Shamrock Rovers show their mettle, Duff's gamble pays off – what we learned from Friday night's League of Ireland action
Shamrock Rovers do what champions do
With 25 minutes to go at the Brandywell, Danny Mullen put it up to Shamrock Rovers. Swept in behind by Carl Winchester, the Derry striker dinked a lovely finish over Ed McGinty, pointedly testing the mettle of the league leaders.
After swatting St Pat's aside in a formidable 4-0 win on Monday, this was a different challenge for Rovers, and one they duly embraced. Just minutes after falling behind, Pico Lopes sensed an opportunity from distance. His sprayed lob was tipped on to the crossbar by Brian Maher, but the save proved little more than a backboard alley-oop for Michael Noonan, who was unmarked as he headed the rebound into the corner.
Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley celebrates after their win over Derry City. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
A point would have been a fine result on the road in Derry, but Rovers are in no mood to settle these days. It was a returning son, Aaron McEneff, that
pinched a late winner
, slotting a Danny Grant cutback under the feet of Maher. McEneff cupped his ears and goaded the home support – perhaps a sign of the ruthless streak that is once more revealing itself at the heart of the Rovers machine. Five wins on the bounce and a six point gap now at the top of the table.
Mason Melia is a special talent
As if it needed saying. Having passed his driving test earlier in the day,
Mason Melia
underlined his precocious talent once more as
St Pat's
laboured to a 2-2 draw at home to Waterford.
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A five-minute spell at Richmond Park on Friday evening was evidence enough for why Tottenham Hotspur are happy to pay close to €2 million for Melia. At 17, he looks faster, sharper and smarter than most of the players around him. His goals were devastating, both zipped into the bottom left corner past a helpless Stephen McMullan after the striker had pounced on the defensive uncertainty his presence instils.
Mason Melia on his way to scoring his St Pat's second goal. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/INpho
In a Pat's side blessed with some of the best and most experienced footballers in the League of Ireland, Melia looks like a talisman. This was another poor display from Stephen Kenny's men overall. Far from a motivated, wounded beast after their Monday night drubbing in Tallaght, the home side looked downtrodden and lacklustre.
Waterford were fully deserving of a point and will accept it given Conan Noonan's well taken equaliser came with just 10 minutes left to play, but John Coleman will feel his side could have taken more.
Shels find scoring touch
Having watched his side toil towards two goals in their last five games,
Damien Duff
changed tack on Friday night at Tolka Park, bringing in John Martin to lead Shelbourne's line.
He'd have taken a goal in return, but Martin rewarded him with three. The Kilkenny native had Evan Caffrey to thank for his first-half brace – his two inswinging crosses from the left flank were pacy and inviting. Martin's finishing was neat on both occasions, a level of composure that Duff has been desperate for in recent weeks.
Shelbourne's John Martin celebrates scoring a hat-trick. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Neat can't describe the hat-trick goal, which broke from a cluttered bundle of legs in the six-yard box. Martin emerged from the pile long enough to persuade the ball to trickle past Sam Sargeant and make it 3-1. It was a moment so disorderly that just a minute later, the game was rewarded with a goal of the season contender.
Owen Elding, finding a pocket of space 30 yards out, unleashed a left-footed blast that the Tolka Park camera could barely keep up with. Lorcan Healy certainly couldn't, despite diving admirably after the ball. Unfortunately for Sligo, they couldn't build on it enough to take something from the game. An admirable effort, but they and Cork are well adrift of the pack.
Stalwarts bring Galway reprieve
When things aren't going well, it can help to turn to those you trust. Conor McCormack and Stephen Walsh were two of Galway United's heroes on the 2023 promotion trail, but through injury and rotation, both have watched much of this season from the sidelines.
It was an unlikely double act that combined off the bench for a vital winner at Eamonn Deacy Park, ending Galway's run of four defeats on the spin. The home side looked low on confidence throughout the first half and could easily have found themselves behind.
Clubs in England are reported to be circling Cork's Cathal O'Sullivan, and the young winger will be hoping none were watching on the cusp of half time. A defensive mix-up between Garry Buckley and Evan Watts afforded O'Sullivan a wide-open goal but, under some pressure from Greg Cunningham, he fired glaringly wide.
Cork City manager Gerard Nash dejected after their 2-1 defeat to Galway United. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
In a tight game, the opener arrived at the start of the second period. It was Moses Dyer's handiwork, the striker jinking neatly to the byline and attempting a cutback. Deflected, the ball looped over Tein Troost and somehow trickled in – arbiters of dubious goals may ultimately deny the league's top scorer, but Dyer's effort was decisive.
Galway's lead lasted just moments. Jeannot Esua was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball just inside the penalty area, and Djenairo Daniels converted. Cork looked decent value for a point, but John Caulfield found inspiration in his old guard.
With five minutes to go, an onrushing McCormack was 40 yards further forward than usually permitted. Walsh, with his back to goal, hid his surprise at the sight of his team-mate and teed him up for an emphatic finish. McCormack leapt into Caulfield's arms in celebration, marking an embrace between two former Cork City men, as Galway moved up to seventh.
Elsewhere, in a close fought game at Sullivan & Lambe Park, Drogheda United edged out Bohemians by a goal to nil.
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