Cleary equaliser rescues point for Shamrock Rovers in intense derby with Shels

Irish Examiner

25-04-2025

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers: 2 Shelbourne FC: 2
Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne couldn't be separated in full-blooded Ringsend Derby, drawing for the second time this season.
Matt Healy's first of the season put his side ahead at the break before Ali Coote and Mipo Odubeko flipped the game on its head. Dan Cleary equalised shortly after as 7,317 watched on intently.
With 10 minutes played the visitors almost took the lead through a smart set-piece in which Evan Caffrey played a short one-two with Harry Wood, and as the ball came back to his feet Caffrey curled an inswinging cross-shot that almost caught out Ed McGinty at his back post.
The Hoops, who had been unbeaten in seven prior to Monday's madness, went straight down the other end as the game began to open. The in-form Jack Byrne tried to find young striker Michael Noonan over the top. On the stretch, Sam Bone couldn't clear as the ball fell to Noonan's feet in the box. And full of confidence from his stunning solo effort against Bohs, he beat his man while trying to fashion a yard to shoot before being snuffed out.
In their third massive Dublin Derby in a week, the hosts continued to push and forced a couple of set-pieces as they tried to build ahead of steam but as the game approached the midway point of the first half, the last two teams to lift the title persisted in cancelling each other out as a fascinating tactical battle developed.
The tension could be cut with a knife and it was going to take something special to break the deadlock and just before the half hour mark Matt Healy provided just that. Having been tee'd up by Byrne about 25-yards out, the former Irish under-21 star opened his body, shaping to bend the ball to the right, and reversed his sweeping strike into the near post - with the disguise on the shot seemingly catching out Conor Kearns who had already taken a step in anticipation of where it seemed Healy was going to put it and couldn't get back across his goal in time.
Less than two minutes after the restart Noonan spurned a great one-on-one chance to have latched onto a high Healy ball over the top. The talented 16-year-old did everything right going low across goal but Kearns saved sharply with his feet.
Things looked to be going from bad to worse for Duff as his own star midfielder Kerr McInroy was forced off with an innocuous looking injury but his replacement Ali Coote wasted no time in introducing himself levelling with his first touch.
James Norris picked out Harry Wood at the back post with a deep cross and the Englishman headed down in the area for the Scotsman to sweep home.
And just after the hour mark The Champions completed the turnaround when Odubeko showed great movement to get in between two defenders and fire the ball home first time from an inch perfect Kameron Ledwidge cross from the left.
The lead lasted only a couple of minutes though as it was the hosts' turn to equalise. A goalmouth scramble ensued following an outswing Byrne corner and Lee Grace kept the ball alive, drilling across goal for Dan Cleary to force over the line on the stretch.
Members of both benches had to be held back as tensions boiled over on the sidelines when Shels refused to put the ball out of play for Watts who was down holding the back of his leg.
But despite both sides' best efforts, neither could find that elusive winner in a breathless encounter.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Cleary (Cory O'Sullivan, 75'), Lopes, Grace; Grant (Ozhianvuna, 88'), Watts (Matthews, 80'), Healy, Byrne, Honohan; Burke (Greene, 88'), Noonan
SHELBOURNE: Kearns; Bone (Gannon, 50'), Coyle, Ledwidge; Caffrey, Lunney, Chapman (O'Sullivan, 88'), Norris; McInroy (Coote, 50'), Wood, Odubeko
Referee: Paul McLoughlin (Donegal)