Win over St Pat's puts Rovers back on track

[team1]St Patrick’s Athletic[/team1][score1]0[/score1][team2]Shamrock Rovers[/team2][score2]2[/score2][/score]

Shamrock Rovers reignited their title challenge with this comfortable Dublin derby win over St Pat’s. A cool finish from Greg Bolger in the first minute of first-half stoppage time broke the deadlock, before Sean Kavanagh curled a deft free kick into the bottom corner five minutes after the restart.

Rovers dominated from the off. A fine bit of link-up play between Sean Kavanagh, Dan Carr, and Jack Byrne resulted in a neat pass to Dylan Watts, but his shot was easily collected by Brendan Clarke.

Seconds later Clarke was scrambling to tip away Trevor Clarke’s effort. Bolger later burst into the right side of the box from Byrne’s lay-off. The Wexford native calmly slotted across the face of goal and into the far corner.

Five minutes after the re-start Kavanagh curled his free kick around the wall and Rovers never looked back.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC:

B Clarke; Madden, Desmond, Toner, Bermingham; Lennon, Coleman, Clifford (McCabe 28) Forrester; Drennan, Walker (D Clarke HT).

SHAMROCK ROVERS:

Mannus; O’Brien, Lopes, Grace, Clarke; Finn (B Kavanagh 77), Bolger, Watts (Oluwa 85), Byrne, S Kavanagh; Carr (Greene HT).

Referee: G Kelly (Cork).