Longford Town pay the penalty in brave bid to shock Shamrock Rovers

It was a tale of two penalties conceded that ended Longford Town’s brave FAI Cup Third Round challenge against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday evening last with Graham Burke’s 84th minute spot kick sealing a hard earned win for Stephen Bradley’s Premier Division table toppers. 

Shamrock Rovers . . . 2    Longford Town . . . 1

Rovers took the lead in the 8th minute when Town centre-half Oisin Hand was adjudged to have tripped striker John McGovern inside the box, although the contact looked minimal, and McGovern despatched the resultant penalty to the bottom right corner in sending Longford keeper Kian Moore the wrong way.

Three minutes later, the visitors almost equalised. Winger Danny Norris played the ball back to Dean O’Shea and his excellent cross set-up Aaron Doran only for his shot to sail narrowly over the bar with the home keeper Ed McGinity well beaten.

Shamrock Rovers came close to doubling their lead on 17 minutes when Adam Matthews went on a surging run down the left and he slipped in winger Sean Kavanagh, but his rasping shot from the left was well saved by Town netminder Moore.

Longford Town stunned the home supporters with a 25th minute equaliser. A cross from the left from Pharrell Manuel picked out the unmarked Dean O’Shea at the back post and his brilliant downward header across the Rovers’ goal was fired to the net from close range by Stefan Ugbesia.

The Hoops almost regained the lead with the last attack of the first half as Sean Moore headed a Cian Barrett shot off the line with Matthews follow up shot from the edge of the Longford box crashing against the Longford crossbar.

In the opening minute of the second half, Hoops striker Michael Noonan raced into the Town box but Longford keeper Moore got down smartly to save the low shot.

The visitors had an effort on 72 minutes when a twenty-yard shot from substitute Francis Campbell was saved by Rovers keeper McGinty

The Hoops had a great chance to go ahead on 73 minutes but substitute striker Aaron Greene’s header from a Dylan Watts cross produced a fine save from Moore in the Town goal.

In the 82nd minute, Rovers came close again when a Watts corner found the head of Darragh Nugent but his goal bound header was superbly cleared by the impressive Town centre-half Andy Spain.

Rovers scored the crucial winning goal from the penalty spot on 84  minutes when the otherwise excellent Spain handled the ball inside the box and up stepped substitute Graham Burke to send Moore the wrong way and put the relieved home side back in front. 

In stoppage time Moore produced a save from a shot from substitute Danny Mandroiu but the midlanders ran out of time as Shamrock Rovers booked their place in the FAI Cup Quarter-Finals.

SHAMROCK ROVERS (3-5-2): McGinty, Matthews, Grace, O’Sullivan, Clarke, Barrett, Nugent, O’Neill, Kavanagh, McGovern, Noonan.

Subs:- Greene for McGovern, Watts for Kavanagh, Burke for O’Neill, Grant for Clarke (all 62 minutes); Mandroiu for Barrett (76 minutes). 

LONGFORD TOWN (4-2-3-1): Kian Moore, Yoro, Hand, Spain, O’Shea, Manuel, Sean Moore, Ugbesia, Doran, Norris, Murtagh.

Subs:- Wade Slater for Ugbesia, Topcu for Manuel, Campbell for Murtagh (all 66 minutes); Oluwafemi for Norris, George for Doran (90 plus 5 minutes).

Referee: Alan Patchell.