Shamrock Rovers 2 - St Patrick's Athletic 0An attendance of 5,913 saw champions Shamrock Rovers maintain their 100% start to the 2011 league season thanks to goals from Chris Turner and Ken Oman at Tallaght Stadium. Turner put the Hoops ahead on 11 minutes with a cracking shot from 25-yards out that gave Pat's goalkeeper Gary Rogers no chance. Rogers did well to save Gary McCabe's penalty on 45 minutes but could do nothing to stop Oman's fantastic header on 82 which sealed the win on a cold night in Dublin 24. These two Dublin greats always serve up full-blooded battles down through the years and this encounter was no different. Pat's David McMillan was shown a yellow card by referee Tom Connolly after a rough challenge on Rovers' Billy Dennehy on eight minutes. A minute later Rovers fans were shouting for a penalty when Gary Twigg hit the deck in the box under the challenge of David Mulcahy. Connolly saw nothing wrong with the tackle. Rovers took the lead through Turner on eleven minutes. Close season signings Gary McCabe and Ronan Finn were involved in the excellent Rovers build up play before the ball was squared across from the right to the former Sligo Rovers and Dundalk man who smashed a 25-yarder past Rogers. Turner then entered Mr Connolly's notebook on 14 minutes following a reckless challenge on Pat's Anto Murphy, who received treatment on the pitch. Alan Mannus in the Rovers had very little to deal with from the Pat's forward line did but take two attempts to stop Danny North's tame-looking ball doing any damage on 24 minutes. He fumbled the first save but confidently reclaimed the ball at the second go. Rovers had more chances to increase the lead as the half progressed. One of the better from play came on the 40 minute-mark when Turner slid a superb low ball into the area for Twigg to chase. However, Rogers was alert to the danger and raced out to be the Scot to the ball. But by far the best opportunity came from the penalty spot on the stroke of halftime. Ref Connolly awarded the spot kick when Gary O'Neill was taken down by Evan McMillan, however Rogers came to the rescue again when he saved McCabe's spot kick, tipping the ball around the post to his right. Pat's came out chomping at the bit for the second half, showing more appetite than they had shown in the first half. But it was the home side who continued to have the best of the attempts on goal. Dennehy should have done better on 61 minutes when he unleashed a shot from distance that flew high and wide, despite having the time to compose himself and advance further before shooting. A spell of good Pat's pressure then saw Mulcahy head wide from Stephen Bradley's free kick on 68 minutes before Mannus did well to deny Ian Daly minutes later. Dennehy had been causing trouble down the wing all night and it was his corner in the closing stages that arrived perfectly into the area for Oman to head past Rogers to seal the win. © rte.ie
