Rowe decides 'battle of Rovers'
Saturday 5th May 2007, 1:25 am
Ger Rowe's late goal gave Shamrock Rovers all three points.
Photo by Tom Carey.
4th May 2007
eircom League of Ireland Premier Division
Shamrock Rovers 1
Ger Rowe 90
Sligo Rovers 0
Tolka Park
Ger Rowe gave Shamrock Rovers a dramatic win over Sligo Rovers at Tolka Park tonight. Rowe swung the battle of the Rovers in favour of the Dublin side with a goal deep in stoppage time.
Shamrock Rovers took control of the first half after some initial good work from Sligo. An Andy Myler flick on after twenty minutes forced a smart save from goalkeeper Tomislav Arcaba.
Sligo's Seamus Coleman bravely headed off the line before colliding with the upright. David O'Connor and Barry Ferguson both also went close for the home side as Sligo held firm.
David Cassidy fired a stinging shot just wide after the hour as Sligo were pushed further and further back. Ger Rowe sent a dangerous ball into the box in the closing ten minutes but the inrushing home attackers failed to connect properly as another chance went begging.
In the fourth minute of injury time Rowe struck to sink Sligo. The Hoops player curled home a superb effort from the edge of the box and just out of the grasp of Arcaba.
The game ended in chaos as both sides had a player red carded after a mass brawl. The home side's Danny O'Connor got his marching orders along with Sligo's Piotr Bajdziak.
Shamrock Rovers : Murphy, O'Brien (Clarke 60), Pender, Price, Ferguson, Danny O'Connor, Duffy (Purcell 51), Cassidy, Myler (D McGill 66), Rowe, David O'Connor.
Sligo Rovers : Arcaba, Bajdziak, Coleman (Cretaro 66), Foy, McKenzie, Vasas, Turner, Hughes, Manson (McCarthy 66), Judge (Aisien 78), Kudozovic.