GREENE GOAL SEALS CUP WIN
Shamrock Rovers 1
St Pat’s YC 0
AARON GREENE was the hero of the hour in Tallaght Stadium last night, as his 84th minute strike offered Stephen Kenny his first piece of silverware as Shamrock Rovers boss.
Despite home advantage, Rovers had to dig very deep to see off a gutsy and determined performance by St Patrick’s CY in the final of the Leinster Senior Cup.
Though the competition is well down the list of priorities for The Hoops, Kenny fielded a strong-looking team.
Ken Oman, Billy Dennehy, Conor McCormack and Gary O’Neill all lining out alongside former Ipswich Town defender Shane O’Connor, who was making his debut for Shamrock Rovers.
Playing in their black and purple-striped away kit (which avoided a clash with CY’s green and white hooped outfit), Rovers began well.
Left-winger Greene forced an excellent save from CY netminder Philip O’Connor on 10 minutes after an intelligent through ball by the influential O’Neill.
The Leinster Senior League side, who operate out of Irishtown Stadium in Ringsend, were showing nice touches around the middle-third, but had little penetration.
Dangerous
Rovers were always dangerous when they broke into the final-third but O’Neill headed wide, while Daryl Kavanagh and Greene both saw attempts saved by O’Connor as the half drew to a close at 0-0.
Rovers continued to take the game to CY upon the resumption, and half-time sub Dean Ebbe dragged a shot wide on 58 minutes.
It always seemed inevitable that Rovers would break through, but when a brilliant Sean Gannon strike came crashing off the woodwork with ten minutes left the possibility of extra time loomed.
Greene had other ideas, though and with six minutes left, he showed great composure to manufacture a chance for himself, before coolly slotting the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
Despite a fantastic save by Reyaad Pieterse from the industrious Alan Murphy soon after, Rovers were full value for their win.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pieterse; Gilbert, Oman, Memery, O’Connor; Dennehy, Gannon, McCormack, Greene; O’Neill, Kavanagh (Ebbe h/t). Subs not used: Mullaney, Sandford, Kearney, Brown, Morris, Shanahan.
ST PATRICK’S CY: P O’Connor; Roche, Nolan, Doolin, Glen O’Connor; Young (Healy 87), O’Brien (Kinsella 85), Hannigan, Gary O’Connor (T Dunne 72); Roche, Murphy.
Subs not used: S Dunne, Behan, Riddick, Murphy.
REFEREE: Robert Harvey (Dublin).