Shamrock Rovers 0 v 4 Burnley (Pre-Season Friendly)
Burnley will be set bigger challenges this coming season but there was delight all-round as Sean Dyche’s men made a winning start to their pre-season by beating their Dublin opponents Shamrock Rovers.
Burnley started the brighter against their Dublin hosts with Steven Defour finding Walters on the edge of the box, but the Irish striker fired his effort over with only sixty seconds gone. However it was not long before the Lancastrian’s pressure told as former Stoke City man Jon Walters opened the scoring on nine minutes. The 33-year-old forward raced onto Jack Cork’s through-ball before slotting under Rovers keeper Kevin Horgan to put his side into the lead.
The Dubliner’s rallied after conceding with Michael O’Connor forcing a fine save from England international Tom Heaton with a low effort 12 minutes later. The hosts again threatened but Dyche’s men were rescued after Tarkowski’s great defensive header to clear a dangerous in-swinging free kick. Unfortunately for the home side the resulting corner came to nothing as the Premier League team showed their defensive solidity.
On thirty-four minutes, goalscorer Walters was replaced by Daniel Agyei who then tested keeper Horgan with a low angled drive which Rovers cleared off the line. Johann Berg Gudmundsson then fed Gray down the left flank, but Horgan did well to get down to and prevent the forward from scoring with just a few seconds remaining in the first-half
The Premier League visitors made a number of substitutions during the break to allow many of the travelling squad valuable game-time. One of the substitutes Ashley Barnes, on for Gudmundsson made an impact on fifty-three minutes as he made it 2-0 after taking Lowton’s long ball in his stride the former Brighton player curled a stunner past keeper Horgan to double Burnley’s lead.
Rovers refused to be cowed as Michael O’Connor tested Heaton’s replacement Nick Pope with a 30 yard volley as the former Charlton stopper tipped the shot over the bar with twenty-six minutes remaining. But with nineteen minutes left Burnley made the game safe as Robbie Brady made it 3-0 with a lovely shimmy and side-foot finish following good work by Stephen Ward.
There was time for Sam Vokes to make it 4-0 after he deflected Hendrick’s driven half-volley into the net off the bar on eighty-eight minutes. The Clarets now return to the UK and will face Kidderminster and Alfreton Town next Saturday.
Match Details
Shamrock Rovers – Horgan, Bone, Collins, Carpenter, McAllister, English, Bolger, Doona, O’Connor, Boyd, Linthorst (Subs) Dillon, Cornally, Clarke, Meenan
Burnley – Heaton, Darwika, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, O’Neill, Defour, Cork, Gudmundsson, Gray, Walters (Subs) Pope, Lowton, Ward, Anderson, Brady, Hendrick, Westwood, Barnes, Long, Vokes, Agyei, Ulvested
Goals – (Burnley) Walters (9), Barnes (53), Brady (71), Vokes (88)
