Shamrock Rovers claim 19th League of Ireland title in front of raucous home support
Shamrock Rovers' Daniel Mandroiu celebrates scoring his second goal. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Shamrock Rovers hardly broke a sweat as they sealed a second successive Premier Division title - their 19th in all - with a routine 3-0 victory over Finn Harps at Tallaght Stadium.
The Hoops only needed to match the result of second-placed St Patrick’s Athletic, who were away in Longford, to guarantee back-to-back league crowns with four games to spare.
As it happened, Athletic did their part at Bishopsgate, winning 4-1 thanks to a Matty Smith hat-trick, but Rovers were in no mood to postpone the inevitable and got the job done.
Two goals inside the opening 25 minutes from top scorer Danny Mandroiu sent Stephen Bradley’s side on their way before sub Aidomo Emakhu sealed it at the death.
It was certainly more straightforward than that last two meetings between the sides: Harps had won 2-1 in Ballybofey in August thanks to a late Tunde Owolabi winner. The previous game in Tallaght, in June, Harps felt they should have won as they had a host of chances following Adam Foley’s second-half equaliser.
Both strikers were absent for Ollie Horgan’s Harps as they nursed knocks, though the Donegal side did set up in an offensive 4-3-3 formation with ex-Rovers man Sean Boyd up top.
It had been Boyd’s 85th-minute strike that sparked an unlikely comeback at home to Sligo Rovers last week, when they were 2-0 down having played for 86 minutes with 10 men.
If that was a demonstration of the resilience of a skilful and talented Harps side, they were in bother from the very first whistle as 7,000-odd Rovers fans made their presence felt.
The first game in Tallaght Stadium since restrictions were dropped wasn’t quite a sell-out - much to the relief of those fans who crowded into the top of the stand to avoid the rain - but not far off.
The addition of the South Stand - now the home of the Rovers Ultras - has helped to create a cauldron-like atmosphere in the Dublin 24 venue.
Emerald green flares and smoke bombs were probably the last thing Harps keeper Mark McGinley wanted to be met with as his side continue to scrap to avoid a relegation play-off.
The stale smell of gundpowder hung in the air as the game finally got underway, a couple of minutes late, and the carnival atmosphere continued.
The home fans were given a taster of what was to come inside two minutes as Mandroiu jinked in from the right before drawing a save from McGinley with a well-struck low shot.
They barely had to wait two more to see their side take the lead as a pinpoint through ball from wing-back Sean Gannon sent the former Bohs man racing through on goal.
The playmaker, who was called into the Ireland senior squad over the summer, rounded McGinley before casually slotting the ball home from a tight angle.
It was a dream start for the home side who desperately wanted to get the job done in front of their own fans after lifting the trophy behind closed doors last season.
Ryan Connolly, one of four ex-Rovers men in the Harps side, didn’t read the script and he dashed forward through the middle before being upended on the edge of the box.
A second former Hoop in Boyd took on the free-kick himself but he curled the ball harmlessly into the wall as the visitors failed to make use of a rare advantageous position.
Mandroiu had another chance shortly after from a similarly tight angle but he couldn’t find the target, while Rory Gaffney saw his shot well-blocked by Shane McEleney.
The second goal was always coming and it arrived just past the midway point in the half. Once again it was Mandroiu who provided the clinical touch.
As green smoke engulfed the area behind the goal, Mandroiu stooped, unmarked, to glance Gannon’s cross into the bottom corner past a helpless McGinley.
Mandroiu was denied a third by a fine covering run from Dave Webster, while McGinley pulled out a terrific low save to deny Gaffney as half-time approached.
The second half resembled a training ground exercise as the home side played keep-ball, but 17-year-old sub Emakhu took his chance to round McGinley and slot home a late third.
Harps’ struggle to avoid the relegation play-off continues into the final weeks, but glorious number 19 will live long in the memories of a Hoops support finally able to see their side lift the title.
Mannus; O’Brien, Lopes, Grace; Gannon, Towell (O’Neill 73), McCann, Farrugia (Emakhu 82); Watts (Burke 73), Mandroiu (Noonan 87), Gaffney (Greene 73).
McGinley; Boyle, McEleney, Webster, Mustoe; Coyle (Hawkins 46), Connolly (Doherty 82), McNamee; O’Sullivan (Foley 69), Rainey (Seymore 46), Boyd (Owolabi 60).
Paul McLaughlin.
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