It took a while but Shamrock Rovers eventually wore down the stubborn Finn Harps resistance to earn a 1-0 win in the second last league game of the season at the Tallaght Stadium. Ironically, Greg Bolger’s stupendous 79th minute half volley for the
It was routine, if somewhat, laboured extra.ie FAI Cup first round victory for Shamrock Rovers as a first half goal from Dan Carr gave the Hoops a 1-0 home win over Finn Harps before 1,273 fans.
Harps came with a plan, which included playing five men across the back, and it worked (after a fashion!) for twenty minutes.
However, the signs were ominous from the eighth minute when Rovers’ skipper Ronan Finn saw his close range header bounce back into play off the right hand upright.
Graham Burke, beginning his year-long loan spell back at the Tallaght Stadium, went close six minutes later with a rasping long range drive that found the side netting. Rovers’ deserved breakthrough strike arrived in the 22nd minute.
Finn delivered a high crossfield pass (a tactic Rovers regularly employed all night) and Dan Carr found space between two Harps defenders to curl a superb shot across Mark McGinley and high into the top corner.
Burke might have made it two just before the break but spurned a sitter after being set-up by good work from Finn and Aaron McEneff. Try as they might, Rovers couldn’t add to Carr’s clincher, although second half substitute Aaron Greene went close twice.
And Harps’ netminder Mark McGinley was in inspired form. Harps were restricted to a long range Raff Cretaro (captain for the night) drive that didn’t miss Alan Mannus’ post by much and a couple of blocked shots.
That was until Cretaro set up second half substitute Nathan Boyle for a stinging shot from a tight angle that needed a combination of home custodian Alan Mannus and the near post to keep it out!
For all Rovers’ domination and possession, that might have sent the match to extra time. As could Dan O’Reilly’s late far post header from a left wing free kick, which the defender couldn’t keep on target. But Rovers will be in the hat for Round 2.
