Shamrock Rovers

2022 - 10 - 30

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Image courtesy of "RTE.ie"

Shamrock Rovers lift trophy after seeing off Derry City (RTE.ie)

Champions Shamrock Rovers brought the curtain down on their SSE Airtricity League home campaign with a 1-0 victory over their nearest rivals Derry City.

Rovers were unlucky not to double their lead on 84 minutes as Jack Byrne fed fellow substitute Graham Burke, but his well hit drive from the right hand side of the box was kept out by Maher. Mannus had to make a comfortable save on 50 minutes, this time diving to his left hand to keep out McGonigle's long range strike. The deadlock was broken on 38 minutes as Andy Lyons' got away from Ronan Boyce, before seeing his left wing cross find Gaffney at the near post, his initial close range effort was blocked by Shane McEleney, but the striker turned home the rebound from close range.

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Image courtesy of "The42"

Andy Lyons and Rory Gaffney combine to kickstart Shamrock ... (The42)

The Hoops beat Derry City 1-0 and will get their hands on the Premier Division trophy for a record 20th time tonight.

Back in mid-May the gap was four points when Rovers came out on top, Derry’s draw in Sligo on Monday handed the Hoops the title with a seven-point lead and two to play. This was his Tallaght farewell and maybe back in May it might not have seemed as if it the title would be wrapped up with two games to spare. It’s moments like that from the former Bohemians defender that will see him bid farewell to the Rovers faithful after one season with his first league winners’ medal and – most likely – the nod from his fellow professionals as the young player of the year. Any of their following tuning in for a glimpse of their latest signing would have been purring as they watched Lyons jink by Patrick McEleney on the left touchline before skinning Ronan Boyce with a stop-start shimmy to cross for Gaffney. It seemed fitting that the 38th minute strike to break the deadlock would be created and completed by the two men likely to add the gloss to a fine team campaign by collecting the individual gongs. Only the couple of hundred visiting fans wouldn’t have hung around for the post-match fanfare, on a night which began with a guard of honour for the champions from the runners up, and a club-record 7,726 came through the turnstiles in D24.

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Image courtesy of "Derry Now"

Derry City's unbeaten run comes to an end at Shamrock Rovers (Derry Now)

Shamrock Rovers 1 Derry City 0 Derry City's 20-game unbeaten run came to an end as they were beaten by Shamrock Rovers. A first half goal from Rory...

There was almost a half hour played before either team had a real chance to talk about and it came as a huge error from Sean Hoare. Higgins made four substitutions in a bid to lift his tiring team in the second half but it was Rovers who looked more likely to score with Maher having to save from substitute Graham Burke in the final 10 minutes. City could have had a goal early on when Patrick McEleney picked out the run of Michael Duffy, but the winger completely missed the ball as he attempted to volley it and the chance was gone.

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Image courtesy of "Extra.ie"

Pictures: Shamrock Rovers crowned champions yet again (Extra.ie)

Shamrock Rovers got to enjoy their trophy presentation in style on Sunday after dispatching Derry City with a 1-0 victory.

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Image courtesy of "Irish Examiner"

Bradley Jr. lifts hearts as champions Rovers lift silverware in style (Irish Examiner)

Stephen Bradley's Shamrock Rovers see off Derry City 1-0 before his son Josh helps them raise the Premier Division trophy, and the roof, in Tallaght.

Rovers never lost control while Derry failed to up the tempo. Things might have veered a different direction had Duffy not lost his balance after just two minutes. If the Candystripes are to achieve their stated aim of bringing the title back to Foyleside for the first time since 1997, it is Rovers they’ll have to overthrow. As promised by Candystripes manager Ruaidhrí Higgins, the visitors were gracious in their league defeat by forming a guard of honour for the undisputed champions. It wasn’t just a night that illustrating the clinical edge of the domestic domineers, for Josh Bradley – the manager’s eight-year-old son recently diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia – was the special guest on the pitch at the end to lift the trophy. With a hat-trick of titles already wrapped up by the Hoops, this was supposed to be an opportunity for Derry City to lay out their stall at Tallaght Stadium for next year’s charge but Rory Gaffney’s 38th-minute goal – lifting his league haul into double-figures – highlighted the chasm which still exists between the league’s top two.

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Image courtesy of "Independent.ie"

In-form Rory Gaffney's goal seals special day for Shamrock Rovers (Independent.ie)

ON a night when they gratefully took the league trophy back into their grasp, Shamrock Rovers showed Derry City that if the Brandywell club are indeed going ...

That goal added to the home side’s confidence, with Richie Towell and Lyons going close. And in fairness to City they made it clear they would not lie down. It surely grated for Derry to have their players form a guard of honour for the champions as they walked out on to the pitch to start the game, and Ruaidhrí Higgins would have demanded that the admiration for Rovers ended there.

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Image courtesy of "The Irish Times"

Rory Gaffney's winner ensures Shamrock Rovers enjoy the party ... (The Irish Times)

Derry City will look to FAI Cup final against Shelbourne to secure some silverware of their own this season.

It rounds out the best small ground in the region, the ideal venue to host nearby clubs seeking to follow Rovers into the lucrative group stages of European football this decade. Finishing second in the league without Michael Duffy for most of the campaign, after losing only five matches and drawing 12, shows scope for instant improvement in 2023. “On nights like this where else in Ireland would you want to be playing your football?” Only Shelbourne and Damien Duff’s ability to manifest success stands in their way at the Aviva Stadium on November 13th. In the end, Rovers’ eighth Premier Division title and third on the bounce, draws them level with Dundalk, who are a modern cautionary tale. What to wear, hoops, candystripes or the Halloween costume?

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Image courtesy of "Derry Journal"

Shamrock Rovers lift Premier Division trophy after Gaffney goal ... (Derry Journal)

Ruaidhri Higgins had hoped the title race would still be in the balance going into this penultimate league clash but draws against back to back Shelbourne and ...

And Byrne made an instant impact with a lovely pass from deep to set Burke through on goal. The striker's first attempt was blocked by Shane McEleney at full stretch but the rebound fell fortunately to Gaffney who made no mistake with his second attempt. The striker's shot towards the far post was turned behind by the outstretched hand of Alan Mannus as Hoare breathed a sigh of relief. The Rovers hitman forced a fine save from Maher and when Lyons picked up possession, he was barged in the back by Dummigan on the edge of the area but Rovers failed to capitalise on the resultant free-kick. Maher denied Towell's ferocious shot from the edge of the box with a smart save as Rovers tried to turn the screw but Derry managed to go into the break with just the single goal separating the teams. Rovers began to dominate the ball and when Richie Towell sent a dangerous inswinging ball towards the Derry six yard box it sailed just beyond the head of Gaffney.

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