President’s Cup: Ten-man Dundalk deny Shamrock Rovers yet more silverware

As ‘friendlies’ go, this one had plenty going for it

Fri, 12 Mar, 2021 - 22:26

Brendan O'Brien, Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers 1 Dundalk 1

(Dundalk win 4-3 in penalties)

The wind blew, a tackle flew and yet it was ten-man Dundalk who went home with the President’s Cup after a peno or two.

As ‘friendlies’ go, this one had plenty going for it. And as with the FAI Cup final late last year, Rovers had more of the ball and enough chances but once again lost out to a side that will be looking to relieve them of their league title in the months to come.

Rovers boss Stephen Bradley suggested that maybe his side was living in the Lilywhites’ heads this week when Pat Hoban questioned the worth of their league success in a Covid-affected season. The opposite might be said now that lightning has struck twice.

Either way, this sets the country’s two top teams up nicely for the season to come.

Rovers, who limited their off-season recruitment to Ireland and the UK, looked the more fluid through much of the evening although they dominated possession for long spells without ever putting Dundalk under too much pressure.

A Liam Scales header from a corner that flew off the bar after 19 minutes was the closest they would come to opening the scoring as Graham Burke and Danny Mandriou did their best to fill the holes vacated by the departed Jack Byrne and Aaron McEneff.

Time will tell how that goes.

Dundalk goalkeeper Alessio Abibi saves a penalty

Same goes for Dundalk’s foreign legion, a handful of whom started last night. Raivis Jurkovskis caught the eye down the right wing before the 6’ 6” Sonni Ragnar Nattestad announced his arrival in Ireland with a thundering header.

Leaving a man of his height free at a Patrick McEleney corner wasn’t the best idea. Neither Sean Hoare nor Joey O’Brien will look forward to the video review but the header was a thunderbolt and it came just before the break.

Rovers were level just minutes after the restart, a Sean Gannon cross finding Liam Scales on the far post and the 22-year flicked the ball delicately over a bamboozled Jurkovskis before volleying low to the far corner. A beautiful goal on a filthy night.

Things got ugly coming up to the hour when Nattestad’s sliding tackle on Burke was met with anguished cries all round and a magnetised rush to the scene of the perceived crime. A flurry of yellows and a red for the Faroese saw order restored.

Was it really a red? Was there much contact, if any? TV replays cast the decision in a harsh light but Dundalk survived through to the end of normal time, a low Burke shot parried away by Alessio Abibi the closest they came despite camping in the final third.

Chris Shields of Dundalk lifts the trophy

There was no extra-time. Burke had the chance to win it with the last of the five spot-kicks but ballooned his big chance over the bar and Dundalk claimed the honours when Roberto Lopes had Rover’s sixth attempt batted away by Abibi.

First blood, Dundalk.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: A Mannus; S Hoare, R Lopes, J O’Brien, S Gannon, C McCann, R Finn, D Mandroiu, L Scales; G Burke, R Gaffney. Subs: A Greene for Mandroiu (66); D Watts for Finn (77).

DUNDALK: A Abibi; D Cleary, A Boyle, S Ragnar Nattestad, R Jurkovski, S Stanton, C Shields, D Leahy, J Ogedi-Uzokwe, D McMillan, P McEleney. Subs: P Hoban for McMillan (50); G Sloggett for McEleney (66); C Dummigan for Ogedi-Uzokwe (82).

Referee: D McGraith.