Rovers see off strong Midleton
FAI SENIOR CUP
Daire Walsh
SHAMROCK ROVERS…………………………. 4
MIDLETON FC…………………………………… 0
A STRONG second half surge paid dividends for Shamrock Rovers last night at the Tallaght Stadium, where Munster Senior League outfit Midleton FC suffered a second round defeat in the FAI Cup.
Midleton received a bye into this stage of the competition, but with Dan Murray returning to the club where he won two Premier Division titles (he also previously won an FAI Cup during his first spell with Cork City), Stephen Mulcahy’s side were fully prepared for a daunting encounter.
They received a major let off just five minutes into the action, when a scrambled effort by Shaw from a left-hand angle rebounded off the far post – and into the grateful arms of waiting Midleton netminder Matthew Gledhill.
However, in spite of this early scare, the visitors were coping well with the challenge posed by the 24 time champions. The final ball into the penalty area by Rovers was below par in the first quarter, but the lively Brandon Miele did produce an outstanding fingertip save from Gledhill. The impressive custodian was able to tip the ball over the crossbar on this occasion, but he was powerless in his attempt to stop Shaw from breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute.
The Kildare native headed home from close range via an excellent delivery on the right flank by Clarke, but even though it was anticipated that the floodgates would open, Midleton’s deficit remained at one goal heading into the second half.
Rovers continued to dominate possession when the play resumed, and Midleton were kept on the back foot for large periods of the third quarter. To their credit, though, they were frustrating the Hoops with their disciplined defensive work, and a series of long range shots by the south Dubliners didn’t cause any trouble for Gledhill.
Miele was marginally off target with an audacious strike after 52 minutes, however, and at the end of an incisive run on the hour mark, Clarke was inches wide of the Magpies’ left-hand post. Kevin Tattan and Kyle McCarthy were subsequently introduced into the play to add fresh legs in the final-third for Midleton, but they fell further behind with 23 minutes left on the clock. From an enticing Miele corner, Rovers centre-half Sean Heaney turned sharply, and beat Gledhill with an unstoppable left-footed drive.
The outcome now looked beyond the reach of Midleton, and in addition to Pat Cregg’s 76th minute finish from 12 yards, Miele completed the scoring with a sharp strike in second-half stoppage time, despite the best efforts of a tenacious Midleton.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Craig Hyland; Simon Madden, Robert Cornwall, Sean Heaney, David O’Connor (James Doona 85); Pat Cregg, Stephen McPhail; Dean Clarke (Sean Boyd 78), Gary McCabe, Brandon Miele; Gary Shaw (Danny North 67).
MIDLETON FC: Matthew Gledhill; Kevin Kruschell, Dan Murray, Martin Hickey, James McCarthy; Ray Barnes (Kevin Tattan 60), James Leahy, Jake Hegarthy (Kyle McCarthy 65), Ian Maher (Cormac Ahern 80), John Keane; Andrew Knowles.
Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).