Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division:
Dundalk 1 Shamrock Rovers 1
A GARY ROGERS error handed Shamrock Rovers a share of the spoils at Oriel Park as they held champions Dundalk to a draw.
The home side’s number one, who was recently called into the Republic of Ireland squad, miscontrolled an awkward backpass from Andy Boyle and Gary Shaw took full advantage, nipping in to tap into the empty net. By that stage, Rovers were lucky to still have 11 men on the pitch after Sean Boyd’s high tackle on Daryl Morgan, which referee Rob Rogers decided only merited a booking.
Dundalk were denied an equaliser by the post when Patrick McEleney’s trickery crafted a chance of his own making. Robbie Benson’s rebound effort was deflected wide. The leveller came on the hour, when Horgan’s inswinging free-kick was powerfully headed home by Brian Gartland. And the home side almost won it twice at the death, but Horgan was thwarted by a superb save from Barry Murphy, tipping his curling effort over the bar.
Gartland then had a header cleared off the line, before Murphy again came to the rescue deep into eight added minutes, getting a touch to Dane Massey’s acrobatic effort to secure a share of the spoils.
