Dylan Watts came off the bench to score a vital late equaliser for Shamrock Rovers in a dramatic 3-3 draw at Derry City. The result at Brandywell extends the Hoops' lead at the top of the Premier Division to five points with seven games remaining.
Derry City raced into an early lead, with Ellis Chapman scoring after just 81 seconds. Graham Burke then set up Michael Noonan to pull one back for Rovers on 27 minutes, but the hosts restored their two-goal cushion five minutes later through Michael Duffy, who scored his fourth goal in three games. Chapman added his second on 32 minutes to make it 3-1.
Rovers' response
Stephen Bradley's second-half substitutions changed the game. William Fitzgerald, introduced alongside Burke, delivered a cross that the latter headed home on 72 minutes to give the visitors hope. Watts, who had entered the fray just a minute earlier, then found the net with ten minutes of normal time remaining to complete the comeback. Goalkeeper Ed McGinty ensured the point was secured with a key late save from Michael McColgan.
Manager's reaction
After the match, manager Stephen Bradley defended his squad's character following their midweek exit from the UEFA Conference League against KuPS. "They deserve respect," Bradley said, expressing bafflement at recent media criticism. He praised his team's resilience in fighting back twice on the road, a trait that has kept them at the summit of the league for a sustained period.
The draw means Shamrock Rovers now have 59 points from 31 games, maintaining their third-place position in the table. Their recent form shows one win, two draws, and two losses from their last five outings. The full squad available for that game is listed on our squad page.
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