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Three wins from four games as Twigg strikes for Rovers again

LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION: Shamrock Rovers 2 St Patrick's Ath 0 : GARY TWIGG added a double to the hat-trick he scored…

PAUL BUTTNER
Mon Apr 27 2009 - 01:00

LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION: Shamrock Rovers 2 St Patrick's Ath 0: GARY TWIGG added a double to the hat-trick he scored in Galway last week as Shamrock Rovers made it three wins in four games to move joint-third in the table.

Though St Patrick’s Ryan Guy hit a post against the run of play, Twigg twice might have broken the deadlock at the other end before half-time, rattling the crossbar with a thumping shot before drilling wide from a Dessie Baker free-kick.

Twigg wasn’t to be denied, however, and a delightful finish, when controlling Shane Robinson’s flick from a Sean O’Connor cross to hook home, brought Rovers their deserved lead on 50 minutes.

St Patrick’s had to come out to play and Rovers’ goalkeeper Robert Duggan stood rooted to the spot as Mark Quigley’s downward header from Guy’s cross came back off a post. Quigley then worked a one-two with Guy to blaze over when he might have equalised.

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But Twigg, tipped by manager Michael O’Neill to finish the league’s top scorer in his programme notes, added the killer second goal on 73 minutes. Baker flicked through Gregg Cameron’s pass and Twigg held off a challenge to shoot home from 16 yards for his eighth goal of the season.

“You’re looking at a player who is delighted to be here and who had bounced around a few clubs and had a few injuries,” said O’Neill, who brought Twigg with him from Brechin City. “He’s told me he’s loving his football and what’s happening out there. You see it in him, and I think he and Dessie (Baker) have hit off a real partnership. They’re good quality, clever footballers as well as being goal threats.

“Gary has the potential to go on, but I don’t want to put any pressure on him. He’s made a fantastic start.”

St Patrick’s captain Jason Gavin will miss next Friday’s trip to Galway United after being shown a red card in the tunnel following the game.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Duggan; Madden, Maguire, Webb, Cahill; Robinson (Bradley, 70 mins.), Rice, Cameron, O'Connor (Amond, 83 mins.); Baker, Twigg (Purcell, 76 mins.).

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Maher, Gavin, Harris, Stevens; Guy, Cawley (O'Connor, 58 mins.), Lynch, Byrne, D. Ryan; Quigley.

Referee:Damien Hancock (Dublin).