SOCCER/Lisburn 0 Shamrock Rovers 3:SHAMROCK Rovers last night enjoyed an impressive Setanta Cup debut with goals from Karl Sheppard, Ciarán Kilduff and Dean Kelly at Ballyskeagh. To make matters worse for Lisburn, Mark Cooling was sent off on 78 minutes.

There was a touch of fortune about Sheppard’s 35th minute opener. Stephen O’Donnell picked out the striker whose 25 yard drive flew past Philip Matthews – the ball taking a wicked deflection off the body of Mark Cooling. Rovers killed the tie with a second goal five minutes before the break. Sheppard, following a comedy of errors in the defence, found and Kilduff had merely to slip the ball under Matthews.

The veteran shot shopper saved his team from a first-half roasting with a series of superb saves. Paddy Kavanagh cut inside to unleash a drive that the 37-year-old pawed around the post. Minutes later, Matthews again got down brilliantly to beat away a low Sheppard shot.

Distillery created the first opening after 15 minutes – Gary Browne’s volley few off the body of Pat Flynn and Gary Liggett went close on 26 minutes. Sheppard almost piled on the agony nine minutes after the break, stepping inside Pat McShane, but his low drive was clutched by Matthews.

Distillery responded as Davidson’s drive rebounded off the chest of Ryan Thompson. The goalkeeper then scooped away a low shot from Liggett before somehow keeping out a John Curran header.

But Rovers delivered the ultimate punishment on 67 minutes. Substitute Pat Sullivan, whipped over a cross, which was powered by the head of Dean Kelly.

LISBURN DISTILLERY: Matthews, McShane, Curran, Thompson, Browne (Hughes, 76 mins), Cooling, Simpson, Davidson, Liggett (Cushley, 69 mins), Forsythe, Devlin. Subs not used: Muir, Hunter, Kilmartin Scott, Traynor.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Thompson, Stevens (Sullivan, 62 mins), Oman, Flynn, McCormick, Kavanagh, Rice, O’Donnell, Sheppard, Kelly, Kilduff. Subs not used: Mannus, McCabe, Twigg, Turner, Dennehy, Finn. Booked: Flynn.

Referee: R Dunlop (Carrickfergus).