MATCH REPORT: Shamrock Rovers 1-2 Longford Town

Match Report by Tony Ghee

Two Rob Manley goals helped Longford Town to secure the league double over Shamrock Rovers 2 as the 'Red & Black' earned all three points with a 2-1 win over the Dubliners at Tallaght Stadium.

This victory moves Longford Town up to second in the table just behind leaders Cabinteely on goal difference.
Longford Town created the three best chances of the first half while the home side were restricted to just one opportunity, which came in the early stages of the contest.

Rovers' winger Max Murphy cut in from the right and he let fly from twenty-five yards out but Town stopper Lee Steacy made a comfortable save.

In the thirteenth minute, tenacious tackling by a combination of Town players Dean Byrne and Adam Evans resulted in the visitors gaining possession on the edge of the Rovers' box, Byrne played in Evans who was in acres of space fifteen yards out but he scuffed his effort.

On twenty-five minutes, Town midfielder Aodh Dervin capitalised on a mistake by John Ryan and released Rob Manley, Manley raced into the Rovers' box and squared the ball across to the unmarked Byrne, however, he completely miskicked his shot wide when well positioned to score.

Longford eventually took the lead on thirty-four minutes. Rovers' centre-half Jordan Tallon's attempted clearance was blocked down by Byrne and Rob Manley was on hand to rifle a low, hard, diagonal fifteen yard shot to the bottom right corner of the Rovers'net.

The visitors doubled their advantage just three minutes after the resumption, with Rob Manley on target again, as his looping header from an Evans free kick sailed past home keeper Kian Clarke into the net.

Rovers' got back into the game on seventy-seven minutes when Town keeper Steacy could only push McMenamy's deflected shot into the path of substitute Kevin Zefi, and the fifteen year old blasted his shot into the top corner of the Town net, and in the process he became the youngest ever scorer in League of Ireland history.

Zefi almost equalised three minutes later with a thirty yard rocket that was tipped over the bar by Longford keeper Steacy.

Two goals from Rob Manley this evening...

Team Line-Ups

SHAMROCK ROVERS II: (3-4-2-1) Clarke, Dunne, Tallon, Wells, Murphy, Nugent, Bolger, Ryan,Brennan, Kavanagh, Leddy.
Substitutes used: Omorehiomwan for Ryan and McMenamy for Bolger (both 55 minutes), Adigun for Wells, Emakhu for Dunne, Zefi for Brennan (all 69 minutes).

LONGFORD TOWN: (3-4-2-1) Steacy, McDonnell, Gorman, Joe Manley, Elworthy, Dervin, Zambra, Evans, Grimes, Byrne, Rob Manley.
Substitutes Used: Chambers for Byrne (62 minutes), O'Brien for Evans, Barnes for Zambra (both 81 minutes), McCabe for Grimes (90 minutes)
Referee: Mark Moynihan.