Sport

Rovers brush Galway aside

Shamrock Rovers have provisionally sealed second position and a place in next season's UEFA Cup after a 3-0 victory over Galway…

Mon Apr 01 2002 - 01:00

Shamrock Rovers have provisionally sealed second position and a place in next season's UEFA Cup after a 3-0 victory over Galway United in their last "home" match at Tolka Park.

Rovers are now awaiting the outcome of St Patrick's Athletic's appeal against a 15-point deduction which, if successful, will see the Inchicore club climb above Rovers in the table, and see them start their first season in Tallaght in the Intertoto Cup instead.

Rovers ran out comfortable winners with the opening goal arriving after 17 minutes when Sean Francis headed home Shane Robinson's near post corner.

The striker then doubled the lead early in the second half when he lobbed Mark Cobey after being put through by Billy Woods.

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Three minutes later Derek Tracey steered home Robinson's low cross.

Derry City's Liam Coyle netted his 100th goal for his home town club at the Brandywell yesterday, to hand Cork City a 1-0 defeat and a long journey home in a frustrated frame of mind.

Derry boss, Kevin Mahon, was predictably happy afterwards. "We all knew Liam needed one more to hit 100 and I'm delighted he scored it at the Brandywell".

Elsewhere, Dundalk convincingly swept aside Monaghan United 3-0 at Century Homes Park yesterday; but were still relegated after results elsewhere failed to go their way.

Dundalk stunned Monaghan with a goal after just 20 seconds when Martin Reilly outpaced the United defence to volley beyond goalkeeper John Brown.

In the 55th minute David Crawley sent over a corner from the right that Stephen McGuinness met with a powerful header for the second. Dundalk's third came in the 79th minute, thanks an unfortunate own goal by United defender Nicky McCarville. Under pressure the Monaghan keeper mishit a clearance that rebounded off McCarville into the net.

UCD stretched their remarkable unbeaten record to eight games in a tame scoreless draw with Bray Wanderers at Belfield Park yesterday.

But Bray will feel that they should have grabbed all three points, only to be denied by Barry Ryan in the College goal and the fact that they hit the woodwork three times.