Darryl Geraghty reports from Tallaght Stadium
SHAMROCK ROVERS celebrated title number 21 in style as they came from behind to see off a very good Sligo Rovers side in front of a record crowd of 8,021.
A chilly night in South Dublin couldn’t dampen the party-like atmosphere as Stephen Bradley and co put themselves on the pedestal with the great 1980s Hoops side as they lifted their fourth league title in a row.
In something of a bittersweet night for the Hoops, the raucous home support also got to say their goodbyes to two club legends — captain Ronan Finn and veteran goalkeeper Alan Mannus.
The experienced stopper known as ‘Big Al’ called time on his illustrious career after 525 appearances in total spanning 20+ years, donning the gloves one last time after a trophy-laden spell in Tallaght.
Meanwhile, ‘Finner’ will go full circle, heading back to where it all began in 2005, as the 35-year-old plans to line out for a relegated UCD next season while juggling his studies yet again.
Following the guard of honour onto the field and with two minutes in, skipper Finn doing as promised earlier in the week — making sure he was on the field one last time despite his ankle injury — before going off to a thoroughly deserved standing ovation, there could have been a slight threat of a testimonial feeling to proceedings.
But, as expected, professional pride was at stake for both sides. The champions were desperate to put on one last show of the season for their fans and some of John Russell’s men playing for contracts next season.
And it was the visitors after they preserved their Premier Division status last week with a home 0-0 draw with Drogheda United, who looked to spoil the party and got themselves ahead with less than 10 minutes played.
The lively Kailin Barlow reacted sharply to take advantage of a sloppy Roberto Lopes pass out from the back, before racing clear and coolly slotting the ball past Mannus.
But on the stroke of half time, and despite having missed a glorious opportunity just moments previously, the Golden Boot-chasing Graham Burke powered home from inside the area via a slight deflection to level things up.
And just five minutes after the restart, the home side took the lead through a stunning 25-yard free-kick from substitute Dylan Watts, who gave Conor Walsh no chance whipping the ball over the wall from slightly left of the area.
Minutes later, another substitution made an immediate impact, as Aaron Greene, slipped through by Farrugia, scooped the ball over the onrushing Walsh to give his side a two-goal cushion just before the hour mark.
Watts then reacted quickest to put the icing on the cake in a packed area, smashing home from close range for his second, before chants of “Super Keeper” rang around Tallaght as Mannus took his final bow.
And as referee Damien MacGraith blew the final whistle, and ‘We are the Champions’ rang around the ground, the curtain came down on another fascinating League of Ireland campaign.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus (Leon Pohls, 68’); Daniel Cleary (Sean Hoare, 45’), Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Ronan Finn (Neil Farrugia, 2’), Richie Towell (Dylan Watts, 45’), Gary O’Neill, Graham Burke (Aaron Greene 57’), Sean Kavanagh; Rory Gaffney, Johnny Kenny
Subs not used: Darragh Nugent, Liam Burt, Conan Noonan, Naj Razi
Sligo Rovers: Conor Walsh; Niall Morahan (Lukas Browning, 64’), Garry Buckley, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson (Johan Brannefalk, 74’); Karl O’Sullivan, Greg Bolger (Stefan Radosavljevic, 74’), David Cawley (Owen Elding, 56’), William Fitzgerald; Kailin Barlow, Fabrice Hartmann
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Danny Lafferty, Frank Liivak, Nando Pijnaker, Daire Patton
Referee: Damien MacGraith
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