Rovers' relegation moves step closer

[Ringo]

Rovers' relegation moves step closer

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...&issue_id=1331

Shamrock Rvs 1

Dublin City 2

THE soap opera that is Shamrock Rovers Football Club took another unbelievable twist last night at a sub-zero Dalymount Park as lifelong Hoops fan David McGill condemned them to defeat in the first leg of the promotion/relegation play-off.

A blunder from substitute goalkeeper John Blake allowed McGill's speculative effort to settle in the net after 85 minutes adding to Aidan Lynch's rasping effort just before half-time. Trevor Molloy's penalty was scant consolation for Rovers.

Alan O'Neill opted for experience as Molloy, Mark Rutherford and Derek Tracey came in for Lee Roche, Mark Quigley and Cathal Sweetman respectively and interestingly Brian Shelley kept the captaincy despite Molloy's return.

But it was another older head, former Shelbourne stalwart Tony Sheridan, who impressed most as he showed some excellent touches throughout the opening period.

After five minutes his delightful back-heel set-up Tracey and the right-back, who played for O'Neill back in the mid-nineties, looped a tempting cross to the back post. Willo McDonagh attacked it, but headed straight at Brendan Kennedy.

Indiscipline could have cost Rovers four minutes later as Keith Doyle was guilty of a needless foul out on the right wing. Barry Murphy came to claim the resultant free-kick but failed to gather, injuring himself in the process and causing momentary panic in the Hoops defence.

Sheridan continued to shine up front as he provided chances for McDonagh again and Molloy through the middle period of the half but both failed to convert and Rovers couldn't make their pressure count.

They were given a warning of the Vikings threat on the counter-attack when David Freeman crossed for McGill to head narrowly wide on the half hour. Indeed Murphy looked decidedly uncomfortable and made no attempt to dive as he seemed to be feeling the effects of that earlier clash.

Then out of nothing a hammer blow for Rovers came just before half-time. One minute of injury time had been signalled by the fourth official and a lot of people were heading for a much needed hot drink on a bitterly cold night.

Maybe the Rovers players were thinking about it too as they allowed Aidan Lynch too much room outside the box. He unleashed a thunderbolt which again keeper Murphy didn't move for. Murphy lasted only three minutes of the second half as things seemed to be unravelling for the home side. But Cathal O'Connor lifted the increasingly frustrated support with a powerful left foot effort that rattled the crossbar on 51 minutes.

And that seemed to be the catalyst for a change in Rovers' luck as they were awarded a crucial penalty kick five minutes later. Ben Whelehan's clumsy block on Molloy, as he turned for goal, gave referee Paul Tuite little option but to give the decision and the striker calmly dispatched the ball to the bottom left hand corner.

But any effort that was expended to get back into the game evaporated with five minutes to go. An exchange of passes outside the Rovers box ended in the ball at McGill's feet and his goal leaves the most successful club in League of Ireland history staring relegation straight in the face.

SHAMROCK ROVERS - Murphy (Blake 48); Tracey, Foley, Shelley, Doyle; O'Connor, McDonagh, Kenny, Rutherford; Sheridan (Roche 76), Molloy.

DUBLIN CITY - Kennedy; Lynch (Pender 75), Keely, Whelehan, Hedderman; Scully, Shiels, McGill, Collins; Vaughan (Kelly 68) Freeman.

REF - P Tuite

[hoopy]

But it was another older head, former Shelbourne stalwart Tony Sheridan, who impressed most as he showed some excellent touches throughout the opening period.

That proves what I've always thought, that soccer writers haven't a clue. Sheridan was rubbish, along with most of our other players. Dublin City deserved their win in what was for me a game between two of the worst sides I've seen in my 25 years supporting Rovers. I've no doubt Finn Harps would beat DC, as would Waterford. Dermot Keeley was quoted yesterday as saying that this seasons 1st div was the worst of all time. Having seen games this season I totally agree(q the chip on shoulder brigade from Sligo). If we can't beat Dublin City over two legs then we totally deserve to be relegated

[Block G Raptor]

THE soap opera that is Shamrock Rovers Football Club

Fcuking Love it

[Drumcondra Red]

If we can't beat Dublin City over two legs then we totally deserve to be relegated

isn't that the whole point of having the playoffs???

[John83]

I really enjoyed that game.

