David Goulden
John Russell has lauded his players for showing ‘no fear’ at Tallaght Stadium following Sligo Rovers’ late winner in Dublin on Friday night.
Carl McHugh smacked a 97th minute winner past Shams goalkeeper Ed McGinty as Rovers became the first team this season to beat the Hoops on their own patch.
Last year’s league winners had led at the break courtesy of an Aaron Greene shot which took a deflection off two Rovers defenders on its way in, during a first half in which the Bit O’Red struggled to settle.
However and having made changes at the break and during the second half, Russell masterminded Rovers’ plot back into this tie. Jeannot Esua stabbing a Cian Kavanagh knock-on from a Will Fitzgerald cross past McGinty on 66 minutes for his first goal for the club.
While midfielder McHugh made it a memorable night for the few hundred travelling fans when he rammed a well-placed drive from the edge of the area beyond the stunned McGinty following trojan effort from substitutes Mai Traore and Ryan O’Kane. This was also McHugh’s maiden goal in red.
The results lifts Rovers to within two points of sixth place and opens up a gap of nine between ourselves and bottom side Waterford.
Speaking to LOITV post-win, a delighted Russell admired his players’ toil and praised their ability to recover from a chastening defeat in last week’s Connacht derby.
“It’s a special moment to get a last minute winner like that”, he said.
“Especially at such a tough venue, it’s a big task to play and win here. We’re always up against it. We brought Ciaron (Harkin) on and he had to come back off and the players were tiring against the calibre of players Shamrock Rovers have. But it’s a huge three points for us.
“We were in a dark place for a while after the Galway game but we moved on quickly from it. Monday, we had a look at the game, used it as a reference for what we expect going forward and learned a lot from it.”
“We were behind at the break but I thought we were still very good in the first half. We were brave when we had the ball, but maybe our passing let us down.
“We were on the back foot going into the second half but to get ourselves back in the game like we did was superb. We defended really well when he had to and I don’t think Sam (Sargeant) has a huge amount to do.
“We showed no fear and you have to do that to win in Tallaght. The game-plan was carried out so well, even with all the changes we had to make.”
Russell also acknowledged the input of his captain and April’s Player of the Month, Will Fitzgerald who was involved in Esua’s leveller and put in another tireless performance on the left side.
One of the highlights of a magnificent evening arrived minutes before McHugh’s winner when Fitzgerald executed an incredible late challenge on Shams’ John McGovern inside his own area. The Rovers skipper keeping McGovern’s powder dry just as the striker looked to pull the trigger for what likely would have been a winner had the strike beaten Sargeant.
“That recovery tackle was incredible”, Russell says.
“For me, he’s the best player in the league this year. It was such a captain’s performance. The tacke in the 92nd minute played a big part in us going and getting that winner. It’s an unbelievable finish from Carl to win it.”
Rovers are back at the Showgrounds this Friday night as we host Bohs in Premier Divsion action for what will be our last game before the summer break, kick-off 7.45pm.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Oluwatunmise Sobowale, Adam Mathrews, Lee Grace ©; Jake Mulraney (Danny Grant 38) , Adam Brennan, Dylan Watts (Graham Burke 65) Matt Healy (John O’Sullivan 45), Jack Byrne; Aaron Geene (Victor Ozhianvuna 65); Michael Noonan (John McGovern 65)
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Jeannot Esua, Shane Blaney, Gareth McElroy, Ollie Denham, Sean McHale; Will Fitzgerald ©; James McManus (Ciaran Hakin 52-Mai Traore 72), Alex Nolan (Ryan O’Kane 45), Daire Patton; Cian Kavanagh (Carl McHugh 81).
Referee: Paul Norton