Shamrock Rovers 2 Douglas Hall 0: A remarkable goal from Jason McGuinness helped ease Shamrock Rovers into the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup and provide this tedious game with one redeeming feature.

With the Munster Senior League side wilting noticeably as the game wore on, McGuinness advanced unchallenged into the Douglas Hall half on 66 minutes and unleashed a thumping right-foot shot from over 40 yards that eventually spun back up into the roof of the net having come back down off the crossbar for a truly spectacular goal.

Leading from impressive teenager Lee Roche's first-half strike, Rovers' second goal all but deflated the Cork side who managed to avoid conceding again before it was over.

"It was difficult to motivate the players for the game. We are in the next round and that's all that matters," said Rovers manager Roddy Collins who was full of praise for Roche.

"I'm very pleased with the perforamnce of young Lee Roche.

"He is only 18 and that was his first competitive start. He looks a natural goalscorer and has the potential to become a great player.

"There were few other positives to pick from the game. It was simply a case of winning it and getting it over with."

Doubtless encouraged by Wayside Celtic's exploits at the same venue on Friday night, Douglas Hall, who played captain Gavin Roche in behind their back four with just Declan O'Connell up front, certainly frustrated Rovers for most of the opening half.

Having scarcely had a shot on target, Rovers scored from their first sustained period of pressure in the minutes before the interval.

Roche drilled wide from a Mark Rutherford cross before beating Stephen Bermingham with a looping header that went in off a post after McGuinness had knocked the ball back across goal in the 42nd minute.

It might have been 2-0 within a minute, but Kieran Foley's powerful header was just over from Keith Doyle's super cross.

Douglas Hall had a let-off within five minutes of the second half as a McGuinness header was cleared off the line before Bermingham finally gathered.

"I'm very proud of my players' performance. The time of the first goal was unfortunate as it came just before the interval," said Douglas Hall manager, Aidan Cotter.

"Fitness was always going to be an issue for us, but we can't do much about that as our season has only just started."

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy; Shelley, McGuinness, McDonnell (Sweetman, 53 mins), Doyle; Molloy, O'Connor, Tracey, Rutherford (Daniel, 62 mins); Roche, Foley.

DOUGLAS HALL: S Bermingham; McSorley (Wilkinson, 74 mins), Clarke, Roche, O'Keeffe, R Bermingham (O'Donovan, 53 mins); Fitzpatrick (Bowen, 81 mins), Moore, Staunton, Healy; O'Connell.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin) .