Sport

Another game added to the list for Rovers

Shamrock Rovers 2 UCD 2: UCD STAGED a tenacious late revival as they came from 2-0 down to force 10-man Shamrock Rovers into…

PAUL BUTTNER at Tallaght Stadium
Tue Aug 30 2011 - 01:00

Shamrock Rovers 2 UCD 2:UCD STAGED a tenacious late revival as they came from 2-0 down to force 10-man Shamrock Rovers into a replay they could well do without.

The sides meet again at UCD next Monday with the victors away to the winners of tonight’s replay between Monaghan United and holders Sligo Rovers.

It all looked to be going swimmingly for Rovers when Karl Sheppard latched on to substitute Ronan Finn’s through pass on 61 minutes to turn well and blast past Ger Barron for their lead.

Ciarán Kilduff then rose well to power home with his head from a sublime cross in from the right by Pat Sullivan nine minutes later.

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But UCD, who’d lost 6-0 on a recent visit to Tallaght, pulled a goal back on 73 minutes when substitute Samir Belhout ran clear on to Darren Meenan’s through ball to shoot past Ryan Thompson.

Rovers then had defender Pat Flynn sent off for pulling down Belhout when the last man on 80 minutes.

A minute later, man-of-the-match Meenan crossed for Robbie Creevy to head UCD level.

Rovers pressed hard for the remainder, with Finn shooting over from Kilduffs pass, while Creevy made a brave block to deflect Stephen Rice’s goal-bound shot away for a corner in the 90th minute.

Shamrock Rovers will have a decision from Uefa today in regard to where they can play their three upcoming Europa League Group A games.

The club has made a submission to Uefa for 4,000 extra seats at Tallaght Stadium and that proposal was approved yesterday by the FAI and South Dublin County Council, who own the ground, following a four-hour meeting.

Rovers’ three home games are against Rubin Kazan (Sep 15th), PAOK Salonika (Nov 3rd) and Tottenham Hotspur (Dec 15th) will kick off at 6pm.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Thompson; Sullivan, Flynn, Sives, Memery; Rice; McCabe (Finn, 56), O’Donnell; O’Neill (Turner, 68); Sheppard (Murray, 82), Kilduff.

UCD: Barron; Harding, Leahy, D. O’Connor, Ledwith; P O‘Connor, Benson (Marshall, 56), Creevy, Corry (Belhout, 71), Rusk; Meenan.

Tonight

Fourth Round Replay – Monaghan Utd v Sligo Rovers, Gortakeegan, 8pm.

Quarter-final Draw

Dundalk/Drogheda v Bohemians

Cork City v St Patrick’s Athletic

Monaghan/Sligo Rrs v Shamrock Rrs/UCD

Sheriff YC v Limerick

(To be played week ending Sun, Sept 18th)