Two late goals gave Sporting Fingal a surprise 2-1 win over Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

 

Gary O'Neill and Glen Crowe struck to deny the Hoops what would have been a deserved victory after Thomas Stewart had put them ahead on 13 minutes.

 

Rovers had started the day with a two-point lead over rivals Bohemians at the top of the Premier Division table, but were overtaken when Bohs beat St Pat's in the early kick-off and they could not retake top spot.

 

Michael O'Neill's side created the bulk of chances on goal and should really have had the game wrapped up before Sporting's late, late show.

 

The Ravens were first to threaten when Conan Byrne's cross from the right caused panic, but Crowe was unable to convert from close range.

 

That allowed the home team to register a positive reaction with Stewart opening the scoring after Billy Dennehy picked out Gary Twigg and he squared the ball to his strike partner to score.

 

Twigg and James Chambers both had chances to increase their team's lead before Shaun Williams and Colin Hawkins came close with headed efforts for Sporting.

 

The momentum was firmly with Rovers as Twigg wasted another opportunity before Chris Turner was fouled inside the opposition penalty area by keeper Brendan Clarke. Turner took the spot-kick himself but blasted it against the crossbar.

 

Clarke then saved from Twigg and Dennehy should have done better after breaking forward as Rovers continued to keep the pressure on their Dublin rivals.

 

Then the game took a major twist when Stephen Rice's poor header landed in the path of O'Neill and he fired in on 87 minutes to bring the scores level.

 

Two minutes later and Liam Buckley's team were celebrating a winner when Glen Crowe blasted in via a deflection off Aidan Price.

 

It was a cruel blow for Rovers, who have now given themselves a tough task of trying to win the league title for the first time in 16 years as there are only two games left to play.

 

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Flynn, Sives, Price, Stevens; Chambers, Rice, Turner, Dennehy; Stewart, Twigg.

 

Substitutes Not Used: Jennings, Murphy, Bradley, Kavanagh, Fenn.

 

Sporting Fingal: Clarke; O’Brien, Hawkins (Kirby 75), Browne, Fitzgerald (Cahill 82); Finn, McFaul, Williams; Byrne, O’Neill, Crowe.

 

Substitutes Not Used: Quigley, Gannon, Quinn.

 

Referee: D Hanney (Dublin).