Talented teenagers show the way forward for Shamrock Rovers<\/p>\n
Goals from Michael Noonan and Adam Brennan, whose combined age is roughly equal to that of Galway United<\/a> captain Conor McCormack, put Shamrock Rovers<\/a> in a commanding position after half an hour at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night. <\/p>\n Noonan\u2019s came less than two minutes in, his movement sharp and direct as he peeled inside from the right channel in front of the travelling Hoops supporters. It was McCormack he sped away from before lashing a left-footed shot back across Evan Watts in the Galway goal; the vigour of youth triumphing over the wisdom of experience. <\/p>\n In the days leading up to the game, clips of Victor Ozhianvuna\u2019s recent performance against Drogheda United<\/a> had been circulating online, piquing interest from fans of the 17-year-old\u2019s future club, even during a week in which they had a Champions League semi-final to focus on. <\/p>\n When Ozhianvuna\u2019s \u20ac2 million transfer to Arsenal goes through in January he will become the League of Ireland\u2019s most expensive export, but that fee may well prove to be a bargain. Rovers manager Stephen Bradley<\/a> recently suggested the teenager is good enough to be included in this month\u2019s Republic of Ireland squad, and noted earlier this season that he will only get better as the pitches he plays on improve. <\/p>\n Compilation aficionados may have jotted down a moment 72 minutes in on Friday. Having conceded possession to Aaron Bolger in midfield, Ozhianvuna was conscientious enough to quickly get himself back between man and ball. Facing his own goal near the halfway line, he welcomed contact and dragged the ball smoothly back between his own legs, taking a bemused Bolger and Axel Piesold momentarily out of the game and mounting an attack that would ultimately lead to Rovers\u2019 third goal.<\/p>\n Bradley\u2019s faith in young talent is a warning sign for the rest of the league. Teenagers around the country surely look at Rovers as the best environment to develop in domestically; Ozhianvuna has been at the club since he was six years old, but Noonan migrated from St Patrick\u2019s Athletic and Brennan arrived this year from UCD, proving that competition exists even in nascent stages. <\/p>\n Interested parties from abroad will note that, as with Arsenal and Ozhianvuna, they can trust Rovers to nurture their investments long after an agreement has been reached. Rovers, it seems, can trust those investments to deliver. <\/p>\n Bohemians win lifts pressure on Alan Reynolds<\/p>\n Bohemians<\/a> travelled to Dundalk<\/a> on Friday looking for a first win in 10 games, and despite trailing after a poor showing in the first half, a win is what they came away with. <\/p>\n Having made an excellent start to the season, pressure has been mounting on Bohs boss Alan Reynolds. His three half-time changes were instrumental in turning the game around at Oriel Park, with Douglas James-Taylor\u2019s introduction particularly impactful as he provided the assist for Ross Tierney\u2019s equaliser before converting a decisive penalty 20 minutes from time.<\/p>\n The Englishman\u2019s fitness could be the key to consistency for Bohs this year. This was James-Taylor\u2019s first goal of a season in which he has been limited to just seven appearances. With runners like Tierney to bounce off, he can have a hand in plenty more as long as he stays healthy. <\/p>\n These two sides could well be competing for positions three and four in the table, one or both of which could offer a route into Europe, depending on the winners of the FAI Cup. Even allowing for their torrid run of form, Bohs are now six points clear of fifth-place Derry City, and Reynolds will already be feeling much more comfortable. <\/p>\n St Pat\u2019s keeping Rovers honest<\/p>\n If they needed reminding of the ruthless nature of the machine they are up against in the League of Ireland title race, St Patrick\u2019s Athletic<\/a> got it last weekend. <\/p>\n Draws in Galway and Sligo were particularly disappointing over the bank holiday given Saints led in both games. The result was a slide to second in the table as they allowed Shamrock Rovers, who picked up routine wins over Waterford<\/a> and Drogheda, to open up a three-point gap. <\/p>\n At home to Waterford themselves on Friday night, St Pat\u2019s eventually turned on the style. Frustrated for much of the first half, an injury time penalty for Chris Forrester set up a comfortable second period. It finished 4-1 to the home side with Forrester, Zack Elbouzedi and Kian Leavy their standout players. <\/p>\n The Pat\u2019s attack has been lethal this season, netting a league-high 31 goals and finding them from a great variety of sources. Elbouzedi\u2019s second on Friday, a delicious curler from the left side of the edge of the box, was the latest example of a threat opposition managers have to account for when preparing for a trip to Inchicore. <\/p>\n