FAI Cup: Shamrock Rovers finally distance Wexford as bench deliver three-goal salvo late on

Teenager Victor Ozhianvuna had opened the scoring with a brilliant early goal

Victor Ozhianvuna celebrates scoring Shamrock Rovers' first goal during the FAI Cup second-round game against Wexford at Tallaght Stadium. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Victor Ozhianvuna celebrates scoring Shamrock Rovers' first goal during the FAI Cup second-round game against Wexford at Tallaght Stadium. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho

FAI Cup second round: Shamrock Rovers 4 [Ozhianvuna 8, Burke 76, Gaffney 84, Mandroiu 90] Wexford 0

Sixteen-year-old Victor Ozhianvuna capped his full Shamrock Rovers debut with a sublime first goal for the club as Stephen Bradley’s side were made to work hard for their passage into the third round of the FAI Cup at Tallaght Stadium.

While Ozhianvuna’s early lead brought the promise of a comfortable victory, Rovers didn’t put Stephen Elliott’s First Division Wexford to the sword until the final 15 minutes with goals from substitutes Graham Burke, Rory Gaffney and Danny Mandroiu.

Rovers head coach Bradley spoke of the importance of trying to win the cup for a 26th time this year.

And while regaining their league title is Rovers’ main ambition, the FAI Cup brings added incentive this season. The winners go into the 2026/27 Europa League first round, with a parachute into the Conference League second round if they are beaten, which carries a guaranteed minimum prize fund of €700,000, more than double what was previously on offer.

Eight points clear at top of Premier Division, with just one defeat in 14 games, Rovers made seven changes from their most recent competitive outing against Sligo Rovers, including starting debuts for Ozhianvuna and recent signing, striker John McGovern.

Ably dealing with a confident start by Wexford, Rovers had to work hard to stamp their authority on the game, their first home tie in the competition in four years.

Jack Byrne curled a shot wide before the small home crowd were treated to a terrific goal on eight minutes.

Ozhianvuna came in off the left wing to position himself perfectly to meet Darragh Nugent’s on-the-money cross to score a with a crisp first-time sidefoot volley.

Beaten by winners Drogheda United in the semi-finals last year, Wexford belied their poor recent form of just one win in seven games to trouble Rovers when they got forward, with the pace of ex-Rovers academy and Ireland youth international Ajibola Oluwabiyi a promising outlet.

But Rovers were always capable of stretching the visitors’ rearguard with McGovern heading wide from Ozhianvuna’s cross while Michael Noonan and Byrne worked Paul Martin between the posts before half-time.

Rory Gaffney of Shamrock Rovers celebrates his goal with team-mates. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Rory Gaffney of Shamrock Rovers celebrates his goal with team-mates. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho

Martin was soon to the rescue again with a couple of fine saves early in the second half to deny 16-year-old Noonan.

The threat from Oluwabiyi very much remained as Rovers had a let-off on 54 minutes when the teenage winger cut inside Lee Grace to arc a shot just wide.

Frustrated with labouring to put the game to bed, Bradley made no fewer than five substitutions at once on 63 minutes with Dylan Watts, Mandroiu, Burke, Matt Healy and Gaffney sprung from the bench.

The latter, latching on to a Nugent cross, brought a brave save from Martin with the goalkeeper colliding with a post. That kept Wexford in the game as Ed McGinty soon had work to do to save from Mike Rowe.

Rovers did finally kill off Wexford’s challenge on 75 minutes, Mandroiu linking with Nugent on the right to cross for Burke to show his composure from close range.

Eight minutes later, Gaffney hooked home from almost on the goal line after Grace had nodded down Watts’s corner. Gaffney then set up Mandroiu to sweep home the fourth goal in the 90th minute.

Holders Drogheda United had far too much at home to Leinster Senior League side Crumlin United as they eased through with a 5-0 victory.

Second-half goals from James McManus and Jake Doyle-Hayes gave Sligo Rovers a 2-0 win at First Division leaders Dundalk.

Bohemians were the biggest winners on the night with Collie Whelan scoring four times in a 7-0 rout of Killester-Donnycarney at Dalymount Park.

Waterford beat Leinster Senior League champions St Mochtas 5-1 at the RSC while goals from Stephen Walsh and David Hurley saw Galway United past Tolka Rovers at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Derry City won 5-1 at First Division Treaty United, with wins also for Finn Harps, Bray Wanderers and Kerry over UCD, Wayside Celtic and Athlone Town respectively.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty; Grace, Lopes, O’Sullivan; J. Honohan (Watts, 63), Nugent, O’Neill (Mandroiu, 63), Ozhianvuna; Byrne (Healy, 63); Noonan (Burke, 63), McGovern (Gaffney, 63).

WEXFORD: Martin; McCarthy, Larkin, McCourt, Crawford (Browne, 86); O’Brien (D Levingston, 86); Rowe, Harnett (Haris, 64), McCormack, Oluwabiyi (Flynn, 77); Dobbs (Wasilewski, 77).

Referee: Mark Houlihan (Dublin).

Attendance: 2,420.

Other results: Bray Wanderers 3, Wayside Celtic 0; Drogheda United 5, Crumlin United 0; Dundalk 0, Sligo Rovers 2; Finn Harps 3, UCD 0; Galway United 2, Tolka Rovers 0; Kerry FC 2, Athlone 1 (aet); Killester Donnycarney 0 Bohemians 7; Treaty United 1 Derry City 5; Waterford 5, St Mochta’s 1; Shamrock Rovers 4, Wexford 0.

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