Dundalk slip into the bottom half following another big loss to Shamrock Rovers

Shamrock Rovers 2-0 Dundalk

Dundalk FC dropped into the bottom half of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table on Friday night after losing 2-0 to ten-man Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

Goals in either half from Aaron Greene sent Dundalk down to sixth, while a win for Rovers has moved them back up to the summit as they chase a fourth consecutive title.

Dundalk had an early opportunity, when Darragh Leahy’s corner was met by the unmarked Archie Davies, whose header was deflected off target on four minutes.

The Lilywhites, wearing their changed strip of red and black hoops, had a penalty appeal waved away on 11 minutes, despite Leahy being nudged inside the area by Daniel Cleary.

It was Rovers who had the game’s first effort on target, but Jack Byrne’s first-time hit from the edge of the box was easily gathered by Dundalk goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd.

Davies saw his cross flashed well wide by the head of Dundalk skipper Patrick Hoban, before at the opposite end, Rory Gaffney scooped an attempt miles over the crossbar.

The hosts would have taken the lead on 18 minutes, only for the superb intervention of Shepperd, who denied Greene after Hayden Muller completely misjudged a Gaffney ball.

Dundalk had chances to go in front as well, with Rayhaan Tulloch firing just over moments later, while Daniel Kelly’s cross was flicked over by the head of Greg Sloggett.

Shepperd easily gathered from a Sean Kavanagh header, but the Welsh netminder had to brilliantly deny Markus Poom, who had been released by an incisive Jack Byrne pass, before Andy Boyle eventually cleared the danger; with Dundalk now living dangerously.

Their resistance was broken on 34 minutes, when a low cross from captain Ronan Finn was bundled home by Greene at the near post as Stephen Bradley’s side went 1-0 ahead.

Gaffney’s attempt before half-time wasn’t as troublesome, while a Connor Malley free header was saved by Leon Pohls – the whistle had blown for an infringement in any case.

Dundalk were handed a lifeline by referee Paul McLaughlin early in the second half, when Finn was given a straight red card for hacking down Tulloch, who had a clear run at goal; the resultant free-kick, taken by Leahy, was then curled just wide of the post.

Sloggett did brilliantly to evade the challenge of a couple of Rovers adversaries out on the right before his cross was met by the diving head of Malley, who diverted just off target.

Dundalk’s momentum was cut short by Greene’s second of the night on 62 minutes, after he rounded Shepperd to finish after a quick counter-attack which was started by Gaffney.

Stephen O’Donnell’s side did have chances to get back into it, with chances falling to Keith Ward, Tulloch, Alfie Lewis and Malley late on, but this was another night to forget. 

Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Daniel Cleary, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Ronan Finn, Gary O’Neill, Markus Poom, Sean Kavanagh (Sean Gannon 64); Jack Byrne (Liam Burt 76); Aaron Greene (Kieran Cruise 86), Rory Gaffney (Darragh Nugent 76)

Subs not used: Toms Leitis (gk), Graham Burke, Justin Ferizaj, Gideon Tetteh, Conan Noonan

Dundalk FC: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Hayden Muller (Cameron Elliott 71), Andy Boyle, Darragh Leahy; Greg Sloggett (Keith Ward 63), Paul Doyle (Alfie Lewis 63); Daniel Kelly (Ryan O’Kane 71), Connor Malley, Rayhaan Tulloch; Patrick Hoban

Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (gk), Louie Annesley, John Martin, Johannes Yli-Kokko, Wasiri Williams

Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)

Attendance: 5,602