MATCH REPORT: Shamrock Rovers 1-1 (5-4 on penalties) St. Patrick's Athletic

Shamrock Rovers added another piece of silverware to their trophy cabinet, by defeating St. Patrick's Athletic on penalties to claim their first-ever President's Cup in a wind-struck Tallaght Stadium.

After a quiet first-half in terms of chances, Pat's debutant Eoin Doyle pounced on a loose ball from an Alan Mannus save five minutes into the second-half to give the visitors the lead.

With the Inchicore side controlling the possession, Rovers equalised against the run of play through skipper Ronan Finn. Neil Farrugia did well down the left-hand channel, before his low cross was palmed by Pat's keeper Joseph Anang to feet of Ronan Finn, and the experienced wing-back fired home from close-range to level the tie with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Both sides made a range of substitutions, with both managers making four apiece in the final period of the game, however neither side could find that crucial third goal as the game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and went straight to a penalty shootout (as is the case of the President's Cup).

Rovers won the toss to choose which end of the ground for the shootout to take place, and stand-in captain Lee Grace pointing straight to the South Stand, with Pats choosing to shoot first in the shootout.

The first four penalties were scored perfectly, before Alan Mannus dived correctly to his right-hand side to save Chris Forresters penalty to make it advantage Rovers.

The next four penalties between the sides were all scored, and up stepped Jack Byrne to calmly slot his penalty into Anang's bottom-right corner to bring the President's Cup back to Tallaght for the first-time in the club's history.

Rovers begin the defence of their league campaign next Friday hosting newly-promoted UCD in Tallaght Stadium, while St. Pat's travel across the Liffey to take on Damien Duff's Shelbourne in Tolka Park on the same night.

Shamrock Rovers: 1. Alan Mannus; 2. Sean Gannon, 3. Sean Hoare, 5. Lee Grace; 8. Ronan Finn (85' 6. Barry Cotter), 7. Dylan Watts (76' 20. Rory Gaffney), 16. Gary O'Neill, 23. Neil Farrugia; 14. Danny Mandroiu (76' 17. Richie Towell), 38. Aidomo Emakhu (76' 10. Graham Burke), 29. Jack Byrne.

St. Patrick's Athletic: 1. Joseph Anang; 2. Jack Scott, 4. Joe Redmond, 20. James Abankwah (76' 5. Tom Grivosti), 19. Anto Breslin; 6. Jamie Lennon (86' 11. Jason McClelland), 8. Chris Forrester; 14. Mark Doyle, 15. Billy King (60' 16. Adam O'Reilly), 17. Darragh Burns (76' 45.Tunde Owalabi); 9. Eoin Doyle.

Attendance: 5,426.