Advertisement
WATCH: Controversial penalty a...

Sport

WATCH: Controversial penalty and red card sees Rovers edge derby


Share this article


Shamrock Rovers were the beneficiaries of some questionable refereeing to claim the spoils in the Dublin derby at Tallaght Stadium. 

Graham Burke settled the game 14-minutes from time, squeezing a penalty past Bohemians keeper James Talbot after James Finnerty was adjudged to have fouled Danny Mandroiu.

Until that point, parity had been a fair reflection of the game, with both sides guilty of some glaring misses.

Rovers took the lead inside 5-minutes through Dylan Watts. The former Bohs winger was involved in the goal's inception, spreading the ball wide to Liam Scales as he made a route to the penalty area.

Scales' effort came off the upright, and Watts' rebound found the net.

Keith Long's side took a while to settle into the game, with Rovers often given much too much room through the middle.

But Bohs should have levelled when Liam Burt found himself one-on-one with Alan Mannus, but managed to curl the ball beyond the woodwork when scoring seemed the easier option.

Little by little, however Bohs grew into the game, and they were level on 20-minutes.

Some neat build-up play from Keith Ward, Burt, and Ali Coote led to the ex-Waterford man lofting a ball to the far post where, unmarked, Ross Tierney headed home.

Rovers should have gone in at the break 2-1 up, with Aaron Greene sending a shot wide of James Talbot's left-hand upright.

At the same end shortly after the break, Georgie Kelly had a gilt-edged chance to poke Gypsy noses in front but his shot drifted wide.

But the complexion of the game was forever altered 15-minutes from the end.

Rory Gaffney laid the ball off for the on-rushing Mandroiu, who threw himself to the ground following minimal contact with James Finnerty.

Not only did referee Paul McLaughlin deem it a foul, he gave the Bohs defender his marching orders as well.

Talbot got a hand to Burke's subsequent penalty, but not enough to keep it out and Rovers secured a 2-1 victory which extends their unbeaten top flight run to 29 games.

Kilbeggan treble keeps Blackmore in the hunt to be champion jockey


Share this article


Read more about

Bohemians Bohs Graham Burke James Finnerty League Of Ireland Ross Tierney Rovers SSE Airtricity Premier Division Shamrock Rovers

You might like