Shamrock Rovers 1
Limerick 1
Andrew Cunneen reports from Tallaght Stadium
A DRAMATIC LATE equaliser from Rodrigo Tosi grabbed Limerick a point in Tallaght tonight.
Roberto Lopes bagged the opening goal of the game after only eighteen minutes — heading home from a corner — but Tosi’s late strike stole a deserved result for the Blues.
There wasn’t to be any settling-in period as both sides looked intent on attacking in numbers. Graham Burke and Lee-J Lynch were tasked with linking up play from advanced midfield positions and both produced in a first half full of good football from both sides.
With Finn and McAllister sitting in midfield, Rovers were assured on the ball — allowing Burke and Miele to exchange passes around the target of Gary Shaw.
Miele, in particular, drew Limerick defenders to the ball — giving space for full backs to get in behind.
One such move outside the Limerick box afforded Burke a shot on goal, but the ball just rolled wide of Brendan Clarke’s post.
For all the positive play in possession, it was overplaying from Chiedozie Ogbene that resulted in the first goal after eighteen minutes. Instead of clearing after a Hoops attack broke down, Ogbene took on three players before being dispossessed.
Finn took the ball into the right channel and played in his full back. Madden’s cross was well blocked away by the leg of Tommy Robson, but at the expense of a corner.
Burke’s curling set-piece towards the near post was met excellently by Lopes, who glanced a header past Clarke to the far post.
For all that Limerick were growing into the game, Stephen Bradley’s men should have doubled their lead only three minutes later. The hosts saw opportunities to overload Limerick’s left side on multiple occasions and it nearly paid off again.
This time, Finn danced his way into the box from wide before squaring for Gary Shaw only six yards in front of goal. Shaw opted for his left foot, and somehow fluffed his lines with an open goal at his mercy.