THE FAI Harp Lager National League Cup game of the night was again in Group E and once more involved Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park as they lost to two stunning second half goats from St. Patrick's Athletic's Brian Morris Roe and Ricky O'Flaherty.
Although not quite living up to Wednesday's thrilling 2-2 curtain raiser between Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne, last night's game took no time in coming to life, catching the small crowd's full attention from the start with two goals in the space of 45 seconds after just five minutes.
Shamrock Rovers struck first when Pat Fenlon's hopeful ball forward found Mark Mulraney deputising for the suspended Saints' skipper John McDonnell in trouble as Rovers striker Sean Francis easily outpaced him before cleverly cutting inside Packie Lynch to shoot past Gareth Byrne.
St. Patrick's had the perfect riposte when they immediately got forward from the re-start and Paul Osam squared the ball in from the left for Ricky O'Flaherty to score with a low shot from 15 yards.
Francis should have restored Rovers' lead two minutes before the break, but scraped the crossbar from just six yards out from skipper John Toal's cross.
Morris Roe put St. Pat's ahead on 57 minutes when he let fly from 25 yards and his shot rocketed into the top corner of his net.
A brilliant interchange between Morris-Roe and Paul Osam set up O'Flaherty for his second goal to seal the win 20 minutes from time when he blasted low past Alan O'Neill from 16 yards. Fenlon might have saved a point for Rovers but shot straight at Byrne with two late chances, but that would have been rough justice on St. Patrick's hard working second half display.
Cork City we're made fight all the way for a 1-0 win over Waterford United in a dreadful game at Regional Sports Centre in Group A. Ollie Cahill's 25 yard shot flashed through a packed area to give Cork the only goal of the came after nine minutes.
Two games in Group D resulted in wins for Dundalk and Drogheda. Monaghan frustrated Dundalk throughout a tight first half at Oriel Park, but once Joe Gallen headed Dundalk in front within two minutes of the second half, John Hewitt's side never looked back. Ian Nisbett added a second on 72 minutes from substitute Paul Patterson's cross with Bobby Browne getting the other goal for a comfortable 3-0 win.
Drogheda also hit three as they won 3-1 at Longford. Player manager Anto Whelan showed the way when heading his side in front after 35 minutes. Darryll Mooney got the second three minutes before the break with a deflected shot. Sean McDonald gave Longford hope with their goal on 51 minutes, but Drogheda remained in command and Colm Tresson sealed their win with a third goal from a delightful 30 yard chip in the 87th minute.
Two goals from Tommy Gaynor gave Dermot Keely's Athlone Town a 2-0 win against Galway United in their Group C game at Terryland Park.
