Shamrock Rovers 3 Shelbourne 2
Rory Gaffney provided the late, late drama with a 95th-minute winner as Shamrock Rovers twice came from behind to beat Shelbourne in a rip-roaring Dublin derby in the swirling wind and rain of Tallaght Stadium.
Shelbourne winger Shane Farrell and Rovers defender Dan Cleary swapped braces before Rovers’ late push finally brought redemption from a game that looked like slipping away from them.
Jack Byrne’s corner was merely helped on by Shelbourne defender Stephan Negru to drop for striker Gaffney whose sublime side-foot volley went in off the far post to cue delirious celebrations.
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The champions, who remain unbeaten at home in all competitions this season, thus move back five points clear of Derry City with four games to go in the title race.
Shelbourne, with next week’s FAI Cup semi-final their chief focus, are now nine games without a league win.
With six changes from their tame showing in losing 3-0 at Molde in last Thursday’s Europa Conference League clash, Rovers were at it from the off, Gary O’Neill having a shot deflected for a corner just 22 seconds in.
Playing into the strong wind scarcely a hindrance, Hoops kept the ball on the ground as they patiently probed for openings.
But having hardly got out of their own half, Shelbourne struck to take the lead completely against the run of play on 14 minutes, when Rovers’ high line was exposed as JJ Lunney headed a Cleary header back over the top for the run of Farrell. Though appearing offside, the flag stayed down, as the winger took a fine touch before calmly dinking the ball over Alan Mannus.
In the thick of the action at one end, Cleary soon made a telling contribution at the other as Rovers equalised on 27 minutes.
Shelbourne goalkeeper Brendan Clarke didn’t collect Byrne’s back-post delivery from Rovers’ third corner of the game with Cleary arriving to head home.
Clarke then got down well to push a shot on the turn from Graham Burke round a post.
And just when Rovers looked to have regained control of the game, they found themselves behind again from a delightful goal in first-half stoppage time.
Smith and Mark Coyle combined, with the latter’s diagonal ball into the area precision itself in finding Farrell who swept a first-time half volley to the corner of the net.
Farrell was switched from right wing to left back as Shelbourne manager Damien Duff shored up with a 5-4-1 formation from the resumption.
It frustrated Rovers as it was the 73rd minute before Clarke was worked again, batting away Seán Hoare’s shot at the back post.
But Rovers’ pressure finally told on 84 minute when they levelled for the second time.
Clarke could only parry substitute Aaron Greene’s header from Neil Farrugia’s cross with Cleary on hand to scoop the ball to the net for a poacher’s finish.
And their chase for a winner eventually came, Clarke saving one-on-one from Greene who also shot wide before Gaffney’s late deliverance.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Gannon (Hoare, h-t), Cleary, Grace (Lopes, h-t); O’Neill (Greene, 62), Watts; Farrugia, Byrne, Burke, Lyons; Gaffney.
SHELBOURNE: Clarke; Negru, Byrne, Griffin; Coyle (O’Driscoll, 90+3), Lunney (Giugri, h-t); Wilson, Farrell (Dervin, 73), Smith, Ledwidge (Molloy, h-t); Boyd (Carr, 75).
Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).
Attendance: 4,148.
