Burke goal moves Rovers ever closer to defending Premier Division title

Substitute Graham Burke struck a 65th-minute goal at Bishopsgate last night to give runaway SSE Airtricity League Premier Division leaders Shamrock Rovers a 1-0 victory over the already-relegated Longford Town.

 

Thanks to this narrow success, the Hoops are now 16 points clear of second-place St Patrick’s Athletic with two more games played.

 

This means Stephen Bradley’s men only require a maximum of three points from their remaining four games to seal back-to-back crowns in the top-flight of Irish soccer. Alternatively, a win for Dundalk at the expense of Pat’s in Inchicore tomorrow evening could confirm their status as league champions before their home showdown with Finn Harps on Friday.

 

Despite being at the opposite end of the table to their lofty opponents, Longford have proven themselves to be admirable adversaries to Rovers in 2021. While the Tallaght side came out on top of their three previous league encounters this season, they needed a stoppage-time winner on each occasion.

 

Managed by former Cherry Orchard youth star Daire Doyle, the hosts dug deep in testing conditions.

 

Rovers were largely dominating possession, but did come under some pressure towards the end of the opening period. Rovers netminder Alan Mannus is a link to the last Hoops side to win successive league titles in 2010 and 2011, and he was forced into a double save from Rob Manley and Aodh Dervin on 36 minutes.

 

The deadlock was ultimately unbroken at the interval and with the search for a breakthrough still ongoing, Bradley introduced Burke, Daniel Mandroiu and Dylan Watts in a triple substitution just past the hour mark.

 

Burke is now in his second spell with Rovers having previously spent time at Preston North End and Gillingham (loan) in the UK. After Mandroiu’s shot from a Rory Gaffney pass was saved by Longford custodian Lee Steacy, he was on hand to lash home the rebound with 25 minutes remaining.

 

This ultimately proved to be the difference between the sides and even if Vinny Perth’s Dundalk don’t do them a favour at Richmond Park tomorrow night, Rovers will have a chance to secure top honours in front of a packed Tallaght Stadium four days later.