Shamrock Rovers 1
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Shamrock Rovers win 5-4 on penalties
Alan Mannus was the hero for Shamrock Rovers as he came up trumps in the shootout to seal the 2022 President’s Cup for the Hoops at Tallaght Stadium.
It wasn’t to be a bad case of déja vu for the Tallaght side, who lost last year’s game on penalties to Dundalk at the same venue, as the Belfast man saved Chris Forrester’s kick.
Saints have some fine shootout memories of their own - they beat Bohs on spotkicks in the FAI Cup final in November despite another Forrester miss - but it wasn’t to be this time as Big Al sizzled in Tallaght.
The keeper was at fault earlier in the game as his mistake led to Eoin Doyle opening the scoring on debut against his former club.
A mistake from Saints stopper Joseph Anang, who joined on loan from West Ham United last month, allowed Rovers captain Ronan Finn to level up with 20 minutes to go.
Both sides had chances to win it late on but neither could find the finish and, with no extra time in the President’s Cup, it was settled on penalties in front of a packed South Stand.
The game won’t be long remembered for the on-pitch fare as both sides looked very much like they were preparing for the league kick-off next week.
Ring-rustiness showed early on as Mark Doyle, the winger who followed Saints boss Tim Clancy from Drogheda United in the summer, missed a sitter early on.
Sean Hoare’s hesitance in defence saw Eoin Doyle pick his pocket and tee up his namesake for what looked a certain goal, but he swung at fresh air.
The South Stand, populated by the Rovers Ultras, enjoyed the miss but they had little else to cheer in a first half that saw them cough up several chances.
Eoin Doyle was denied the opener when played in on goal as he struck straight at Mannus, and from the resulting corner the Hoops goal led a charmed life.
Darragh Burns’ corner was headed goalwards by Wolves loanee Jack Scott and a combination of Dylan Watts and Mannus kept the ball out.
Joe Redmond, another new arrival from Drogheda, looked certain to stab home the loose ball but Mannus produced a big claw to push his shot away.
Rovers, who handed a second debut to Jack Byrne, wouldn’t produce a chance until just before the break.
The Ireland international lifted a ball over the top for Danny Mandroiu, and his well-struck first-time shot was saved at his near post by Anang.
It was a mistake from Mannus that led to Eoin Doyle opening his account as the keeper spilled what looked a straightforward Jamie Lennon volley and Doyle pounced.
Going a goal down seemed to shock Rovers into action and they had two chances within two minutes, Watts ballooning a shot before Emakhu forced a routine save.
The introduction of Rory Gaffney, Richie Towell and Graham Burke added more subtlety, however there wasn’t much nuance to the equaliser.
Farrugia’s ball in from the left bobbled in front of Anang and Finn, who had gambled on making a run from the far side, was in like a light to force it home.
Byrne nodded a Gaffney cross wide from a good position before seeing his attempt to catch Anang at his near post with a free kick blocked by Scott.
With nothing to separate the sides, it went down to penalties and it was Forrester who blinked first, leaving Byrne to roll home the winning spotkick.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Gannon, Sean Hoare, Lee Grace; Ronan Finn (Barry Cotter 82), Gary O’Neill, Dylan Watts (Rory Gaffney 63), Neil Farrugia; Jack Byrne, Danny Mandroiu (Richie Towell 63), Aidomo Emakhu (Graham Burke 63)..
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Jack Scott, Joe Redmond, James Abankwah (Tom Grviosti 76), Anto Breslin; Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon (Jay McClelland 85), Billy King (Adam O’Reilly 59); Darragh Burns (Tunde Owolabi 76), Mark Doyle, Eoin Doyle.
Referee: Rob Harvey.
