| Sporting Fingal |
3-3 |
Shamrock Rovers |
| Zayed 10,O'Neill 50,Finn 87 |
|
Sives 34, Twigg 76, Rice 80 |
Sporting Fingal left it very late to salvage a point in the Morton Stadium against Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers, but if it wernt for the many mistakes from Fingal it could have been 3 points, but a cracking game none the less.
Sporting Fingal came into todays Dublin derby with Shamrock Rovers in need reigniting their league campaign following last weeks draw with St Patricks Athletic and the previous weeks loss to Drogheda United. Shamrock Rovers knew that 3 points were needed to stay up there with St Pats but needed to take it easy so Michael O Neill would have a fully fit squad heading to Italy for their Europa League second leg tie with Juventus.
The opening 10 minutes were very quiet from both sides. Fingal got the first chance after 2 Minutes when Gary O Neill had a shot going in but it was fingertiped over the bar by Alan Manus in the goal. Fingal were patient in those opening stages and that paid off on 11 minutes, when O Neill floated a nice ball to eamon Zayed who had no difficulty in putting it past Manus for the opening goal.
A minute or two later the Tallaght men had nearly leveled the score when James Chambers found himself with plenty of space on the halfway line and ran through to the box, Quigley had come out of his goal to the edge of the area, Chambers tried to curl it around him but it just went wide.
Rovers equalized on 34 minutes Craig Sives volleyed in from a James Chambers corner after Ger O'Brien was forced to concede the corner following a James Chambers free in. A great goal and just what what they needed too.
That goal seemed to calm down any nerves but in saying that it seemed to kill off the half aswel, there wasnt anything spectacular to report and very few chances either. Michael O Neill will have been happy with his teams attitude going into the break considering their bumper week which includes a home game with Bohemians next Sunday in Tallaght, after of course the second leg tie with Juventus.
Sporting Fingal started the second half very well, they were once again patient and wernt giving away the ball and on 50 minutes it once again paid off, Ronan Finn had a cracking shot saved by Manus, but the Hoops keeper stumbled it and Gary O'Neill got on the ball and lashed it into the back of the net to put fingal 2-1 up, massive mistake from Manus. O Neill was proving instrumental setting up chances aswel as the first Fingal goal. On 62 minutes after scoring his goal O Neill set up Zayed again but he hit it just wide of the post but defiantly had Manus beaten in the goal could have and really should have been 3-1.
Fingal will be asking questions about why their final touch wasnt working, especially on 76 minutes, as the rain was pouring down in Santry Conan Byrne found himself in trouble so he passed back to Shaun Williams, who couldn't control it. Gary Twigg robbed him of the ball and raced in for a cool finish to level the sides once more.
Despite it being a horrible day weather wise, it was turning out to be a great day for Rovers. Fingal on 80 minutes were badly punished for letting the hoops have too much procession, Rice with a great goal. He shot low from outside the box into the far left corner and Quigley couldn't reach it. 3-2 Rovers. This was nothing more than Rovers deserved and it looked like a Fingal comeback was unlikely.
Or was it… on 86 minutes Ronan Finn burst into the area and fired a shot past Manus in the goal, it appeared like Manus didnt know where the ball was, great goal but very sloppy goal keeping to help ensure atleast a point for Liam Buckleys men.
Sporting Fingal: D Quigley, G O'Brien, L Fitzgerald, S Williams, K Browne, E Zayed, C Byrne, R Finn, G O'Neill, A Kirby, S McFaul SUBS B Gannon, O Cahill,G Crowe, K Dawson, B Clarke
Shamrock Rovers: A Mannus, A Price, C Sives, D Murray, E Stevens, R Bayly, C Turner, P Kavanagh, G Twigg, T Stewart SUBS; D Murphy, B Dennehy, S Rice, S Bradley, P Jennings
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
Attendance 1433