1 v 1 
Shamrock RoversVideo
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 August 2023 | 7:45 pm | LOI Men's Premier Division | 2023 |
Match Report
Molloy bags 94th-minute equaliser for Shels
Gavin Molloy’s injury-time header left Shamrock Rovers stunned as the points were split in a feisty Ringsend Derby, the clash finishing 1-1 at Tolka Park.
Shamrock Rovers first-half performance looks to have served as early confirmation that they’ve put that disastrous run of recent fixtures behind them, The Hoops delivering an energetic and tenacious performance from the get-go.
Some tactical tweaks from Stephen Bradley saw Sean Kavanagh drop into the back three, while Markus Poom filled the ensuing gap at left-wing-back. Having looked cagey and ball-shy for large portions of the season Poom flourished on the left, consistently probing the Shels box, the Estonian getting his goal in the 21st minute.
A short corner saw Dylan Watts loft a cross onto the back post, his ball managing to evade every Shelbourne defender as Conor Kearns was caught in no-man’s land, Poom slotting home calmly to give The Hoops the lead.
Shelbourne were slow out of the blocks but nearly drew level on the edge of half-time, as a heavy touch from Daniel Cleary saw Shane Farrel pounce and be brought down. The foul was an agonizing inches outside of the penalty area, Harry Wood’s resulting free-kick blocked by the Rovers’ wall and collected by Alan Mannus.
No fewer than seven yellow cards were handed out in the first half in what proved to be a fiery affair, the league showing its ugly as projectiles hailed down from the Riverside stand.
The hosts who had looked lethargic for the bulk of the opening 45 came out a near completely different side, the introduction of Jack Moylan proving to be transformative.
Moylan’s pace in behind offered Shels’ forwards more space to operate in, Shane Farrell dragging a shot just wide from the edge of the box, while Harry Wood was able to break through on goal but couldn’t challenge Mannus as his effort flew into the stands.
Rovers struggled to regain their initial grasp on the game as the minutes went on, Shelbourne piling on the pressure as The Hoops began to wilt. Ectacy took hold of the Tolka crowd in the 90th minute, when Wood swung in a corner and found the head of Gavin Molloy at point-blank range, Molloy heading home to snatch a point for his side.
Rovers now enter the home straight in their defence of the league title, squaring off against a prickly Dundalk side next in Tallaght Stadium.
Shelbourne hope to keep the European dream alive when they travel to the Showgrounds in two weeks’ time, Damien Duff’s side currently four points off the pace, 4th place Derry holding two games in hands.
Timeline
| 21' | 19. Markus Poom | |
| 27' | 4. Roberto Lopes | |
| 27' | 8. Ronan Finn | |
| 5. Shane Griffin | 31' | |
| 29. Paddy Barrett | 36' | |
| 36' | 10. Graham Burke | |
| 40' | 6. Daniel Cleary | |
| Evan Caffrey Jack Moylan | 46' | |
| John Ross Wilson Tyreke Wilson | 46' | |
| 58' | Ronan Finn Darragh Nugent | |
| Shane Farrell Jad Hakiki | 72' | |
| 77' | Graham Burke Richie Towell | |
| 77' | Rory Gaffney Johnny Kenny | |
| 81' | Liam Burt Aaron Greene | |
| JJ Lunney Gbemi Arubi | 84' | |
| 84' | 16. Gary O'Neill | |
| 21. Gavin Molloy | 90' | |
| 21. Gavin Molloy | 90' | |
| 90' | 15. Darragh Nugent |
Past Meetings
|
(Round 10)
2 - 2LOI Men's Premier Division
Tallaght Stadium Shamrock Rovers FC 2-2 Shelbourne FC |
|
(Round 3)
1 - 1LOI Women's Premier Division
Tolka Park Shelbourne FC 1-1 Shamrock Rovers FC |
|
(Round 5)
0 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Tolka Park Shelbourne FC 0-0 Shamrock Rovers FC |
|
(Round 32)
3 - 2LOI Men's Premier Division
Tallaght Stadium Shamrock Rovers 3-2 Shelbourne |
|
(Round 24)
0 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Tolka Park Shelbourne 0-0 Shamrock Rovers |
|
(Round 18)
2 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Tallaght Stadium Shamrock Rovers v Shelbourne |
|
(Round 9)
1 - 2LOI Men's Premier Division
Tolka Park Shelbourne v Shamrock Rovers |
|
(Series 18)
0 - 2LOI Men's Premier Division
Tolka Park Shelbourne v Shamrock Rovers |
|
(Series 9)
0 - 0LOI Men's Premier Division
Tallaght Stadium Shamrock Rovers v Shelbourne |
Ground
| Tolka Park |
|---|
| Tolka Park (Shelbourne FC), Drumcondra South A ED, Dublin, County Dublin, Leinster, Ireland |
Alex Cunningham
Alex is a second-year Journalism student at DCU. As well as being a soccer enthusiast, he's also an avid athletics fan, competing in the sport for over ten years.
