And that's that. This game had it all when it comes to a heavyweight bought of two teams. A bad injury to Brian Gartland will mar the game but the impeccable experience of Alan Mannus proved the mark of how Shamrock Rovers are current champions.

Rory Gaffney tries to test Abibi from distance but it goes wide.

Four added minutes will there be late drama.

Third time lucky! Hoban heads in a close-range effort following an excellent ball from Chris Shields.

Ronan Finn is named Man of the Match.

My word it really isn't their night is it? Dundalk once again denied by the woodwork as the second ball sent in by Boyle saw the striker once again denied.

Shields gets a yellow card for a late challenge on Gary O'Neill.

Jurkovskis is off after a fine game.

The Irish Under-21 comes on

Rory Gaffney does well to carve a chance despite being under pressure and attention however his effort is well high and wide.

Gaffney comes on for the rest of the game.

And Mandriou who scored in the first half is off.

A long-range effort from Dylan Watts absolutely flies past Abibi and Rovers despite being under pressure for most of this half are now 2-0 in front.

Two wonderful saves! The cross sent it sees Duffy strike but Mannus saves and then a second attempt he tips over. What a performance from the keeper.

Gary O'Neill enters the game.

Gannon's race against his old club is over.

And on comes Junior.

Sloggett is off, despite coming on for Gartland.

Stanton takes the ball onto his right foot and lets one fly but it flashes wide.

Abibi nearly had a Massimo Taibi moment has the cross came in and he spilt the save and Aaron Greene nearly capitalised on the error.

Sean Gannon hits a low effort from the right and it took a key deflection which means it's out for a corner.

Gartland is back watching the game, he has a knee brace on and is on crutches.

Graham Burke is off for the rest of the game.

Dylan Watts is set to come on.

An excellent curling ball into the area is met by the diving Patrick Hoban which cannons off the post.

Duffy had Mannus beaten but the ball cannons off the crossbar! So close for Dundalk.

An excellent ball from Chris Shields into the area, Greg Sloggett was ready to pounce only for Sean Kavanagh to clear the ball excellently.

Better from Dundalk, Allan Mannus does well, very well in fact to save Duffy's strike it hits off his shoulder.

Midtskogen does well to cut into his left foot but his curling effort was saved by Mannus.

Looks as if Greene has got off to the perfect second-half start for his side but he was offside and his goal doesn't count.

Ryan had an impressive first half for the seventeen-year-old.

Big chance and debut for Midtskogen who comes on for Ryan O'Kane.

Half Time: A very serious injury to Brian Gartland followed by a moment of magic from Danny Mandriou means Shamrock Rovers lead at half time. A massive forty-five minutes ahead for both teams.

Burke is brought to the attention of the referee and gets a yellow card.

Sloggett goes down in the area, one second look it would have been soft if the penalty was given.

Five added minutes here, this is to take in time for the injury to Brian Gartland at the beginning of the game.

Graham Burke is one on one with the keeper but his challenge is blocked and cleared by Jurkovskis at the last second.

Sean Gannon one of 3 ex-Dundalk players on the Rovers side. It’s 8 years ago today since he made his first league start for St Pat’s in a 2-1 defeat to Dundalk at Richmond Park. He set the goal up that night for Conan Byrne but John Dillon & Kurtis Byrne won it for Dundalk

Quick free-kick and Mandriou who hits a fantastic curling effort that Abibi has no chance. Dundalk was not alert to the danger as Aaron Greene teed him up and Dundalk was not set up to close it down.

Graham Burke sets off Greene with an excellent pass and Greene out wide on the right cuts inside and hits a low effort that goes wide of the post.

Random fact of the day: It's Dundalk assistant Giuseppe Rossi's birthday today. A famous win for Dundalk here also coincided with an assistant's birthday as it was Vinny Perth's the night Dundalk beat BATE 3-0 here in August 2016

For a foul on Ronan Finn, Jurkovskis is in the book.

At present, 0-0 and very much evens stevens. At the moment Filippo Giovagnoli is commanding the line in Tallaght. His Dundalk side are showing signs of good attacking play.

Despite playing 270 minutes of international football this week, Jurkovskis looks very impressive going forward linking up well with Duffy down the left.

Aaron Greene hits a high curling effort that Abibi only punches clear with a save.

From the corner, Sloggett heads the corner down but Mannus does well to save.

Hoban nearly gets the lead! The cross is put in by Duffy who broke free of Gannon and Hoban slides in but it is tipped wide for a corner.

McCann gets the ball in the middle of the park and lets one fly from the edge of the area but it is tipped over by Abibi.

