Rovers sign goalkeeping cover for crunch play-off

Shamrock Rovers have signed former Bray Wanderers goalkeeper John Walshe as back-up after Barry Murphy was ruled out of Friday’s play-off against Dublin City with an ankle problem.

Murphy’s absence means that John Blake will start in goal for the Hoops with 35-year-old Walshe on the bench after Alan O’Neill snapped up the ’keeper on amateur forms.

With the transfer deadline long since passed, Rovers requested a special dispensation from the eircom League to sign a goalkeeper though, the rules meant that they could only sign a player not currently tied to one club.

As Walshe had retired last season, he was a free agent and was quickly picked up by O’Neill.