Waterford 1 Shamrock Rovers 2
Former Waterford player Ethan Boyle earned Shamrock Rovers a last-gasp opening night win at a throbbing RSC.
Kevin Lynch’s sumptuous free-kick gave the Blues a first-half lead but Rovers dominated the second half.
Aaron Greene’s equaliser seven minutes after the restart was fully deserved and Boyle completed the comeback in stoppage-time.
Before 4,152 fans, debutant Lynch gave the home crowd something to shout about on 22 minutes.
Lynch played alongside Robbie Brady at St Kevin’s Boys and the former teammates share a threat from deadball situations.
When Shane Duggan was tripped 25 yards out, the left-back stepped up to curl an exquisite free-kick over the wall and inside the near post of Alan Mannus.
The home crowd were almost silenced three minutes later. Jack Byrne’s wind-assisted free deceived the Blues backline, yet the unmarked Lee Grace failed to profit by glancing his close-range header wide.
Goalscorer Lynch then came to his side’s rescue by blocking Carr on the line as he was about to pounce on the stroke of half-time.
At the other end, Mannus thwarted Izzy Akinade’s attempt to beat him from an acute angle.
It didn’t take long after half-time for Rovers to level. Carr was unable to get a clean connection on his shot from Byrne’s centre but recovered to square for Greene to tap home.
Chances were traded, with Akinade’s volley kept out by Mannus.
But Aaron McEneff’s shot which Matt Connor saved illustrated how the contest was swaying in Rovers’ favour.
Late pressure finally told when a corner from the right was turned in by right-full Boyle.
It sparked scenes of joy amongst the travelling crowd - along with suspended manager Stephen Bradley sitting in the stand.
Waterford: M Connor; R Feely, K Browne, D Delaney, K Lynch; Z Elbouzedi, B Héry, S Duggan, J Martin (M Kougan 77); Akinade, A Drinan.
Shamrock Rovers: A Mannus; E Boyle, R Lopes, L Grace, S Kavanagh (T Clarke 75); A McEneff, D Watts (G Bolger 68); J Byrne, R Finn, D Carr; A Greene (O Vojic 75).
Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork),
Derry City 3 UCD 0
A healthy attendance of 3,500 supporters saw Declan Devine get his second term as boss at the Brandywell off to a superb start against the young students of UCD.
Derry put the visitors to the sword in the second half as Collie O’Neill’s side lost their way and, indeed, were architects of their own misfortune.
With the wind at their backs, Derry enjoyed the lion’s share of possession during the opening period while UCD defended deep, keen to hit the break.
Derry’s pressure was rewarded in the 21st minute for what was a well worked goal.
Passing the ball forward midfielder, Ciaran Harkin played in David Parkhouse and Derry’s striker on loan from Sheffield United gleefully guided the ball home from close range.
Following the change of ends, UCD did show signs of danger in the front line but, in truth, home ’keeper Peter Cherrie was not seriously tested.
Derry doubled their score following a comedy of errors and an own goal by defender Josh Collins in the 58th minute.
Noticing Kearns off his goal-line, Eoghan Stokes lofted a high ball forward before both the keeper and Collins got into a mix-up, the ball finding the net off the body of the unfortunate centre-back.
And Derry ended the game as a contest in the 65th minute as the students continued to struggle, losing possession on the edge of their 18-yard box.
The impressive Harkin fed the ball through to Stokes and the former Bohemians player lashed the ball home to give the Candystripes a 3-0 lead.
Derry substitute, Adrian Delap, had two great chances to increase Derry’s lead but ’keeper Kearns did well to save on both occasions.
Derry City: Cherrie; Kerr, Toal, Cole, McClean; Harkin, Sloggett; Stokes (McDonagh, 70) McNamee (Bruna, 84), Junior (Delap, 85); Parkhouse.
UCD: Kearns; Tobin, Collins, Scales, Dignam; Molloy, O'Farrell (Coffey, 71), O'Nei, Farrugia; McClelland, Davis (Mahdy, 80).
Bohemians 1 Finn Harps 0
Dinny Corcoran got Bohemians’ season off to a winning start with the only goal of the game against newly promoted Finn Harps at Dalymount Park.
Though the home side started brightly with newcomer Danny Mandroiu prominent, it was Harps who carved the first opening on 20 minutes.
New signing Daniel O’Reilly met skipper Gareth Harkin’s free kick, only to see his downward header come back off the post.
Bohemians regained the initiative to finish the half strongly, creating something from nothing on 38 minutes.
The impressive Mandroiu was involved again, setting up Luke Wade-Slater who needed little invitation to shoot narrowly wide from distance.
Three minutes later the most incisive move of the half had the home side ahead.
Corcoran initially stepped over Keith Ward’s diagonal pass to allow the ball through for the run of Keith Buckley.
The low cross was then turned home by Corcoran, in off a post.
Harps had ’keeper Peter Burke to thank just before the hour mark.
First Mandroiu worked a one-two with Ward to force Burke to push a low drive out for a corner.
From Ward’s floated delivery, Rob Cornwall somehow contrived to head wide from just yards out.
A minute after that skipper Derek Pender’s cross found Ward who saw his shot saved at the post by Burke.
Burke was there again to rescue Harps on 65 minutes, getting down to save Conor Levingston’s tame shot after Mandroiu played in him.
Corcoran skied the rebound over the crossbar.
Bohemians: Talbot; Pender, Cornwall, Finnerty, Leahy; Wade-Slater (Swan, 80), Buckley, Levingston, Ward; Mandroiu (Allardice, 90+1); Corcoran (Byrne, 88).
Finn Harps: Burke; Kavanagh, Todd, Logue, O'Reilly; McAleer, Borg (Coyle, 64), Verdon (McNamee, 81), Harkin, Cretaro (Place, 64); Boyle.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).
