Shamrock Rovers 3 St Patrick’s Athletic 1
[Clark 56, 88, Honohan 63; Lennon 90]
A new season brings talent from the lower tier of the Irish football pyramid. Conan Noonan, having recovered from long Covid, pulled the strings in the 10th edition of the President’s Cup, that pits the league and cup holders against each other.
It was the same old story, just told by fresh blood.
Noonan created two of Shamrock Rovers three second-half goals, picking out Trevor Clark with a weighed pass and nailing Joshua Honohan’s forehead from a corner.
Clark silenced a healthy St Pat’s crowd with his second late on, and many of the 4,200 visiting fans had headed for the Luas by the time Jamie Lennon rifled an injury-time consolation.
Something extra will be needed for Stephen Bradley’s side to capture a fifth successive Premier Division title and eclipse Rovers’ Invincibles from the 1980s. Noonan and Honohan, having arrived from relegated Cork City, both looked the part.
In what has become a lively curtain-raiser for the long road ahead, and with a trophy on offer from Michael D Higgins, the only Uachtarán na hÉireann this match has ever known, St Pat’s and Rovers both came seeking a little February glory.
Bradley’s history-makers looked rusty in the opening 45 minutes but they made up for that with plenty of bite in the tackle.
Referee Damien MacGraith endeavoured to avoid flashing yellow cards but four bookings were necessary before the turn. The Hoops accounted for three of them as Darragh Nugent and Noonan welcomed Kian Leavy’s sleight frame to an redeveloped Tallaght Stadium.
Honohan also saw yellow for kicking Lennon while the Pat’s midfielder returned the favour by clattering into Neil Farrugia.
Clearly, a record crowd of 8,053 missed the snap and crackle of these exchanges through the winter months. The targeted fouls had home supporters purring. And St Pat’s up in arms. You’d miss the drama.
The attendance is only going to rise as Tallaght opened their fourth stand. Only a few hundred were allowed sample the new seats, but 10,000 could fill the joint when Dundalk visit next Friday. St Pat’s have a soft landing with a journey west to play Galway United.
Rovers are expected to make a raft of changes next week with Jack Byrne, Richie Towell and new signing Aaron McEneff nursing injuries while Bradley held Rory Gaffney, Graham Burke and teenager Gideon Tetteh in reserve.
St Pat’s manager Jon Daly fielded a strong starting XI as Ruairi Keating looked dangerous up front having also moved to the capital from Cork. Keating’s presence should keep Mason Melia on his toes. Late last year the hugely promising 16-year-old signed a three-year deal to continue his development at Richmond Park, with extra assistance from the FAI’s targeted assistance of the best underage talent in the country.
Bradley shook the tree at half-time, introducing five regulars including Gaffney’s wise head up front alongside Darragh Burns. The 21-year-old Burns got plenty of attention from his former fanbase, having left St Pat’s for MK Dons in 2022 only to return to Dublin on loan after a difficult spell in League Two.
The first Rovers goal was scored by Clark on 56 minutes. It came off Brandon Kavanagh’s ill-judged back heel keeping the ball in play, which prompted Lee Grace to find Noonan, whose slick pass down the inside channel was rewarded by Clark’s slick finish. The former Bristol Rovers wing back out paced Aaron Bolger.
The night got worst for St Pat’s as Chris Forrester limped off moments later.
Noonan still looks like a boy but a second assist left no doubt about his ability as Honohan connected with an arcing corner despite close marking from Joe Redmond.
Clark capped off a sweet night for the hosts when a speculative shot, with two minutes remaining that took a deflection before beating St Pat’s new goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga. The Brazilian, on loan from Liverpool, will put the error down to an aberration.
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Cleary (Grace 46), Hoare (Barrett 75), Honohan; Farrugia (Watts 46), Poom (O’Neill 46), Noonan Nugent, Kavanagh (Clark 46); Burns, Greene (Gaffney 46).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Pitaluga; Bolger (Kavanagh 62), Redmond, Keely, Breslin; Lennon, Forrester (McClelland 58); Mulraney (Sjoberg 76), Leavy (Nolan 84), Kavanagh (Turner 62); Keating (Melia 84).
Referee: Damien MacGraith.