First, there was the competition between Home Farm and Rovers fans over who is better at throwing bog roll on the pitch. Rovers won this hands down. Home Farm's first effort hit the inside of the roof, while later efforts barely made the pitch. Rovers, meanwhile, were launching waves of them. As soon as the stewards had removed the last one, another volley would fly from their stand. They got impressive distance and tails on them and one even rolled itself back up as it hit the ground.

An early PA call for the owner of a BMW blocking the ambulance to move his car was doubtless answered by some poor sod who got mugged for his keys, etc on the way. There was even speculation that the car was legally parked and the announcement faked for just that purpose.

The PA again caused confusion with the bizarre announcement that there would be no "passing out" at half time. It was suspected that this might have referred to the clinicl through balls into Ringsend that Home Farm was providing. Naturally, half time would see them safely away from the balls.

Then there was the singing. Stuck in the middle of the HF fans, I was treated to:
You're not bigtime any more
Play for City, you'll get paid
Junkie Molloy
One Roddie Collins
Where's your Roddie gone?
Dublin Sealant/Sea-day

We may have misheard that last one, but it certainly wasn't 'City' they were singing.

The HF drummer was causing me no end of laughs, playing what sounded like the opening beats of the A-team theme ("In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. They promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no-one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.") and later the opening drum beats to Zarathustra (2001: A Space Oddyssey theme). I think neither of these was intentional. HF were also suffering from the Bray syndrome - drum is noiser than the fans. UCD get around this by using a bodhran so crap that you have to beat it off a drum to get any noise off it. The drums were complimented by those noise-makers that are so favoured by GAA-fans.

Finally, some random HF fan cracked open a flare when the winner was scored. The stewards reacted by taking it off of him and leaving it at the foot of the stand, where it burned for around ten minutes (seems to have set fire to its own casing?!), with the smoke adding to the fog to thankfully save us from watching the dire football. Doubtless, the FAI, sorry, erm, league, will doubtless fine Rovers for not telepathically realising what was about to happen and acted in an appropriate, proactive fashion.

[pete]

Less than 2000 crowd is very disappointing for Rovers as they'll only get fraction of that if relegated. Has the goodwill of Rovers wider support died completely?

[hoops1]

Crowd 3,100

[Ringo]

Crowd 3,100

how many does the jodi stand hold?

[Mr A]

Jodi holds 3000 as far as I know.

[pineapple stu]

2842.

[Ringo]

2842.

hoops1 is probably right so.

[Schumi]

Crowd 3,100

Is that official??? There were about 150 in the shed and even if the Jodi full (which it wasn't at all) that would only be about 3000.

[Philo]

BTID who does ticketing for Bohs matches has a very good idea of Dalymount crowd sizes and has it down at 1600. If it is more or less than that I'd say his estimate isn't out by more than 100.

[Dodge]

A Pats fan who was there said there was about 1,500. About 1,100 hoops and the rest DC/nuetral in favour of DC

[pineapple stu]

Rovers fan on the attendances thread has posted 1900. Seems to be under 2000 anyway, not 3100.

[manic da hoop]

A Pats fan who was there said there was about 1,500. About 1,100 hoops and the rest DC/nuetral in favour of DC

Little more than 100 in the shed. Parts of the Jodi were packed - more bodies than seats. Don't know what it was like further down. My guess 2,500. A handful of neutrals present, ie. a couple of dozen.

[Block G Raptor]

Little more than 100 in the shed. Parts of the Jodi were packed - more bodies than seats. Don't know what it was like further down. My guess 2,500. A handful of neutrals present, ie. a couple of dozen.

I'd say there was more there last night than rovers will see for a very long time

[Poor Student]

Little more than 100 in the shed. Parts of the Jodi were packed - more bodies than seats. Don't know what it was like further down. My guess 2,500. A handful of neutrals present, ie. a couple of dozen.

From the Des Kelly stand I had a perfect view of the Jody. It was 3/4 full. It did not look packed to the rafters. 10 minutes before kick off it was looking very empty. Even at kick off it was only about half full.

[Schumi]

The far end of the Jodi was fairly sparse, a little more than the Waterford game maybe. There were about 150 in the Shed I think (including a decent few 'neutrals'), I'd have guessed 1600-1700 in total.

[thomas]

The far end of the Jodi was fairly sparse, a little more than the Waterford game maybe. There were about 150 in the Shed I think (including a decent few 'neutrals'), I'd have guessed 1600-1700 in total.

200 in the shed about 1500 in the stand (2,700 I think it holds)