Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Mervue Utd

Mervue Utd's Airtricity side played the first of their pre-season warm up games against Premier Division champions, Shamrock Rovers, at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday evening with the home side claiming a narrow 1-0 win courtesy of a Gary O'Neill first half goal.

Johnny Glynn though will be happy with his side performance particularly in the first half were they created some good chances and could have gone in level at the break. All four new signings started the game as Alan Murphy, Stephen Walsh, Gary Kelly and Ronan Forde all made their debuts for the club.

Rovers started bightly as Stephen O'Donnell shot straight at Ronan Forde on 18 minutes, while a Dean Kelly cross found Billy Dennehy in front of goals but he side-footed his effort just wide of the post.

Mervue could have taken the lead on 23 minutes when an excellent move down the right saw Barry McEntee play a good ball to Jason Molloy who picked out Dave Goldbey eight yards out but the striker mis-hit his effort in front of goals as the ball went wide.

Gary O'Neill then had a shot well saved by Forde, while O'Donnell saw another well struck long range effort just clear the crossbar on the half hour mark. Gary Kelly had a well struck shot saved by Conor Devlin at the other end a minute later before Rovers took the lead.

Chris Turner moved forward unchallenged before unleasing a fine shot which Forde could only parry into the path of the alert O'Neill who slid the ball into the corner for the only goal of the gameon 36 minutes.

Mervue should have been level almost immediately though as Kelly played in Goldbey but he poked his shot straight at the advancing Devlin who did enough to block the strikers effort.

Mervue made six changes for the start of the second half, while Rovers made four as both managers used the game to look at all their players. Ronan Finn came close to doubling Stephen Kenny's side lead with a well struck low effort which beat Forde but came back of the butt of the post.

Daryl Kavangh then saw Forde make another good save as he pushed away his on target strike for a corner. Mervue sub Etanda Nkololo then cut inside before curling an effort just too high as he looked to level matters.

Forde did well again when he parried another well hit Finn strike after a free-kick had been rolled to the ex UCD man. Gary Kelly had a well struck effort blocked down in the Rovers box as the game fizzled out towards the end.

Mervue Utd - Ronan Forde, Barry McEntee (Michael McSweeney '46), Marc Ludden (Kenny Farrell '46), Stephen Walsh, Mike Elwood, Gary Kelly (Pat Hoban '46), Jason Molloy (Phillip Keegan'46), Noel Varley, Alan Murphy (Gary Kelly '70), Dave Goldbey (Peter Dravins '46), Michael Collins (Etanda Nkololo '46).