CHAMPIONS Shamrock Rovers maintained their impressive start to the season with a comfortable derby victory over St Patrick’s Athletic at Tallaght Stadium.

 

 

Goals in either half from Chris Turner and Ken Oman ensured the Hoops go clear at the top of the Premier Division table.

 

After a solid enough start for the visitors, Rovers soon began to test the Saints defence and looked to get the bumper crowd of 5,813 on their feet.

 

The opening goal was a real gem. Rovers midfielder Chris Turner was left with plenty of room to unleash a brilliant strike from more than 25 yards to open the scoring after 11 minutes.

 

St Pat’s keeper Gary Rogers dived full length to try and get a hand to the shot but Turner’s effort smacked off the inside of the upright and flew into the net.

 

The Hoops were handed a golden chance to stretch their lead in the 44th minute when referee Tom Connolly awarded the home side a spot-kick after Evan McMillan was penalised for pulling back Gary O’Neill.

 

Gary McCabe scored from the spot for Sligo Rovers against the Hoops in the FAI Ford Cup Final in November but he was denied on this occasion by an impressive stop by Saints keeper Rogers.

 

Under-23 and Futsal international McCabe was looking to score in a third consecutive league game for his new club but Rogers was too sharp for him on this occasion.

 

Anto Murphy had the home side worried in the 54th minute when his low shot took a major deflection and keeper Alan Mannus was relieved to see the ball trickle around his right post.

 

Dave Mulcahy had a great chance to level when he headed tamely wide across goal in the 67th minute from a Stephen Bradley free-kick from the right.

 

Mannus made an impressive to deny Ian Daly a spectacular leveller three minutes later when he dived full length to push over the striker’s effort from the edge of the box.

 

Ken Oman saw found himself with a couple of yards of space in the 78th minute but his powerful shot was deflected over.

 

Oman was not to be denied and he duly headed the second goal for the home side when he connected sweetly with a Billy Dennehy corner.

 

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus, Sullivan, Murray, Oman, Stevens, Dennehy, Turner, Finn, McCabe, Twigg, O'Neill. Subs: Kilduff for O’Neill 65 mins; Rice for Finn 73; Sheppard for Twigg 82.

 

St Patrick's Ath: Rogers, Pender, Bermingham, Mulcahy, E McMillan, Murphy, Bradley, McFaul, D McMillan, North, Daly. Subs: Kavanagh for North 67; Keegan for D McMillan 83; Harney for McFaul 83.

 

Referee: T Connolly (Dublin).

 

Ends