A 92nd-minute header from Billy Dennehy cost Dundalk what would have been a deserved win as Shamrock Rovers came from two down in the final 11 minutes to rescue a point with a 2-2 draw at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday evening. The Lilywhites put in a superb performance and were ahead midway through the first half when Mark Griffin latched onto Keith Ward’s through-ball and finished well, before he doubled the lead on 62 minutes when heading home Ross Gaynor’s free-kick. Dundalk looked comfortable but substitute Chris Turner fired into an empty goal on 79, before Dennehy snatched a point for the Hoops in the final seconds.
Griffin denied
Dundalk manager Ian Foster chose not to recall Shane Guthrie to the starting lineup, instead sticking with the same XI that lost to Saint Patrick’s Athletic eight days earlier. After Gary O’Neill threatened in the opening minutes – a tame shot saved by Peter Cherrie before he headed over a Dennehy cross from the left – the visitors had a good chance to break the deadlock on six minutes when Griffin found himself through but Alan Mannus proved equal to the task. Moments later, at the other end, Gary McCabe’s cross from the right was met by O’Neill eight-yards out but his header into the ground bounced over the bar. On 13 minutes, the ball fell invitingly for Greg Bolger 30-yards out but the Northern Irish ‘keeper watched carefully as the dipping effort went narrowly wide of goal.
Dundalk ahead
On 19 minutes, Mark Quigley should have put his side in front when he was picked out by a fine Gaynor ball from the left. However, from the ‘D’, his effort went well off target. Then, McCabe’s cross again found O’Neill but he miscued from close range with perhaps Gary Twigg better placed. Dundalk hit the front on 22 minutes when Ward slid in Griffin on the left of the box and he remained cool to slot beyond Mannus. On 27 minutes, McCabe tested Cherrie with a 25-yard shot which the Scot pushed wide. From the resulting corner, the visitors broke with pace, Bolger finding Griffin on the halfway line who in turned tried to pick out Daniel Kearns on the right but Mannus raced from his goal to clear. On 36 minutes, Rovers had the ball in the net as Twigg poked home following a Dennehy free-kick, but the linesman’s flag saw the goal ruled out.
Lead doubled
Shortly after, Bolger produced a fine tackle to halt Dennehy’s run as he approached the box, as Dundalk took the narrowest of leads into half-time. On 48 minutes, it should have been 2-0 as Bolger fed Griffin in the box and he did the hardest part, getting past his man, before making the task easy for Rovers’ No1. The visitors looked comfortable in the opening exchanges of the second half but Rovers went within inches of an equaliser on the hour mark, Dennehy’s shot going narrowly wide of Cherrie’s right-hand post. And that miss proved even more costly moments later as Dundalk doubled their advantage, Gaynor’s free-kick met by a powerful header from Griffin, giving Mannus no chance. On 72 minutes, Dennehy’s corner was met by a bullet header from Ken Oman but it went wide, as Rovers looked for a way back into the game.
Late twist
They were back in it on 79 minutes when Cherrie punched clear, the ball falling to Turner 25-yards out and he drilled to the net with the Dundalk ‘keeper still on the ground. In the final minute of normal time, the ball found its way to Oman on the right of the box and he composed himself before drilling a shot towards goal which Cherrie did superbly to push behind. Dundalk were holding out but on 92 minutes Rovers grabbed an undeserved leveller as a hopeful ball into the box came to Dennehy who headed over Cherrie. With the last attack of the game, Colin Hawkins tried to connect with a Gaynor free-kick but he couldn’t find the required touch as the visitors had to be content with a point.
SHAMROCK ROVERS FC: Alan Mannus, Pat Sullivan, Dan Murray © (Craig Sives 55), Ken Oman, Enda Stevens, Gary McCabe, Stephen O’Donnell (Chris Turner 64), Ronan Finn, Billy Dennehy; Gary Twigg (Karl Sheppard 68), Gary O’Neill.
Goals: C Turner (79), B Dennehy (90+2).
Booked: G Twigg (41), K Oman (50), E Stevens (90+3).
Unused Subs: Ryan Thompson (GK), Stephen Rice, Ciarán Kilduff, Conor McCormack.
DUNDALK FC: Peter Cherrie, Simon Madden ©, Dean Bennett, Colin Hawkins, Nathan Murphy, Greg Bolger, Keith Ward, Daniel Kearns, Mark Quigley, Ross Gaynor, Mark Griffin.
Goals: M Griffin (22, 62).
Booked: M Griffin (35), C Hawkins (76), G Bolger (81).
Unused Subs: Paul Murphy (GK), Stephen Maher, Shane Guthrie, Johnny Breen, Chris Kerr, Philip Duffy.
Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).
