LAST UPDATE | 27 Oct 2023
SHAMROCK ROVERS ARE Premier Division champions for the fourth season in a row after Aaron Greene came off the bench to score a header that will never be forgotten by the Hoops faithful.
It secured history, emulating the club’s great side of the 1980s that dominated the League of Ireland.
No team anywhere in the country has proved capable of matching that feat since but Greene’s goal, followed by fellow substitute Graham Burke breaking free to score in the 92nd minute, ensured a place in the pantheon for the current crop.
“Here we go, four in a row,” the away fans sang on loop as soon as they stopped celebrating Greene’s header in the 83rd minute.
Once Burke bore down on goal in injury time, rounding Dean Lyness to tap into an empty net, those fans could then break into a chorus of ‘Champions’.
They’ve gotten used to singing that since Stephen Bradley changed the fortunes at Tallaght Stadium after that first title in the Covid season of 2020 when they began their own era of dominace.
The club’s title tally now stands at 21 and they are primed to add more.
This was a night that seemed destined to end in another draw – it would have been their 12th – before Bradley’s changes proved the difference.
In fact, another sub, Dylan Watts claimed the assist for Greene’s header when he hung up a delightful cross to the back post that was perfect for the striker to meet above the head of Pat’s captain Joe Redmond.
It was the spark required for a night of celebration, although there were some unsavoury scenes after full time as both sets of fans invaded the pitch and taunted each other with objects thrown over a swiftly-assembled police and stewards’ cordon.
The match itself did offer signs of early life with three decent chances inside the opening 10 minutes set the tempo for a fiery first half that may not have provided goals but had enough to get the juices flowing.
Johnny Kenny almost gave the visitors the perfect start with a little over 60 seconds played, but his snap shot in the centre of the box flashed wide.
Rovers were bright and showed intent, yet when Jamie Lennon won a tackle down by the right side at the half way line to stop Rory Gaffney breaking forward it was the Saints who almost took the lead in the eighth minute.
Kian Leavy received the pass from Lennon and then drove into the Rovers box, lashing an effort off the underside of the crossbar.
It spun out into the area to be hooked clear rather than beyond the line, and from the resulting corner captain Joe Redmond arrowed a powerful header just over at the near post.
Pat’s had four teenagers in their starting XI, among them 16-year-old Mason Meila who, as the club announced on social media, became their youngest player to start a League of Ireland game in the modern era.
The 21-year-old livewire Leavy must have felt like a veteran in comparison, while talisman Chris Forrester was surprisingly dropped to the bench.
That perhaps gave an indication of boss Jon Daly’s priorities. The title race was not yet run before kick-off, victory would have even drawn the sides level on points at the top, but with the FAI Cup final on the horizon that is the most realistic shot of silverware.
And when Gaffney pounced just outside the six-yard box on 25 minutes to punish Dean Lyness for spilling Richie Towell’s long-range shot it looked as if Rovers would have a lead to hold onto for title glory.
The Galway native wheeled away in celebration as the 1,100 travelling supporters also let loose.
Their joy was short lived when the offside flag was raised, replays inconclusive as to whether the decision was correct, and there was a blow of a different kind a few moments later when captain Ronan Finn was forced off with a foot injury following a crunching 50-50 tackle with Lennon.
That lit the touch paper for the remaining 20 minutes with tempers bubbling right under the surface.
What was needed to make the breakthrough was quality in the final third.
Kenny and Gaffney both had half chances with tame shots easily dealt with by Lyness after the restart while Leavy was the heart of all the best work for the hosts, just not in the kind of areas that could cause damage.
Both sides made double substitutions on 61 minutes to try and find that cutting edge; Graham Burke and Dylan Watts being sent on by Bradley while Jake Mulraney and Conor Carty were introduced for Pat’s.
That flatness remained, though.
Rovers didn’t really have to force the issue given a draw all but guarantees the title due to their goal difference.
Daly showed his intent to nab all three points by springing Forrester for the final quarter but it was the last sub of the night, Greene, who had the biggest say of all with his header at the back post on 83 minutes.
There was more joy to come when Burke then converted his chance as Rovers, finally, got over the line for history.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Lyness; Curtis, Redmond (capt), Norman, Breslin; Leavy, Murphy (Forrester 70), Lennon (McCormack 80), Doyle (Nolan 80); Lonergan (Mulraney 61), Melia (Carty 61).
Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Cleary, Lopes, Grace; Finn (capt) (Kavanagh 31), Poom (Watts 61), O’Neill, Towell, Farrugia; Gaffney (Greene 81), Kenny (Burke 61).
Referee: N Doyle (Dublin)
Attendance: 5,022
Written by David Sneyd and posted on the42.ie
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