Irish League leaders lose 1st match of season

Shamrock Rovers’ unbeaten run of 33 league matches came to an end following a 2-1 away defeat to Dundalk.

Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

Stephen Bradley’s side had not lost a league game since September 2019, which coincidentally was also to Dundalk who clinched the league title that night at the Co Louth venue.

However with the current champions 16 points clear of their Dublin neighbours in the current league race and with only 3 wins out of a possible 12 so far this season, few were expecting Dundalk to inflict another defeat over the Rovers.

Dundalk took an early lead in the match with a break-away goal following a Rovers corner. Kelly was released up the left before playing a beautiful through ball to Patrick McEleney who held off a Rovers’ defender before smashing it past Rovers goalkeeper Alan Mannus into the roof of the net. The lead did not last long for Dundalk however. A miss hit from Scales was spilled by Dundalk goalkeeper Abibi, Chris Shields then miss hit his clearance and O’brien just had an easy tap in – another shambles of a goal to concede to add to the collection for Dundalk this season.

With the score 1-1 at half time Rovers came out all guns blazing in the second half with only the crossbar and the post saving Dundalk in the first 10 minutes after the re-start.

Rovers were to rue those missed chances when Daniel Kelly, celebrating his 25^th birthday, found space to the right of the penalty box and hit a great strike past Mannus to make it 2-1 to Dundalk and give all three points to the Lillywhites.