League of Ireland Matchday 4 Round-Up
The first Monday night of the season offered so much, and it certainly delivered. From title favourites clashing to big shocks to massive scorelines, we have everything here to satisfy your League of Ireland needs. This is the League of Ireland Matchday 4 Round-Up!
Shamrock Rovers 2-2 Derry City
Last season’s top two kicked off the headliner of Friday night at Tallaght Stadium. Rovers were tidier in possession in the first half but were very lucky not to go down to 10 men. Lee Grace was already on a yellow before pushing referee Damien McGraith but he wasn’t given his marching orders, to everyone’s surprise.
On the stroke of the hour mark, Rovers were the ones who struck first in this highly anticipated affair. A great threaded ball from Graham Burke played Darragh Burns through to score his first goal for the Hoops. When Watts fouled Hoban, there was another contentious decision, a penalty. The seasoned striker stepped up and sent Leon Pohls the wrong way.
Ten minutes later, Danny Mullen threw himself at the incoming corner and scrambled it home to put the Candystripes into the lead. It wasn’t to be for the away side, however, as Burns found Markus Pooms head, who glanced the ball brilliantly into the bottom left, leaving Brain Maher stranded in goals. Rovers remain winless while Derry finds themselves in a familiar position, second.
Waterford 3-1 St. Patrick’s Athletic
Waterford couldn’t have started better at the RSC, with Padraig Amond scoring a sublime header where he had to adjust his body last second to find the net. However, poor defending from the Blues allowed a Pats equaliser, where Anto Breslin scored from a goalmouth scramble. With shades of the Shels game creeping in, Waterford kept pressing to prove they could keep this home lead.
Liverpool loaner Marcelo Pitalagu almost had a mare when he kicked the ball off the on-rushing Amond, just missing the net. Minutes later, the keeper was at fault with a dropped ball and this time Amond was able to take a touch and get his brace just before halftime.
There was no urgency in Pats play in the second half and Waterford remained the better side. Asamoah showed his trickery down the left and was grabbed and pushed in the box. The referee, however, had none of it. His head never dropped, though, and the Fleetwood loanee kept going forward with enthusiasm, went down the left again, and put it past the Brazilian keeper. Pats ended the game with a few corners and shots but over the course of the 90, they were a level below the home side.
Pats end the night in third last while Waterford is in third place after a great start.
Drogheda United 2-1 Bohemians
Drogheda went into their third game of the season as the only team with 0 points on the board. This changed quickly as Evan Weir’s corner created chaos and Danny Grant stuck it in his own net. Similarly, in the second half, his free from 45 yards went through everyone, putting Drogheda two to the good at Weavers Park.
Bohs came back and equalised through who else but James Clarke, but it wasn’t to be for Bohs as their first loss of the campaign allowed Drogheda their first win.
There is only one position between both teams now, as Drogheda lifts to seventh while the Bohs fall to sixth.
Shelbourne 1-0 Galway United
With both teams making a relatively decent start to the season, this match pitted two in-form sides against each other.
The tribesmen started on the front foot and created a number of opportunities before, against the run of play, Shels took the lead in the 15th minute through a good finish from John Martin after winger Will Jarvis had hit the post.
The home side grew into the game after the goal and created more chances to double their lead, with Martin, Jarvis, and Evan Caffrey all going close before halftime.
The second half was a more even contest with both teams creating half chances but Galway didn’t trouble Shels goalkeeper Conor Kearns into making many saves and his second consecutive clean sheet was secured.
Another big 3 points to lift Shelbourne to the top of the table, while Galway will be relatively happy with their mid-table position at this early stage of the season.
Dundalk 0-5 Sligo Rovers
Played in terrible conditions, it didn’t take long for Sligo to hit the front through Ellis Chapman with only 6 minutes on the clock. They doubled their lead less than 10 minutes later when Fabrice Hartmann’s speculative effort managed to sneak its way through the legs of Dundalk goalkeeper George Shelvey.
They were 3-0 up after half an hour through a breakaway goal where Shelvey was caught out of position leaving Chapman to slot into the empty net and bag his 2nd of the night..
An awful opening half for the Lilywhites was ended when Max Mata got on the scoresheet to increase Sligo’s lead to 4.
Things did slightly improve for Dundalk in the 2nd half as they began to threaten the Sligo goal more frequently but after an hour of play, Max Mata got his 2nd and Sligo’s 5th to finish off the scoring for the night.
A huge result for the bit o’red that moves them on to 5 points and leaves winless Dundalk rooted to the bottom of the table.
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