Hoops struggling to close out games as winless streak continues
Rovers players celebrate after scoring against St Pat’s Photo by Mark McDermott

Hoops struggling to close out games as winless streak continues

DEFENDING League of Ireland Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers continue their winless start to the season and carry the poor vein of form into a difficult match-up with Dundalk next week.

Stephen Bradley’s side are winless after six games, being held five draws and a defeat, and are currently 10-points adrift of table toppers Bohemians.

The Hoops are struggling to close games out and have had to settle for draws after being in a winning position in four games, leaving a possible eight points behind them.

Their latest meeting with St Patrick’s Athletic in Tallaght Stadium last Friday was another example of sharing the spoils after initially taking the lead.

Former Crumlin United schoolboy Richie Towell opened the scoring for the Hoops when he calmly placed a ball into the bottom right corner from outside the box.

However, St Pat’s striker Eoin Doyle was tripped in the box by Sean Hoare down the other end just before half-time and the Firhouse native rifled the ball past Alan Manus.

Former Ireland senior international Jack Byrne sent Rovers back into the lead on the restart when he added to his back catalogue of long-range screamers.

Neil Farrugia picked up the ball on the right wing, leaving Byrne with a pocket of space just inside and he walloped the ball from 30 yards, dipping just under the crossbar into the top right corner.

However, as has been the case for the Hoops throughout the start of the season, they succumbed to a late goal when the opposition pressure mounted.

Jake Mulraney, who signed for the club over the winter from MLS club Orlando City and was also a Crumlin schoolboy, gave Byrne a run for his money for goal of the game.

From a difficult angle, an under-pressure Mulraney in the half space on the left, whipped the ball across goal with his left foot straight into the bottom right corner to draw level once again.

Rovers did have an opportunity with the last kick of the game when Rory Gaffney got on the end of a corner, burying the ball from close range only for it to be repelled by Saints netminder Dean Lyness.

In the standings, St Pat’s are level with Shamrock Rovers on five points, in ninth place, although Tim Clancy’s men did record a win in a 1-0 victory over Shelbourne.

While the Tallaght men travel to take on Dundalk in the next round of games, St Pat’s face an arguably easier task when they host UCD, who are bottom, at Richmond Park on March 31.

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