Rovers and out for Vikings as Turncoat Collins completes his dirty work
Rovers and out for Vikings as Turncoat Collins completes his dirty work
23rd November '04
TURNCOAT Roddy Collins completed his season's dirty work as an under strength Dublin City fell to Shamrock Rovers in the last game of the eircom League season at Tolka Park yesterday.
Collins walked out on the Vikings three weeks ago to Rovers in an act of unbelievable selfishness at a time when the club still had genuine hopes of survival. Yesterday he put all his Hoops players on trial in a game that rarely rose to temperatures that the fixtures' potential suggested might happen.
City had no Adam Rundle - just the latest (and last) one of Collins signings who refused to turn-up for the a Dublin City fixture. And of course there was no Carlton Palmer, Danny Boxall, Alex Nescovic, Ronnie Henry or Grant Cooper - all hailed by Collins as being the best players in their position in the eircom League when he signed them. Gone like the wind, the lot of them! So much for Collins ability to attract players of the right character - Rovers beware.
Collins, obviously scared that his ample girth was under threat came with a professional minder in tow, and with lapdog Terry Eviston by his side, saw the visitors get the better of City who once again had large rafts of possession but failed to convert their chances.
Rovers went in front somewhat fortuitously in the 10th minute when Paul Malone's off target shot from the left side of the penalty area found Shane Robinson who promptly drilled and angled 14 yard shot past Robbie Horgan in the Drumcondra end goal.
City were level within 10 minutes as Gary O'Neill set up Cottsie O'Connor to break free of the Rovers cover to drill home past Noel Mooney in the Rovers goal.
The winner arrived in the 54th minute when Derek Treacy got across his marker to flick Mark Rutherford's free to the back of the net.
Cottsie O'Connor might have done better on a couple of occasions to set up Gary O'Neill in better positions, but O'Neill when he did get clear on goal in the 76th minute managed to screw his shot wide with only a jittery Mooney to beat.
Turncoat Collins was only too happy to pose for photographs with jubilant Rovers supporters after the match - the same people he had recently promised Dublin City fans, would be treking around the first division next season - but that was of course before he jumped ship on the club that had honoured every agreement with him and his players.
Rovers chairman Tony Maguire attempted to write off the recent events by engaging City Chief Executive Ronan Seery in a halftime `pow wow' discussion and indicated that it was `all over and behind us as' far as he and his club were concerned. Sadly Maguire has a short memory or fails to appreciate the enormity of the damage his actions has inflicted on a fellow eircom League club.
The cheek of the lowlife cur! His apparent lack of intellect and moral rectitude would have him somehow believe that everything was rosy in the garden again, but his memory span is so short that he fails to appreciate that his damning actions will in fact be remembered by so many for a long long time to come - by anyone with a bit of common decency running through their body.
In fairness, Rocky, dignified to the last, told him with measured calmness to **** off!
City went down with dignity and Dermot Keely will now look to assemble a squad capable of returning to Premier Division in the coming seasons. An indication of Keely's no nonsense approach was evident with his 11th minute substitution of Peter Hynes. Keely hauled him off for a slipshod performance and the players' injudicious decision to engage in a verbal touchline exchange only served to confirm that he had played his last game for the club.
Collins, unfortunately - or perhaps fortunately after all, will now turn his wrecking ball tactics to Rovers, and, Rovers will give him free reign.
The fools, the fools have they not learned anything????? City will be back and Rovers have had their illustrious name tarnished in a way that a club with their rich history should never have allowed - but that's what you get when you have people like Tony Maguire at the tiller.
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