Rovers keep pressure on - November 13, 2000 Shamrock Rovers 2 Kilkenny 1 Shamrock Rovers made it a Dublin 1-2-3 at the top of the Eircom Premier table when they beat Kilkenny City at the Morton Stadium in a game that was dominated by referee Damien Hancock. Hancock awarded two penalties - and, insisted furious Kilkenny boss Joe McGrath, should have awarded at least one more! Rovers got the perfect start when Sean Francis was chopped down in the area by Graham O'Hanlon on the quarter-hour mark. Marc Kenny stepped up to despatch the spot kick.The Hoops doubled their lead four minutes later when Terry Palmer rose unmarked to head home Kenny's corner. But Kilkenny made a fight of it and they got their reward when Hancock again pointed to the spot after 36 minutes, when Billy Woods took out Jonathan Akin. Fran Carter did the honours for the Cats and it was game on. However McGrath said: "There is no doubt in my mind that we should have had a penalty in the second half when Sean Murray was taken down. Instead the referee awards a free-kick outside the area. "When you are at the bottom of the table, that's the sort of decision that goes against you." Shamrock Rovers: Horgan, Smith, Cronin, Palmer, Woods, Kenny, Colwell, Tracey, Byrne, Grant, Francis. Subs: Robinson for Colwell 45, Deans for Kenny 85 Goals: Kenny pen. 16, Palmer 20 Booked: Horgan 51, Cronin 75 Kilkenny City: Forde, O'Hanlon, Riordan, Mulcahy, Brunton, Parkes, McGrath, Costello, Carter, Akin, Murray Subs: Jordan for Akin 71 Goal: Carter pen. 36 Booked: O'Hanlon 16, Costello 63 Referee: D Hancock (Dublin) |