Depth the difference as Shamrock see off City in extra time

By Donncha Noonan | Photo: Kevin Barry Dorney

After a disheartening loss at the hands of Longford, City faced their toughest test of the season as they travelled to Tallaght to face Shamrock Rovers in the cup in front of the RTE cameras. It wasn’t to be for the Leesiders, as after holding the hosts for ninety minutes, they conceded three in extra time as City’s cup run came to a close.

Barry Robson opted for a five at the back, and with that replaced Niall O’Keeffe and Donal O’Connor with Charlie Lyons and Rory Feely. 

Stephen Bradley made nine changes to the side that won against Floriana on Tuesday, with Pico Lopes and Ed McGinty the only two that kept their spots in the side.

It was City who had the first chance of the game just two minutes in. Greg Bolger swung in a corner which bounced at the front post. Charlie Lyons was the first one to it and sent a first time shot fizzing narrowly over the bar.

The hosts hit back with a chance of their own five minutes later. A deep corner towards the back post was nodded back towards the edge of the box. It was Cian Barrett who ran onto it but his powerful strike was well saved by Conor Brann.

City had their best chance of the game in the twenty-second minute.The visitors broke off the back of a Shamrock corner, with Conor Drinan beating Sobowale to the ball and dinking the ball over the top for Hans Mpongo to chase. Mpongo broke through but his shot was smothered by the oncoming Ed McGinty.

The visitors had one more bite at the cherry seven minutes later. Rory Feely hooked a ball on top of the Shamrock defence which was nodded away by Sobowale. It fell nicely for Ruairi Keating who whacked it on the valley and forced McGinty into a full stretch save to tip the ball out for a corner.

That was all for the first half as City made a good account of themselves and troubled Shamrock throughout the first forty-five.

The second half didn't start quite as well for the visitors as the first did, as they fell behind just two minutes in. Aaron Greene's cross went all the way through the box and out the other side where it was picked up by Naj Razi. He played a one-two with Enda Stevens before approaching the edge of the box and striking a fantastic effort into the top right corner to give Shamrock the lead.

The lead wouldn't last long as City got back level seven minutes later. Darragh Crowley reached a loose ball at the edge of the box before Luke O’Regan did, which led the Shamrock man to bring Crowley down in the box, giving away a penalty. It was Ruairi Keating who stepped up to take it, and he buried it into the bottom left corner to bring his side back level.

Shamrock responded by pinning CIty back and making life hard for them, and they could’ve retaken the lead in the sixty-third minute. Naj Razi picked up the ball in midfield and advanced before shifting it to Cian Barrett. He skipped past two City players at the edge of the box before aiming a shot towards the top left corner, but Conor Brann did amazingly to tip it over.

With their chances slowly strengthening, they were agonisingly close to putting the game away in the ninety-fourth minute.Naj Razi picked up the ball on the right wing before cutting inside and dinking the ball into the box, which was headed away by Fiacre Kelleher. It fell back to Razi who this time shot, with his effort getting deflected into the path of Maleace Asamoah, who’s first time shot from close range somehow trickled wide of the far right corner.

This meant the game went to extra time, and it only took two minutes for Shamrock to finally regain the lead. Asamoah won the ball on the left wing and burst away down the line and into the CIty box, before he was bundled over from behind by the knee of Donal O’Connor, winning a penalty. It was John McGovern who took it, and despite the hand of Conor Brann he buried it and gave his side a vital advantage.

Things only got better in extra time for the hosts as they extended their lead to two in the one hundred and twelfth minute. Jack Byrne and Luke O’Regan linked up well in midfield before the latter threaded a ball through for McGovern to run onto. He rounded the onrushing Conor Brann before rolling the ball home to grab his brace.

Shamrock had one final act left to seal the game four minutes later. McGovern won the ball in the centre of the park and burst through the City defence and into the box. He then turned back and laid it off for Max Kovalevskis who took a touch and buried the ball into the top left corner to seal Shamrock’s place in the third round.

That was it from Tallaght as despite a spirited performance from City, their lack of depth was exposed as Shamrock’s bench put them away in extra time. I was quite proud of the performance put out in the ninety to be honest. City kept Shamrock to minimal chances and had good openings of their own so I don't think you could really blame the team. If anything, all it does is show how vital improvement in depth is for next season.

My Man of the Match goes to Shamrock’s Naj Razi. In normal and extra time, Razi was the shining light for the hosts, at the centre of everything positive they did going forward. Not only creatively, but also threat wise he was brilliant and scored an absolute peach that just amplifies his performance.

City will look to bounce back from two defeats in a row as they travel to Dublin yet again, this time to face UCD. As for Shamrock, they’ll play the first leg of their Champions League tie against Ararat Armenia on Tuesday.