Rovers raid Richmond to tighten hold at the top
SHAMROCK Rovers moved 10 points clear at the summit of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table with a 2-1 win over St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park last night.
In the only game to take place in the top flight at the beginning of this week, goals from Andy Lyons and Kilnamanagh native, Aaron Greene afforded Stephen Bradley’s champions a stranglehold on this tie following a scoreless opening half.
Firhouse native Eoin Doyle – a former Rovers player himself – fired home a late penalty for the Saints, but it was not enough to deny the Hoops.
Although the Tallaght side have two more games played than Dundalk, they have once again underscored their title credentials and are firm favourites to earn a third successive Premier Division crown.
Three days earlier on home soil, a Rory Gaffney goal had handed Rovers the bragging rights over arch rivals, Bohemians.
Pat’s had looked set to claim all three points themselves away to Finn Harps last Friday after a Billy King double edged them 2-0 in front, but late goals from Jose Carrillo and Ethan Boyle meant they had to settle for a share of the spoils.
The Inchicore outfit had defeated Rovers in Richmond earlier in the season and were well in contention to do so again until Lyons hammered home a Greene cross just beyond the hour mark.
Just 10 minutes on from being the creative spark behind this breakthrough, Greene embarked on a memorable solo move before rifling a shot beyond the reach of Saints netminder, Joseph Anang.
This effectively placed the outcome beyond doubt and Doyle’s stoppage-time converted penalty – after Tunde Owloabi had been upended – amounted to no more than a consolation in the end.
Although Pat’s remain a respectable fourth in the table, they trail Derry City and Dundalk by five and six points respectively, despite having played more games. Tim Clancy’s charges are also 16 points adrift of Rovers as a result of their eighth reversal this year.
Yet they will have an swift opportunity to bounce back from this disappointment when Clancy’s former club, Drogheda United pay a visit to Richmond Park on Friday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).
Their bye into the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League means the Saints will then have a week off in preparation for a home league showdown with Dundalk on July 15.
For the second Friday running, Finn Harps will welcome Dublin opposition to Ballybofey with Rovers making their second trip to Finn Park in 2022 – a previous visit in April ending in a 3-0 win for the Hoops.
Following that tie in Donegal (kick-off 8pm), the Hoops will switch focus to their upcoming two-legged Champions League qualifier against Hibernians of Malta.