahy, Annesley, Kelly (O’Kane 90+1), Hoban © (Martin 86), Sloggett, Muller, McCourt (Doyle 86), Yli Kokko (Ward 72), Malley.
Dundalk unused substitutes: Cherrie, Lewis, Kenny, Mayo, Byrne.
