SHAMROCK ROVERS 1-0 DUNDALK FC

Norman Garbett brought Dundalk to life but despite putting heavy pressure on the Shamrock Rovers defence in the final ten minutes, the Lilywhites left the capital with no gains as they went down 1-0 to Johnny Kenny’s first-half strike at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night.

In what was Zak Johnson’s final game for the club before returning to Sunderland, in at times difficult conditions in Dublin, Rovers – still with hopes of challenging for a fifth league title in a row – always looked in control.

But after Aaron McEneff’s early header, it was close to the half-hour when the Hoops’ next chances arrived. After debutant Bobby Faulkner twice denied Kenny, Rovers robbed Dundalk deep in their own territory and Dylan Watts supplied a precision pass for the young forward who controlled well before blasting to the net.

Kenny almost doubled his and Rovers’ tally shortly after but Ross Munro saved well. The Scottish ‘keeper kept Dundalk within touching distance midway through the second half when he pushed away Darragh Nugent’s strike.

But it was Garbett’s introduction in the 81st minute which invigorated Dundalk, his moments of class and trickery giving Jon Daly’s men belief that they could earn an unlikely point.

Fellow substitutes Ryan O’Kane and Cami Elliott threatened twice within seconds of each other, the first shot blocked and the second held by Leon Pohls.

Garbett was again involved moments later when he fed Archie Davies down the right and his cross eventually fell to O’Kane but he miscued as Dundalk eyes lit up. The Louth side then threatened down the other side when young left-back Seán Keogh delivered a fabulous cross for Elliott who met it with a diving header but Pohls unorthodoxly kept the ball out.

Dundalk pressed and pressed through four minutes of injury-time, but Kenny’s moment would prove the decisive one, as Daly’s attention immediately turns to a huge Louth Derby at Oriel Park next Friday.

For the game, Daly made two changes to the team that lost their proud unbeaten home record to Waterford six days earlier. New signings Faulkner and Jad Hakiki were handed starts, replacing Hayden Muller and O’Kane, while other recent arrivals Scott McGill, Hayden Cann and Garbett were on the bench.

In the sixth minute, Rovers almost took the lead when Nugent’s cross from the right was met at the back post by McEneff but his downward header hit the ground and went off target.

At the other end, Hakiki showed fancy footwork on the edge of the box but Dundalk could not get a shot off. Hakiki was also key in setting up Eoin Kenny for a chance midway through the opening period, but Roberto Lopes blocked the striker’s shot.

On 29 minutes, Faulkner showed Dundalk supporters what he may bring to the team with two good blocks to deny Kenny. However, the visitors gifted possession back to Rovers straight away and Watts produced a perfect pass for Kenny who took it in his stride and, from the right angle of the six-yard box, fired to the net.

Rovers almost doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Watts again supplied the ball for Kenny but, from a similar position to his first, his low strike was stopped by the outstretched leg of Munro.

Four minutes later, Jack Byrne struck a near 30-yard free-kick past the post. Dundalk had a set-piece of their own on 41 minutes but Robbie Benson’s effort went off target with Pohls having it covered. Byrne then was allowed to run a long distance before unleashing a strike that Munro got behind well, as the hosts took a 1-0 lead into the break.

Into the second half, conditions worsened, and with the wind at their backs in driving rain, Dundalk were given encouragement in their quest to get back into the game, but Pohls was never threatened in that spell, with no meaningful attack in the final third.

Before the hour, and as the weather brightened, Elliott was introduced by Daly for Eoin Kenny, who had been booked for a challenge on McEneff minutes earlier. Soon after, Nugent made a strong forward run and found Johnny Kenny whose low shot was saved by Munro.

On 65 minutes, Munro was called into action again when Nugent let fly from range and the Scot got across well to push it behind. Dundalk then introduced Scott McGill for his debut alongside O’Kane in a double substitution.

On 71 minutes, O’Kane fired wide from distance. Rovers then had a spell of pressure as they looked to kill off the game. Dundalk’s final roll of the dice came nine minutes from time when New Zealand underage international Garbett was thrown in for a fourth debut of the night.

Garbett quickly showed nice flashes of skill and one of those led to a corner, from which O’Kane got a strike off which was blocked. Dundalk kept the attack alive and Elliott saw a well-hit shot well held by Pohls.

Dundalk then should really have done better a minute later when Garbett again was involved and Davies’ cross was flicked on by Elliott and then Daryl Horgan but O’Kane totally miscued when presented with the chance at the back stick.

On 88 minutes, Dundalk were at it again, with Keogh’s cross from the left met by a diving header from Elliott but Pohls just about kept it out. Dundalk continued to pressure the home defence but they could not find a way through as they left Dublin disappointed, but with some positive signs.

Meanwhile, in Drogheda, Shelbourne were reduced to nine men with the Boynesiders salvaging a late point, which brings them to within two of Dundalk at the bottom of the table ahead of next week’s battle.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Leon Pohls, Seán Hoare (Daniel Cleary 57), Roberto Lopes, Josh Honohan, Darragh Nugent, Gary O’Neill (Darragh Burns 72), Jack Byrne (Aaron Greene 63), Aaron McEneff (Markus Poom 57), Trevor Clarke, Dylan Watts, Johnny Kenny (Richie Towell 72). Subs not used: Lee Steacy (GK), Cian Barrett, John O’Sullivan, Conan Noonan.

DUNDALK FC: Ross Munro, Archie Davies, Zak Johnson, Bobby Faulkner, Seán Keogh, John Mountney (Norman Garbett 81), Paul Doyle, Daryl Horgan, Robbie Benson (Scott McGill 66), Jad Hakiki (Ryan O’Kane 66), Eoin Kenny (Cami Elliott 57). Subs not used: Seán Molloy (GK), Koen Oostenbrink, Mayowa Animasahun, Hayden Muller, Hayden Cann.

REFEREE: Marc Lynch.

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