Ten man Dundalk knock Shamrock Rovers out of FAI Cup

WINNING GOAL: Hayden Muller's 23rd minute goal sees Dundalk into the second round of the FAI Cup. Pic: ©INPHO/Evan Treacy

FAI Cup

Dundalk 1 Shamrock Rovers 0 

Ten men Dundalk held on for a huge win over Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park to add to the Hoops’ miserable week by dumping them out of the FAI Cup at the first hurdle.

Hayden Muller’s 23rd minute goal put Stephen O’Donnell’s side in the driving seat but they were forced to hang on for well over an hour after that a man light following Paul Doyle’s dismissal just after the half hour mark.

The result means that 25-times winners Rovers are out of the Cup at the first round stage for the first time since also losing 1-0 in Co Louth to Drogheda Utd in 2018.

It also piles the pressure on manager Stephen Bradley following their Champions League qualifier defeat to Icelandic side Breidablik on Tuesday.

The first real chance of note came when Johnny Kenny, introduced following an early injury to Rory Gaffney, missed an absolute sitter on 18 minutes. The Celtic loanee raced onto Burke’s flick on to lift the ball over the advancing Shepperd. While his initial effort came back off the crossbar, a goal looked a formality but somehow he headed the follow up over the bar with the goal at his mercy from four yards out.

That miss was to prove crucial as Dundalk hit the front five minutes later. After Robbie McCourt had been denied by the legs of Alan Mannus after driving into the box moments earlier, Ryan O’Kane’s corner fell to the feet of Muller, who showed great composure to create space for himself before firing to the bottom right hand corner for his first senior career goal.

Kenny had a big chance to level matters four minutes later after being slipped in by Burke again but this time he was denied by the advancing Shepperd.

The game then swung back in Rovers’ favour on 31 minutes when Dundalk were reduced to 10 men following a second booking for Paul Doyle for a needless pull back on Aaron Greene deep inside the opposition half.

Despite their numerical advantage, Rovers were unable to make it count before the break with Kenny having two further efforts off target either side of a Burke attempt that was tamely at Shepperd.

The visitors then had two big chances within 20 seconds of the restart as Kenny was denied by Shepperd after breaking in on the left with Burke's follow up headed off the line by Darragh Leahy.

Shepperd then made a magnificent save on 55 minutes to touch Lee Grace’s header over the bar after Sean Hoare’s initial effort from a corner had come off the butt of the post.

There were several half chances after that but all were either straight at Shepperd or wide as Dundalk held out for a big win. 

Dundalk: Shepperd; Muller, Boyle, Leahy; Davies, Yli-Kokko (Malley 85), Lewis (Sloggett 64), Doyle, McCourt (Brownlie 85); O’Kane (Elliott 85), Martin (Kelly 72).

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Cleary, Lopes, Grace; Hoare (Burt 66), Watts, Burke, O’Neill (Razi 80), Kavanagh (Towell 80); Gaffney (Kenny 5), Greene.

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).