Full-time in Tolka! Shelbourne 1-1 Shamrock Rovers.
Goal! Shels steal a point at the death! Wood whips in a cross and finds the head of Gavin Molloy at point-blank range!
Six minutes of added time to be played in Tolka, as Shamrock Rovers continue to soak up the pressure.
Gary O'Neill receives a booking, while Gbemi Arubi comes on for JJ Lunney.
Liam Burt off for Aaron Greene, while Damien Duff is carded on the side-lines.
A double-header sub for Rovers, Johnny Kenny and Richie Towell coming on for Gaffney and Burke.
Jad Hakiki replaces Farrell.
Nugent finds the ball at his feet from twelve yards, the wing-back under little pressure is only able to fire his shot into stands.
Graham Burke takes the ball on the turn and forces a save from Kearns.
Farrell catches the ball on the right and shoots across goal, the angle of the shot just too wide as Rovers go to build up again.
Darragh Nugent comes on for Finn.
Shelbourne have come out the second half a different team and have been incredibly intense in their attacking output. Jack Moylan, introduced at half-time skips past Lopes and plays Harry Wood in, Wood unable to challenge Mannus as his shot flies wide.
Gaffney breaks down the right and goes for a low driven shot that veers inches away from Kearns' left post.
Action gets back underway in Tolka!
Half-time in Tolka Park. Shelbourne FC 0-1 Shamrock Rovers.
Two minutes of injury time to be played in Tolka.
Free-kick for Shelbourne, agonisingly just half a yard outside the Rovers box! A heavy touch from Cleary saw Farrell run on to the ball and brought down by Cleary with a sloppy recovery. Wood's free-kick hits the Rovers wall and Mannus collects.
It's proving to be an extremely feisty affair here in Tolka, Dunne showing 5ht and 6th yellow cards of the match to Burke and Paddy Barret. Barret had brought Burke from behind initially, Burke's protests too animated to Dunne's liking.
Shane Griffin booked after bundling down Graham Burke on the edge of the box.
A late tackle from Lopes sees a tussle emerge between the two sides, referee David Dunne booking Lopes, Ronan Finn, and Stephen Bradley.
It's hard to say that the goal's been against the run of play, given Rovers' tenacity in the opening period, but Duff will certainly be frustrated in conceding a goal of that ilk.
Goal! A short corner sees Dylan Watts whip in a menacing cross into the Shelbourne box, the ball somehow managing to evade all the Shelbourne defenders and fall perfectly to the feet of Poom at the back post, this time the Estonian taking his chance well.
Poom finds the ball at his feet from twelve yards out, and should be doing better with the opportunity, the Estonian leaning too far back and ballooning his shot wide.
Liam Burt puts in a cross and finds the head of Daniel Cleary positioned six yards out, Cleary unable to keep his effort as it flys over Kearns' bar.
Poom flashes a cross into the Shelbourne box, Conor Kearns managing to collect before Rory Gaffney was able to get his foot on the end.
Stephen Bradley looks to have made a few tactical tweeks to his starting XI, Sean Kavanagh dropping into a back three with Pico Lopes and Daniel Cleary, Markus Poom filling the subsequent gap at left-wing back.
The hosts get the action underway in Tolka Park!
Evening all and welcome along to tonight's live coverage of Shelbourne FC vs Shamrock Rovers. Shels play host in the third Ringsend derby of the season, the previous two encounters finishing in 0-0 and 2-2 draws respectively.