Shamrock Rovers claim Dublin derby spoils

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Shamrock Rovers 2: Goals in either half from Brandon Miele and Gary Shaw gave Shamrock Rovers the points from this Dublin derby at Richmond Park.

Miele put the visitors ahead on 15 minutes before Shaw wrapped up the win on 77 minutes.

Pat’s were without Sean Hoare who was sent off in last Sunday’s 5-1 hammering by Bohemians, while Lee Desmond, Jamie McGrath, and Mark Timlin all dropped to the bench. Rovers were missing Gary McCabe who was red-carded in their last game, against Finn Harps, also last Sunday.

Following a couple of chances at either end the visitors took the lead on 15 minutes. Miele finished well past Brendan Clarke into the bottom corner following a good Rovers team move which also involved Dean Clarke and Shaw, though the Pat’s central defensive partnership on the night of Rory Feely and Darren Dennehy will feel that they could have done more to keep it out.

Miele went close to doubling the lead on 21 minutes with a low drive from 20 yards out but Clarke was well placed to make the block. The Pat’s goalkeeper was then kept busy by Rovers for a sustained period but did well on 25 minutes to jump highest in the packed area and catch a corner from Killian Brennan.

Two minutes later at the other end, Dennehy got his head to a corner kick from his brother Billy, but couldn’t get enough power in it to trouble Craig Hyland in the Rovers goal.

Pat’s had an opportunity on the half hour when Christy Fagan collected a long ball on the edge of the Rovers box. He turned left and right to shake off two Rovers defenders but when he went left again he lost his footing, and the ball, and the chance was gone.

Fagan had another chance three minutes into the second half when he got on the end of Ian Bermingham’s cross and turned before shooting, only to see his strike deflected away.

Then on 54 minutes, Rovers cleared quickly from a Pat’s corner kick with Clarke taking the ball from inside his own half to the edge of the Pat’s box before firing in a low shot that was saved by Clarke in the Pat’s goal.

Billy Dennehy was put through on goal to the right of the box on 69 minutes but Hyland got enough of a touch on the ball to put it into the side netting. From the resulting corner by Dennehy, brother Darren got a header on target but again Hyland saved.

Pat’s were left to rue those missed opportunities when Rovers increased their lead on 77 minutes. On the break, Patrick Cregg was given too much space and delivered an inch-perfect low ball for Shaw to tap in past Clarke.

St Patrick’s Athletic:

B Clarke; O’Brien, Feely, D Dennehy, Bermingham; Cawley (Treacy 56 mins); Byrne (Timlin 66 mins), Verdon, Kelly, B Dennehy; Fagan (McGrath 75 mins).

Shamrock Rovers:

Hyland; Madden, Cornwall, Heaney, O’Connor; McPhail; D Clarke (T Clarke 72 mins), Brennan, Cregg, Miele; Shaw (Dobbs 78 mins).

Referee:

Tomás Connolly (Dublin)