Shels and Shamrock Rovers share spoils after rollercoaster first half
Dylan Watts of Shamrock Rovers celebrates levelling the game against Shelbourne. Pic: Paul Phelan/Sportsfile
After swapping four goals in a thrilling first half, Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers failed to deliver on further promise in the second as they had to settle for a point apiece from a compelling Dublin derby at Tolka Park.
Shelbourne had the best record in Dublin derbies last year, losing just two of the 12, but lost their first one of this season against St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday. Across the city, last season’s double winners had bounced back from defeat at arch-rivals Bohemians 10 days ago to beat Derry City, putative pretenders to their throne.
The Drumcondra side were thus keen to get back on track while Rovers looked to build further momentum.
All the real action here was condensed into a rollercoaster first half which saw Shelbourne, who had come from 2-0 down against St Patrick’s only to lose at the death, race into a 2-0 lead of their own. And then duly surrender it by the interval.
A whirlwind start by the home side saw striker John Martin waste a gilt-edged opening on five minutes before they ran up their two goal lead.
Instead of shooting himself when well positioned to do so at the back post from Harry Wood’s cross, James Norris put the ball back across goal where Martin skied his shot over the top.
It was a mere reprieve for Rovers whose sluggish start would cost them three minutes later as another sweeping Shelbourne move opened them up.
Swede Maill Lundgren fed skipper Kerr McInroy to tee up Wood just outside the area. The Englishman took a touch before putting his laces through the ball with his right foot to beat the poorly positioned Ed McGinty to make it four goals in each of the last four games.
That concession failed to wake Rovers up as they found themselves 2-0 down on 14 minutes.
Several Hoops players stopped playing thinking that Sean Gannon’s arced cross from the right had gone out of play.
It hadn’t. Wood retrieved the ball unmarked at the far post to cross. And while Lundgren failed to connect, the ball ran for Martin who was given a simple tap in for his third goal of the season.
Rattled Rovers needed a response and admirably delivered it as a bout of pressure brought them a goal back on 26 minutes.
Tunmise Sobowale’s low cross picked out John McGovern who turned adroitly inside the area to see his shot deflect off JJ Lunney and into the net off the butt of a post for his first goal of the campaign.
Continuing the helter-skelter start to the game, Rovers then fully availed of some foolhardiness by Wessel Speel to equalise seven minutes later.
Shelbourne’s Dutch goalkeeper needlessly fouled McGovern as the forward chased a hopeful ball in behind to concede a penalty.
Dylan Watts, whose spot kick beat Derry City on Friday, duly sent Speel the wrong way from 12 yards.
Though Rovers began the second half very much in the ascendancy, it was Shelbourne who might have regained the lead, Martin angling his free header tamely wide from Lundgren’s cross.
Speel then redeemed his first half gaffe with a fine save at the feet of McGovern before, back at the other end, Martin scuffed a shot wide after substitutes Ali Coote and Jack Henry-Francis combined to create the chance.
Despite the experience of Jack Byrne and Graham Burke, coupled to the youthful promise of Michael Noonan and Adam Brennan, sprung from the bench in a quadruple substitution, Rovers struggled to make their dominance of the ball pay as Shelbourne’s resolve was more than deserving of a share of the spoils.
Speel; Gannon (Bone, 65), Ibsen Rossi, Ledwidge, Norris; Kelly, Lunney (Jarvis, 77), McInroy (Henry-Francis, 55), Lundgren (Coote, 55); Wood; Martin (Boyd, 65).
McGinty; Grace, Lopes, C. O’Sullivan; Sobowale (Brennan, 68), Malley (Byrne, 68), Healy, Watts (Ozhianvuna, 77), Grant; Greene (Burke, 68), McGovern (M. Noonan, 68).
Rob Hennessy (Clare).
5,683.
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