Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians in ominous form before crucial showdown - what we learned from Friday's League of Ireland fixtures

Irish Times

3 hours ago

Shamrock Rovers a cut above Cork City ... and probably over everyone else too
Coming into the season, off the back of
a title race
that encompassed half the league, there was a romantic feeling of unpredictability about the Premier Division.
Perhaps the table would be a fluid entity – in a constant state of flux, with positions temporary, ensuring unpredictability until the end. Unfortunately, despite a bunched-up middle pack, the gaps at the top and bottom are growing, emphasised by
Shamrock Rovers
' blunt dismissal of
Cork City
on Friday night.
Michael Noonan's athletic gifts have been evident from his earliest moments on League of Ireland pitches but, week on week, his tact and instincts are sharpening too. The game against Cork brought some of his finest moments to date. He twisted evasively in the box and finish neatly for his first goal before showing his pace and composure with a confident second.
Despite Jack Byrne watching from the bench, Rovers added another set-piece goal to their growing catalogue through Pico Lopes. Rory Gaffney, who seems a helpful mentor for Noonan, slotted a deserved fourth. Cork City pulled a nice goal back through Alex Nolan and could have scored more with plenty of bright patterns in possession. At no point was the result in doubt though – the Leesiders' naivety in defence is a problem Ger Nash is yet to solve.
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Thirty-two points now separate these two sides. Rovers have a heady gap of 11 to their nearest challengers, and a victory away at Bohemians on Monday would have many arguing the race is over.
Galway United are going places directly
If you were being harsh on
Galway United
, you could call their victory on Friday night a tale of two goalkeepers.
Evan Watts, who may have fully displaced veteran Brendan Clarke, was outstanding between the home side's posts, producing showstopping, clawed saves to deny Mason Melia, Brandon Kavanagh and Seán Hoare at crucial moments. He even claimed a remarkable assist for Ed McCarthy's early opener, landing it on the Limerick man's toe from all of 80 yards. McCarthy, for his part, swivelled brilliantly and found the corner in one smooth motion.
At the other end, the usually reliable Joseph Anang was at far from his best. Way out of his goal for Galway's second, he misjudged a corner kick for their decisive third, beaten too easily in the air by Rob Slevin. This alone does not explain Galway' scoring three goals for the first time in a game this season.
Direct football is sacrosanct for John Caulfield, and when Galway attack with this considered intensity, they are a challenge for anyone. Though Anang was to blame, David Hurley's goal to double the lead was spectacular – showing opportunistic ruthlessness as the goalkeeper's loose pass bounced his way, Hurley lashed the ball from well inside his own half towards the vacant Pat's net.
A strike measured to perfection, it exemplified the quality in a Galway side mainly known for their work rate. A Connacht derby win on Monday would have them right back in the mix for European places.
Drogheda stay on track despite European expulsion
It is an emotional time at
Drogheda United
, evidenced by Kevin Doherty's deflated post-match interview last Monday moments after a frustrating defeat at Shamrock Rovers, in a game scheduled to accommodate a phantom European fixture.
There has been so much to like about Doherty's side this year. Second in the table on merit, they are a gritty, determined defensive unit with sharp transitional weapons in attack. Their winning goal over Sligo Rovers on Friday night came from one such transition. Warren Davis went foraging deep in midfield and broke away cleanly with the ball at his feet. His pass to strike partner Douglas James-Taylor was simple and the resulting finish was sublime, curled expertly into the top corner.
James-Taylor may be leaving very soon, with his loan spell drawing to an end and no extension agreed. It would be another setback, but only the sort that comes with the territory for Drogheda. Doherty will hope that European expulsion galvanises his overachieving troops.
Drogheda United manager Kevin Doherty celebrates with Douglas James-Taylor after the win against Sligo Rovers. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Bohemians miss Seán Grehan already
Seán Grehan returned to his parent club Crystal Palace this week after a colossal half-season in the centre of Bohemians' defence, and his absence was felt in a damaging defeat at Waterford.
Though the Gypsies have grown more cohesive and settled in recent months, there were some unwanted reminders of the frailties they showed earlier in the season. Leigh Kavanagh's clumsy challenge on half-time allowed Pádraig Amond to convert from the spot. Seconds later, Kavanagh's miscontrol on the edge of his own box allowed Conan Noonan to steal in and finish beautifully on his left.
Dawson Devoy, who may be Bohemians' best player this season, got his side back into it in the second half but the deficit proved insurmountable. It was a big victory for Waterford – their first in five games – and Alan Reynolds will be hoping it is not a sign of things to come for Bohs.
Michael Duffy can make the difference in tight games
Often, the key moments that separate evenly matched sides are either the product of real quality or an untimely error.
For Derry City, 54 minutes into
their game against Shelbourne on Friday night
, it was very much the former. At one end, Evan Caffrey couldn't quite loop his half-volley over a retreating Sam Todd, covering for the stranded Brian Maher who had failed to sweep up a long ball behind his defence. It proved to be a sliding-doors moment as Derry piled forward and laid the ball out wide.
Michael Duffy, one of the league's finest players this season, picked it up with very little to aim for. Edging forward and shimmying suddenly inside, Duffy ripped a ferocious left-footed strike high into top corner, far out of Conor Kearns's reach. His seventh goal of a talismanic season, it was a fitting way to settle a cagey game.