- Dave Donnelly
- Tue, Mar 22 2016
A double from Dean Ebbe on his Rovers return led Collinstown to a historic 2-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers in the Leinster Senior Cup in Tallaght Stadium.
Ebbe, whose only goal for the Hoops came here against St Patrick's Athletic in the Leinster Senior Cup, netted twice in the first half to give the 11/1 outsiders an unlikely victory in their first-ever clash with League of Ireland opposition.
The margin by no means flattered the AUL Premier A side, who demonstrated more savvy and skill than their opponents, who boasted senior defenders David Webster and Sean Heaney in a selection drawn mostly from their under-19 squad.
The first half began at a brisk pace with both sides prepared to take the game to the opposition, and the home side were the first to threaten as the pacey Trevor Clarke beat his man and crossed from the left, but Collinstown scrambled the ball to safety.
Collinstown had a good chance of their own when Karl Laffin found himself unmarked from a corner and attempted to take the ball first time on the volley, but he was able to make a full connection and danger was averted.
Captain Dean Carpenter went close when he caught Laffin's crossfield ball on the half-volley, while Heaney had to be alert to block the lively Laffin's flick towards goal from Ian McNeill's right-wing cross.
Dean Webster squandered a glorious chance on the half-hour as he got a solid header on Gareth McCaffrey's cross, but he couldn't steer it on target, and he was made to pay for his profligacy within two minutes.
Ebbe had already wasted a wonderful opportunity to break the deadlock when he steered Laffin's cut back wide, but he made no mistake moments later when a quick free kick caught the Hoops defence off-guard and Carpenter drilled across goal for Ebbe to tap in.
Sean Hanney could have delivered an immediate riposte, but he pulled his long-range shot just wide of the post, before Richie Purdy tested Collinstown keeper Ross Costigan with a powerful 30-yard free kick.
If Ebbe's first goal was all about invention and quick thinking, his second was sheer power as he nutmegged Rovers full back Sean Gleeson and drove towards goal, smashing his shot at Craig Hyland, who only managed a weak hand to slow the ball down on its journey to the net.
McCaffrey should have levelled just before the break when he met Clarke's corner with a bullet header, but Collinstown had enough legs standing on the line to divert the ball away from goal.
The second half was played at a slower tempo as Collinstown sought to protect what they had, and Rovers threatened only occasionally, first when Hanney steered a free header wide and again when McCaffrey slalomed through the defence only for his final touch to let him down.
Ebbe was denied a hat-trick, first when his whipped shot bent narrowly beyond the post, and then by injury as he had to be withdrawn shortly after the hour, but his absence wasn't to prove costly as Collinstown comfortably saw themselves home and into the fifth round.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland; Rob Cornwall, Sean Heaney, David Webster, Conor Gleeson; Trevor Clarke (Jamie Hamilton 85), Shane Hanney, Eoghan Morgan (Eoin Stokes 89), Richie Purdy (Jamie Doona 55), Gareth McCaffrey; Sean Boyd.
Subs not used: Michael Quinn (gk), Darragh Gibbons, Gavin Kearney, Jamie Wilson.
Booked: Rob Cornwall (42), Trevor Clarke (72).
Collinstown: Ross Costigan; Ian McNeill (Kenneth Flood 83), Damien Cuffe, Luke Fitzpatrick, David Long; Dylan Clarke, Daniel Matthews, Dean Carpenter, Dean Ebbe (Chris Barbour 63); Karl Laffin, David Mbata (Dylan McKeever 65).
Subs not used: John Harcourt, John Cleary, Shane Murphy, Derek O'Connor.
Booked: Ian McNeill (15).
Referee: Rob Rogers.
Attendance: 500 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Karl Laffin (Collinstown).
You can view pictures from the game, as taken by Peter Fitzpatrick, Eddie Lennon and Michael P Ryan, by clicking here.
