Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Longford Town

Shamrock Rovers 0-0 Longford Town
Palmer 65 Martin 79
Gartland s/o 36

Martin crashed home a left foot volley from the edge of the area with 11 minutes remaining to give the visitors a deserved point after Terry Palmer had given Rovers the lead in the 65th minute.

Rovers will be kicking themselves to have let all three points slip through their fingers as, they dominated the second half against a Longford side reduced to ten men during the first half when defender Graham Gartland was given his marching orders for a tackle from behind on Trevor Molloy.

It was all Longford in the opening minutes with the visitors having at least three clear cut opportunities to score.

Shane Barrett was first to threaten when he was picked out inside the penalty area by Alan Kirby only for Jason McGuinness to make a perfectly-timed tackle to stop him while moments later, Sean Dillon tested goalkeeper Noel Mooney with a wickedly swerving shot after Dessie Baker had made in roads down the left.

Barrett then went close again for Town after a spot of ball juggling in the area created a clear opening though his curling shot drifted over the bar.

Baker then went close with a shot from distance that stung the palms of Mooney, but Rovers quickly began to find their rhythm causing plenty of problems of their own, particularly on the wings where Shane Robinson and Mark Rutherford were both looking lively.

The two wingers combined for the Hoops’ best chance of the first half after 15 minutes when Robinson threaded the ball through the eye of a needle for Rutherford to slide the ball past Stephen O’Brien only for it to rebound off the post and away to safety.

But with Rovers’ defence looking firm, it resulted in the game going a bit flat as both sides battled out a war of attrition in the middle of park. It wasn’t until the 30th minute that the next chance of note arrived when Gartland headed a Baker free kick wide for Longford

But the game exploded into life again six minutes later with the dismissal of Gartland. The Longford defender was given his marching orders for a tackle from behind on Molloy – deep in Rovers’ territory.

It was Gartland’s first sending off since November when, ironically, he also received his marching orders against Rovers, though without him, Longford took control of the game as they pressed forward though Mooney was largely a spectator in the Rovers’ goal.

But the second half belonged to Rovers as they made the most of their numerical advantage. A Rutherford cross that was tipped over by O’Brien, McGuinness had a header easily saved while Paul Caffrey went closest with a 25-yard drive that hit the post.

It looked like a goal would remain elusive but then with 25 minutes remaining, Palmer rose highest to head home a Robinson corner.

The Hoops threatened with increasingly regularity, mostly from set-pieces with Molloy going close moments later and O’Brien forced to palm one inswinging corner away from under his own crossbar.

But with 11 minutes remaining, Martin crashed home the equaliser from the edge of the area after a Vinny Perth free kick had pinged around the box.

Teams:
Shamrock Rovers: N Mooney; Gough, McGuinness, Palmer, Doyle; Robinson, Caffrey, O’Halloran, Rutherford; Molloy, Kelly.
Sub: D Mooney for Kelly (85 mins)

Longford Town: O’Brien; Murphy, Ferguson, Gartland, Dillon; Kirby, Perth, Keogh, Baker; Keegan, Barrett.
Subs: Prunty for Baker (36 mins), Martin for Keogh (76 mins), Francis for Keegan (82 mins)

Referee: J O’Neill (Waterford).