FOURM IS A CONCERN

FOUR goals scored but FOUR goals conceded means it's now FOUR games without a win for the FOUR-in-a-row chasers

- MARK MCCADDEN

DARRAGH CROWLEY served up an early goal of the season contender at Tallaght Stadium last night to leave four-in-a-row chasing Shamrock Rovers winless.

But it could have been even worse for the Hoops, who were two-down with six minutes of normal time to go, before super subs Simon Power and Sean Hoare rescued a point.

There was deep concern late in the game when a sickening clash of heads sent Rovers' Trevor Clarke and Cork's Aaron Bolger to the turf.

After a lengthy spell of treatment on the pitch, Bolger was stretchered off to applause from both sets of fans.

By this stage, Rovers were the odd goal down in seven, and were desperately chasing an equaliser, with 10 minutes of added time still to come.

Events up to that point were nothing short of sensational.

Let's start with Crowley's cracker.

It looked like a straightforward clean up job on 38 minutes as Dan Cleary and goalkeeper Alan Mannus outnumbered Daniel Krezic in pursuit of a hopeful flick forward.

But the keeper slipped as he put his foot through the ball on the edge of his area. Realising the potential for trouble, he sprang back to his feet and charged back towards goal.