A through ball from Gannon to Burke but once again he hasn't done well with his shot, Abibi gathers with ease.

Sloggett comes on for Gartland.

Really bad news from a Dundalk perspective. Brian Gartland is down and looks like he will have to come off, it looks like a serious knee injury.

Really bad news from a Dundalk perspective. Brian Gartland is down and looks like he will have to come off, it looks like a serious knee injury.

Danny Mandriou sets up Graham Burke however it blazes over.

KICK OFF: Graham Burke get us underway at the Tallaght Stadium.

With Ryan O'Kanes inclusion tonight it is the first time in 115 matches in all competitions that a local player has started a game for the club full stop. The last was also here in Tallaght when Gavin Smith played in the 1-0 Leinster Senior Cup victory over Rovers on July 2nd 2018

And here come the teams! Shamrock Rovers will wear green and white hoops. Dundalk will wear the gold and black 'GNR' special edition jersey.

"There was a lot of soul searching" Shane Keegan on last weeks loss to Finn Harps "The wise head for the big occasion" - Shane Keegan on the welcoming back to the side of Brian Gartland.

"Unfortunately Pico got caught up in the new government rule, he just didn't make it on time" - Stephen Bradley on Roberto Lopes. "Look it's hard to say it's only our second game. It is going to be a competitive game - we would love to go and win the game:

"We all know it's down to licencing requirements, from the outside looking in its very unusual" Gary Rogers on the Filippo Giovagnoli situation at Dundalk.

It has just been announced that the next UEFA Pro Licence course in Ireland is November 2022. This is the news that Filippo Giovagnoli would not want to hear from a coaching perspective.

Gary Rogers on RTE: "To lose Sean Gannon and Sean Hoare is disappointing to Dundalk."

Kevin Doyle on RTE: "Chris McCann is a really good player and an excellent signing."

Gary Rogers on RTE: "It has been a difficult start, it was disappointing to lose to Finn Harps. You want to make your home a fortress. If they lose today it could be the worst start since 2006. "

Ryan O’Kane becomes the first local player to start for Dundalk in ninety-four league matches since Shane Grimes played eighty-one minutes of the 1-0 defeat to Bohemians at Oriel Park on October 20th 2017.

The official record between the sides: P203 Dundalk: 67 Drawn 54 Shamrock Rovers 82 Goals for Dundalk: 281 Goals against Dundalk: 340

The Dundalk subs tonight include Ole Erik Midtskogen who of course scored on his last visit to Dublin against Dundalk in the Europa League for KI. 14 Peter Cherrie 10 Greg Sloggett 15 Darragh Leahy 17 Ole Erik Midtskogen 25 Val Adedokun 20 Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe 29 David McMillan 77 Han Jeong Woo 90 Jesus Perez

The team news is in for Dundalk and its big news for local lad Ryan O'Kane Ryan O'Kane will make his first Dundalk start tonight as Brian Gartland makes his return to the Dundalk starting line up for this season. 1 Alessio Abibi 3 Brian Gartland 4 Andy Boyle 21 Daniel Cleary 13 Raivis Jurkovskis 5 Chris Shields 8 Sam Stanton 23 Cameron Dummigan 28 Ryan O’Kane 9 Patrick Hoban 7 Michael Duffy

The last time the sides met on Good Friday it was a 2-2 draw in Oriel in 2014 in a match best remembered for Stephen O'Donnell's leg break. Ronan Finn equalised in the 92nd minute to earn Rovers a share of the spoils after Towell and Meenan had cancelled out Kilduff's opener

Tonight is the 204th league meeting between Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers tonight. The last time the sides met on April 2nd was back in 1988 when John Cleary's penalty earned Dundalk a 1-0 win at Tolka Park. Peter Eccles, who conceded the penalty in that game for a foul on Dessie Gorman, would later be sent off for striking Terry Eviston. The result ended Rovers' 5 in-a-row ambitions with Dundalk going on to win the league and Cup double.

Tonight is the 204th league meeting between Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers tonight. The last time the sides met on April 2nd was back in 1988 when John Cleary's penalty earned Dundalk a 1-0 win at Tolka Park. Peter Eccles, who conceded the penalty in that game for a foul on Dessie Gorman, would later be sent off for striking Terry Eviston. The result ended Rovers' 5 in-a-row ambitions with Dundalk going on to win the league and Cup double.

Good Evening and welcome to tonights live commentary of Shamrock Rovers vs Dundalk. Ciaran Callan here bringing you the action as it happens from the Tallaght Stadium. Is this going to be a 'Good Friday' to remember for Shamrock Rovers fans or for Dundalk fan. We will have to wait and see.