St. Pat's Ath.0-1 | 4' Serge Atakayi | |
| Graham Burke 36' | 1-1 | |
| Daniel Cleary 44' | 2-1 | |
| Sean Hoare 55' | 3-1 | |
| 63' Babatunde Owolabi | ||
| Sean Hoare 66' | ||
| Chris McCann 68' | ||
| Roberto Lopes 70' | ||
| Graham Burke 75' | 4-1 |
Video
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 October 2022 | 7:45 pm | LOI Men's Premier Division | 2022 |
Match Report
Rovers produce comeback worthy of Championship Crown
Shamrock Rovers came from behind early on to overpower St. Patrick’s Athletic in a 4-1 victory at Tallaght Stadium this evening.
The result leaves the champions and league leaders eight points clear of Derry with a game more played, whilst for Pat’s they still sit behind Dundalk in fourth.
The visitors got off to the perfect start when Serge Atakayi prodded home a Sam Curtis delivery from the right-hand side to put them ahead after four minutes.
The Saints looked on song especially in the early stages with the back four remaining alert to the growing Rovers threat who were starting to find their passing rhythm.
As the half wore on, the hosts began to control the game more and more, with half chances falling to Graham Burke, but he couldn’t trouble Pat’s goalkeeper Danny Rogers.
However, their pressure paid off 35-minutes in when Burke went down in the penalty following a challenge from captain Joe Redmond. It was Burke himself who stepped up and placed the ball into the corner to make it 1-1.
They nearly added a second in quick succession when Rory Gaffney had an effort pushed away by Rogers. The away side went down the other end with Mark Doyle twisting and turning Roberto Lopes before firing a ball across goal that was cleared out for a corner by Dan Cleary.
Just as the half was drawing to a close a Jack Byrne corner was swung in and following a header from Cleary that was saved, the defender was on hand for the rebound to stick it past the crowded goal line to make it 2-1 to the hosts.
Adam O’Reilly was first to be booked for the Saints for a foul on Lyons and he was quickly followed by Rovers boss Stephen Bradley who was not happy with the challenge by the midfielder.
St. Pat’s started the second half just how they did the first on top although Atakayi blazed a big chance over the bar from a Mark Doyle cut back five minutes after the restart.
Pat’s would rue their missed opportunities as Rovers grabbed a third when the ball broke to Sean Hoare inside the area from a corner and the defender stabbed home to make it 3.1.
Tunde Owolabi was introduced for the visitors and could’ve pulled one back from the penalty spot when Chris McCann was deemed to have handled the ball, but the striker’s poor attempt was saved by Mannus who guessed correctly.
It went from bad to worse for the Saints when Anto Breslin was given a straight red which resulted in another spot kick for the hosts, and Burke made no mistake as he sent Rogers the wrong way for his second and Rovers fourth.
The hosts saw the game out comfortably and now look to their Europa Conference League outing next Thursday before their last home game of the season against title rivals Derry City in what promises to be an epic contest.
The Saints will have dust themselves off as they travel to Sligo Rovers next Friday night in search of three points if they are to keep their European dreams alive.
The attendance was 7,469.
Timeline
| 4' | 11. Serge Atakayi | |
| 10. Graham Burke | 36' | |
| 6. Daniel Cleary | 44' | |
| Jack Byrne Dylan Watts |
50' | |
| Sean Hoare | 55' | |
| 59' | Eoin Doyle Babatunde Owolabi |
|
| Ronan Finn Neil Farrugia |
61' | |
| 63' | Thijs Timmermans Billy King |
|
| 63' | 7. Babatunde Owolabi | |
| Sean Hoare | 66' | |
| 26. Chris McCann | 68' | |
| 4. Roberto Lopes | 70' | |
| 10. Graham Burke | 75' | |
| Graham Burke Sean Kavanagh |
77' | |
| Andy Lyons Sean Gannon |
77' | |
| Chris McCann Simon Power |
77' | |
| 77' | Serge Atakayi Harry Brockbank |
|
| 77' | Mark Doyle Darius Lipsiuc |
Past Meetings
Ground
| Tallaght Stadium |
|---|
| Tallaght Stadium, Whitestown Way, Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 XC9W |
Full-time Shamrock Rovers 4-1 St. Patrick's Athletic.
Four minutes of additional time announced.
Rovers just seeing the game out now - dominating possession.
Double change for the visitors as Brockbank and Lipsiuc replace Mark Doyle and Atakayi.
