Longford Town ...  0 Shamrock Rovers ... 0: For the first time this season, a league match at Flancare Park failed to produce any goals. However, there was plenty of goalmouth action in this pre-Christmas cracker.

Shamrock Rovers, however, lost more ground in their battle to secure a European place in the table as they had to be content with just a point for the second time in a week.

Both goalkeepers were in fine form. Longford's Steven O'Brien made some splendid saves, but perhaps not as many as his counterpart Tony O'Dowd.

Brian Byrne had a number of chances early on for the home side but the best chance of the half fell to Rovers' Trevor Molloy

O'Brien was superb in preventing Molloy from opening the scoring in the 24th minute. His fingertip save prevented a certain goal.

And again, O'Brien was called into action in the early stages of the second half. Once again, it was Molloy who was prevented from scoring by some more fine goalkeeping.

Longford, however, were marginally the better team, especially after they took control in the second half. A fine save by O'Dowd denied Barry Ferguson in the 58th minute and, two minutes later, the Rovers goalkeeper was thanking his crossbar as Seán Francis almost opened the scoring.

However, Longford should have stolen all three points in injury-time. Substitute Seán Prunty played a perfect ball in front of Eric Lavine, but the home striker shot straight at O'Dowd from just five yards out.

LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien, Murphy, Dillon, Ferguson, John, Crowe, Kirby, Sheridan, Byrne, Lavine, Francis. Subs: Prunty for Crowe (80 mins); Mulvihill for Francis (87 mins).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: O'Dowd, Gough, Keddy, Scully, Robinson, Palmer, Colwell, Hunt, Grant, Molloy, Dimech. Subs: Treacy for Hunt (73 mins); Doyle for Dimech (73 mins).

Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).