SHAMROCK ROVERS paid the penalty this time around as they were knocked out of the FAI Cup by their arch rivals Bohemians
On Tuesday, the Hoops booked their passage into the second qualifying round of the Champions League after Vikingur’s Nikolaj Hansen put his spot-kick wide with the last kick of the game in the sixth minute of injury time.
But Dayle Rooney drilled the ball down the middle in the 68th minute after Ross Tierney had been bundled over by Josh Honohan after Rooney’s clever ball inside.
It was just Bohs’ second win in 12 games but progressing to the last 16 of the Cup at the expense of their arch rivals means home fans can forget about their league woes for a while at least.
Alan Reynolds suggested new signing Dawson Devoy would not be rushed into action following his return from MK Dons.
But he was named in the starting XI, despite not having played since the end of April, for Swindon Town.
Devoy linked up with Adam McDonnell in front of the back four and he got plenty of touches of the ball and attention from Rovers.
Ironically, though, he was the first to enter Rob Hennessy’s book with Bohs incensed when former player Roberto Lopes escaped censure when he caught Rooney.
The first half was frenetic with both sides pressing aggressively which resulted in the ball resembling a hot potato.
Rovers had the best chance of the opening period, when Jack Byrne delivered a free-kick from deep on the left flank.
Cian Byrne and Lopes competed in the air but it evaded both and struck the upright. Dan Cleary was quickest to react but he could not direct his header on target.
It was a solid start but Rovers created little else of note but, for all their huffing and puffing, Bohs were struggling to carve out opportunities too.
They had a half-chance when Jordan Flores nicked the ball off Gary O’Neill and picked out Alexander Greive.
Bu, between them, Conan Noonan and Honohan snuffed out the danger. The ex-Cork City defender then blocked an effort from Rooney.
And he was again in the thick of it when he headed away after Flores had put Rooney’s corner delivery back across goal.
Leigh Kavanagh put it back into the danger area but Byrne was unable to get on the end of it.
And another Rooney corner also caused some panic when it went across the face of goal with nobody able to get a touch with a free out awarded when Kavanagh caught Lopes beyond the far post.
Filip Piszczek had toiled upfront without much to show for his efforts and he was replaced by James Akintunde at half-time.
It looked as though he would have the opportunity to make an instant impact when Flores put a ball over the top a minute after the restart but the ball bounced away from him and Pohls gathered.
The German keeper was more severely tested after Towell fouled Rooney with the midfielder earning himself a booking.
Rooney picked himself up to take the free-kick himself, with his well struck effort heading for the bottom corner before Pohls got his hands to it.
Towell – along with Byrne, Sean Kavanagh and Aaron Greene – was taken off soon afterwards with Darragh Burns, Johnny Kenny, Trevor Clarke and Neil Farrugia sent on to try to win the game.
The changes did not change the flow of the game and Bohs took a deserved lead midway through the half with Greive and Cleary cautioned for their part in a scuffle after the goal.
SUN STAR MAN: Dayle Rooney (Bohemians)
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka 7; Miller 7, Byrne 7, Kavanagh 7, Flores 7; Devoy 8, McDonnell 7 (Clarke 84, 4); Rooney 8 (Kirk 89, 3), Tierney 8, Greive 5 (Grant 70, 4); Piszczek 5 (Akintunde 46, 6).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pohls 6; Cleary 6, Lopes 6, Honohan 6; Nugent 7, O’Neill 6, Noonan 6 (Watts 70, 4), Kavanagh 5 (Clarke 58, 5); Towell 6 (Burns 58, 5), Byrne 6 (Kenny 58, 6); Greene 6 (Farrugia 58, 6).
REFEREE: R Hennessy (Clare) 5