Twigg double puts Rovers third
St. Patrick’s Athletic 1 Shamrock Rovers 2
Gary Twigg scored his fourth double of the season to ease Shamrock Rovers back up to third in the Premier Division table.
St. Pat’s, who slumped to a third defeat in four games, had much of the first half possession but greatly lacked a cutting edge up front.
A Ryan Guy shot into the sidenetting, Jamie Harris, with a header, and the influential Gareth O’Connor, twice from long-range, worked Rovers’ keeper Barry Murphy while Bobby Ryan shot wide with Saints’ best chance of the first half on the 30 minutes.
They were misses Saints were left to rue as Rovers snatched the lead with a brilliantly contrived goal on 42 minutes.
Sean O’Connor’s diagonal free-kick was headed on in turn by Tadhg Purcell and Dessie Baker and Twigg finished with a sublime volley from 10 yards.
Another poacher’s goal from Twigg, his 15th of the season, doubled Rovers lead on 67 minutes.
Sean O’Connor was the instigator with a surging run down the left. The pullback was into Twigg’s path and, without breaking stride, the Scot rifled the ball past Rogers with his left foot from just inside the area for his 15th goal of the season.
Alan Cawley gave St. Pat’s hope when scoring an 81st minute penalty after a trip by Aidan Price on Stephen Maher, but Rovers held out for their third league win in four games.