Triple sub for the hosts as Burke, Lyons, and McCann are replaced by Kavanagh, Power, and Gannon
Burke sends Rogers the wrong way - 4-1 Rovers.
Anto Breslin is sent off - penalty to Rovers.
Lopes is next to be booked for a foul on Owolabi.
Owolabi misses. Terrible penalty with Mannus diving the right way.
Penalty to the Saints. Chris McCann booked for a handball
Sean Hoare is booked for bringing down Owolabi right at the corner of the penalty area.
Timmermans is replaced by Billy King for Pat's.
Owolabi is booked for a foul on Lopes. Very harsh.
Neil Farrugia replaces Ronan Finn who looks to have gone off with a knock.
First change for the visitors as Tunde Owolabi replaces Eoin Doyle.
3-1 to the hosts and it is Sean Hoare who fires home following another corner.
First change of the evening for Rovers as Dylan Watts replaces Jack Byrne.
Massive chance for the Saints early on. Timmermans does brilliant to take it past two players before releasing Mark Doyle who cuts it back to the onrushing Atakayi but the striker blazes over from just inside the box. Good start to the second half from the visitors.
Jack Byrne gets the second half restarted. What a massive 45 minutes of football ahead for both of these sides.
2-1 Shamrock Rovers at half-time.
Adam O'Reilly is first to be booked for a foul on Lyons. Stephen Bradley joins him moments later for running from his technical area following the foul.
2-1 to the hosts right on half-time and it is Dan Cleary who shoots home following pinball from a corner kick. 2-1 Rovers.
Another corner for the hosts is delivered and cleared. Adam O'Reilly does well to break from midfield which leads to Eoin Doyle winning a free, allowing the Saints some possession. O'Reilly plays in Mark Doyle who turns Lopes before firing a ball across that is cleared over his own crossbar by Cleary. Forrester takes the corner but it doesn't beat the first man. Breslin does brilliant to send behind a great cross in from Burke.
Gaffney has an effort that is pushed out for a corner by Rogers. The visitors just need to weather this Rovers storm. The Saints defence do well to block two shots in succession before clearing. Burke does well to win another free kick which Byrne delivers into the hands of Rogers, who spills it and the ball back into the box is just too high for Hoare and Pat's clear.
Burke steps up and places it into the corner. 1-1.
Penalty to Rovers. Burke goes down following a challenge from Redmond.
All Rovers the last few but they are struggling to create anything clear cut. Finn puts in a good delivery that is well headed out by a Redmond for a throw-in. The hosts then win a corner but again Redmond heads away.
Sam Curtis is next to be spoken to by the referee for a foul. From the resulting free, Byrne looks for Finn at the back post but Breslin does well to head out for a corner. Byrne again takes and this time Redmond is on hand to head away. Finn finds Burke with a cross but the striker heads wide.
Redmond does well to read a Burke strike before Mark Doyle wins a free out. Burke has an effort from 30-yards out that goes safely over. Better from the hosts who are getting Jack Byrne on the ball more in his little pockets. Redmond again gets in the way of a Burke attempt.
Mark Doyle knocks a ball past Finn and goes down looking for a free, but the referee waves play on. Pat's are first to every breaking ball. Towell loses O'Reilly and clips a ball to the back post which is parried by Rogers and headed out for a corner by Curtis. Byrne takes but it goes out for a goal kick.
Roberto Lopes is next to be given a warning for a foul on Forrester. The hosts have grown into the game since the goal but the Saints defence look switched on tonight. Atakayi pounces on a loose touch by Lopes to turn the defender inside out, but the centre-half recovers well to get in the way of Atakayi's effort, and win his side a goal kick.
Timmermans loses concentration and possession, allowing Gaffney to break who drives towards the Saints defence and goes down, but the referee waves play on. Curtis again delivers a ball in from the right, but this time it is overhit and goes safely out for a Rovers goal kick. Great start from the visitors.
1-0 to the visitors and what a start. Forrester recycles the ball to Curtis who delivers first time which goes across the Rovers face of goal, only to land at the feet of Serge Atakayi who taps home. 1-0 Pat's.
Rory Gaffney does well to twist and turn Redmond before clipping a ball to the back post which eventually falls to Ronan Finn who swivels on the half volley, but shoots over. Richie Towell is spoken to by the referee following a tackle on Adam O'Reilly.
The visitors get us underway. It is some atmosphere inside Tallaght this evening.