Sligo 1 Shamrock Rovers 1
Shamrock Rovers were left frustrated by Sligo Rovers for the second time this season, after an entertaining clash at the Showgrounds.
Having come from 2-0 down to draw in Tallaght earlier in the year, this time the Hoops were clawed back by the Bit O’ Red, as Jordan Hamilton’s leveller cancelled out an Andy Lyons opener.
The hosts had chances to claim a second goal, but were left on the back foot in the closing stages after centre-back Garry Buckley was shown a second yellow card.
Stephen Bradley’s side were deservedly ahead at the break, with Lyons superbly heading home Jack Byrne’s corner midway through the opening half.
It was a fifth goal of the season for the in-form Lyons, who is the club’s top scorer this year.
He was heavily involved in the build-up to the corner as well, after Ronan Finn got onto Byrne’s brilliant release pass, and crossed for Lyons to tee up Danny Mandroiu. But the striker’s effort was palmed away by Ed McGinty. Lyons stole in to power home a header from the corner, though, with McGinty powerless to stop it at his near post.
Sligo had set up defensively, with Colm Horgan – more typically a full-back – operating as a defensive midfielder alongside Greg Bolger and Adam McDonnell. This left a congested middle of the pitch, though the energy of Dylan Watts and the finesse of Byrne created space for the visitors.
They missed a chance for a second when Lewis Banks was unable to intercept a Byrne ball over the top, and the lively Rory Gaffney looked clear. But Mandroiu had strayed offside.
Mandroiu cut a frustrated figure for large parts of the evening, and was booked following a couple of over-exuberant challenges. Likewise, Buckley was yellow-carded for a foul on Lyons, and he would go on to pick up a second yellow in the final quarter, as the hosts chased an unlikely winner.
They had, at least, earned the cushion of an equaliser at that stage, with striker Jordan Hamilton skilfully looping a header past the helpless Alan Mannus with 20 minutes left. It came after some great work by Sligo substitute Cillian Heaney, whose flick released David Cawley to cross for Hamilton’s finish.
SLIGO ROVERS: McGinty, Banks, Buckley, Pijnaker, Blaney (McCourt, 57 mins), Horgan, Bolger, McDonnell, Cawley, Hamilton (Kirk, 87 mins), Keena (Heaney, 66 mins).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus, Hoare, Lopes, Grace, Finn (Farrugia, 83 mins), Watts (Towell, 77 mins), O'Neil (Burke, 87 mins), Byrne, Lyons, Mandroiu (Emakhu, 83 mins), Gaffney (Greene, 83 mins).
Referee: R Harvey.
Dundalk 4 Drogheda 1
Darragh Leahy was the surprise hero for Dundalk as they comfortably claimed Louth derby bragging rights over Drogheda United at Oriel Park.
The 24-year-old had not scored a competitive goal in almost four years since netting for Bohemians in an FAI Cup victory over Galway Utd in August 2018. He ended that drought with his first Dundalk goal on 39 minutes when he reacted quickest to a Keith Ward free kick that had come back off the crossbar to head past Sam Long.
Leahy then doubled his side’s advantage six minutes after the restart with a close range finish from Lewis Macari’s cross.
The result was then put beyond doubt on 58 minutes when Patrick Hoban netted a third from the spot after Keith Cowan was adjudged to have handled Ward’s cut back.
The visitors did manage to pull a goal back three minutes from the end when substitute Ryan Brennan capitalised on sloppy defending to finish from Luke Heeney’s pass but it was Stephen O’Donnell’s side who would have the final say. with John Martin scoring his second goal in as many matches in the 92nd minute when he slotted past Long from Joe Adams’ pass.
DUNDALK: Shepperd; Macari, Connolly (Gartland, 64 mins), Boyle, Leahy; Doyle, Sloggett (Bone, 77 mins); Adams, Ward (O'Kane, 85 mins), Kelly (Martin, 77 mins); Hoban (McMillan, 77 mins).
DROGHEDA UTD: Long; Quinn, Cowan, Roughan, Massey; Poynton (Grimes 63 mins), Nugent (Brennan 55 mins), Deegan, Heeney, Rooney (Boudiaf 85 mins); Lyons (Clarke 63 mins).
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).
Finn Harps 1 Shelbourne 0
Barry McNamee struck with an 88th minute pile-driver at Finn Park as Finn Harps claimed a first win of the campaign.
Shelbourne had the better of things in the first quarter with chances falling the way of Jack Moylan, Aodh Dervin and John Ross Wilson.
At the other end, the lively Jesse Devers shot over the target from a promising position as the Donegal side finished the first half stronger.
Both sides injected some much-needed pace into their play after the break, with Dervin and former Harps man Mark Coyle prominent for Shelbourne in midfield.
Devers continued to be the main threat for Harps who had the ball in the net on 65 minutes with Yoyo Mahdy getting the last touch, but it was disallowed for an infringement during the build-up.
Injury-plagued Harps were dealt a major blow 10 minutes from time when Elie N’Zeyi had to be stretchered off, leading to former Turkish under-21 international Erol Alkan being introduced.
But McNamee struck the late winner with a cracking 20-yard shot through a crowded goalmouth after Shels failed to clear to give Harps a second win of the season over the Drumcondra side.
FINN HARPS: McGinley; Rainey, Carrillo (Tourish, h-t), Slevin, Donelon; Devers, N'Zeyi (Alkan, 80 mins), McNamee, Timlin (Rudden, 72 mins); Mihaljevic, Mahdy.
SHELBOURNE: Clarke; Thomas, Ledwidge (Anaebonam, 90 mins), Byrne, Kane; Wilsonl, Dervin, Coyle (Lunney 90 mins), Hakiki (McEneff, 74 mins); Farrell, Moylan (Carr, 86 mins).
Bohemians 3 UCD 0
Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe scored for the third match running to get Bohemians back on track following last week’s loss to Shamrock Rovers. Dawson Devoy and Promise Omochere added further goals to give Bohemians their second home win of the campaign.
Frustrated for much of the first half, Bohemians got their deserved lead a minute before the interval. Winger Liam Burt skipped past a defender to get off a low drive which Lorcan Healy couldn’t hold, allowing the alert Junior to scoop home.
Despite dominating from the restart, Bohemians had James Talbot to thank for keeping them in front as they coughed up a real chance of an equaliser on 62 minutes. Sean Brennan put Dylan Duffy in on goal and Talbot made a fine parry save, with Donal Higgins rifling the rebound over the top.
Bohemians doubled their lead three minutes later from a controversially awarded penalty. UCD skipper Sam Todd appeared to have made a good tackle on Junior only for referee Ray Matthews to point to the spot. Devoy drilled the spot kick low to Healy’s bottom right corner.
Bohemians then put the game to bed on 69 minutes. Devoy threaded a ball though for Omochere, who took a touch before blasting his shot to the net.
BOHEMIANS: Bohemians: Talbot; Packman (Murphy, 78 mins), Doherty, Kelly, Wilson; Levingston (Fores, 78 mins), Devoy (Cassidy, 87 mins); Omochere, Coote (Mullins, 68 mins), Burt (McManus, 87 mins); Junior.
UCD: Healy; Ryan, Gallagher, Todd, Osam; Brennan, Higgins (Keaney, 71 mins); Kerrigan, Caffrey, Duffy (Nolan, 81 mins); Whelan.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Midlands).
