Sport

Rovers can't quite get on top

SOCCER AIRTRICITY LEAGUE OF iRELAND, PREMIER DIVISION Sporting Fingal 3 Shamrock Rovers 3: A LATE goalkeeping error by Alan …

Mon Aug 02 2010 - 01:00

SOCCER AIRTRICITY LEAGUE OF iRELAND, PREMIER DIVISION Sporting Fingal 3 Shamrock Rovers 3:A LATE goalkeeping error by Alan Mannus stopped Shamrock Rovers from going top of the table as it rained goals amid torrential downpours at Morton Stadium in Santry yesterday.

Strikes from Gary Twigg and Stephen Rice appeared to have turned the game on its head to put Rovers 3-2 up with 10 minutes to play.

But Sporting midfielder Ronan Finn let fly from 25 yards on 87 minutes and Mannus merely deflected the ball into his own net.

In another twist two minutes into stoppage time Sporting should have won a game they deserved to, but defender Kenny Browne blazed over the bar with only Mannus to beat.

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The wet surface made for a terrific game from the off with Sporting midfielder Shane McFaul shaving the crossbar before the home side took the lead on 11 minutes.

Eamon Zayed peeled off Craig Sives at the far post to get on the end of Conan Byrne’s deep cross from the right to score with a stooping header.

A poor piece of officiating contributed to Rovers levelling against the run of play on 34 minutes. Paddy Kavanagh won a free-kick when he actually slipped, with James Chambers’ delivery then winning a corner.

But there was little ambiguity about the goal as defender Sives’ side-foot volley rocketed to the roof of Darren Quigley’s net from Chambers’ corner.

A goal of equal stature deservedly restored Sporting’s lead on 51 minutes. A delightful interchange between McFaul, Gary O’Neill and Finn saw the latter’s shot spilled by Mannus. O’Neill followed through to dink home the rebound.

But the game turned on 76 minute when Byrne’s back pass fell short and Twigg raced through to level with a composed finish.

Substitute Rice then latched onto a rebound to shoot Rovers in front on 80 minutes, the ball squirming under the body of Darren Quigley.

SPORTING FINGAL: Quigley; O'Brien, Browne, Williams, Fitzgerald; Finn, McFaul, Kirby (Dawson, 86 mins); Byrne (Gannon, 82 mins), O'Neill (Crowe, 63 mins), Zayed.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Sives, Murray, Price, Stevens; Chambers (Rice, 55 mins.), Bayly (Bradley, 69 mins), Turner, Kavanagh; Stewart (Dennehy, h/t), Twigg.

Referee: A Buttimer(Cork).