REPORT: UNITED EASE TO VICTORY

SHAMROCK ROVERS V LEEDS PROMO 16.7.16

Pre-season tour of Ireland ends with 3-0 win at Shamrock Rovers...

SHAMROCK ROVERS 0, UNITED 3 (Antonsson 7, 55, Wood pen 33) (3pm kick-off, Tallaght Stadium)

Shamrock Rovers team:  Murphy, Clarke, Webster, Gibbons, Hanney, McCabe, Bulger, Purdy, Boyd, McCaffrey, Doona. Subs: Quinn, Callan, Collins, Morgan, English, Hamilton, Aherne, Dillon, Cornally.

United team:  Green, Purver, Bartley (P McKay 45), Bamba, Taylor, Vieira, Grimes, Botaka, Roofe (Sacko 45), Antonsson, Wood.  Subs (on for final 60 minutes):  Turnbull, Coyle, Diagouraga, Denton, Phillips, Murphy, Mowatt, Stokes, Doukara.

United’s pre-season tour of Ireland culminated in a convincing 3-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers on Saturday afternoon.

A brace from Marcus Antonsson, scoring either side of half-time, and a Chris Wood penalty ensured the two-week trip to Dublin signed off on a high note at a sun-soaked Tallaght Stadium.

Antonsson, netting his first goal in Leeds colours since completing last month’s switch from Swedish side Kalmar FF, got United off the mark after just seven minutes, slotting calmly beyond Rovers ‘keeper Barry Murphy from inside the area after young midfielder Ronaldo Vieira had won possession, drove forward and picked out his Swedish team-mate with a perfectly-weighted pass.

The hosts looked to respond but were unable to get close to Rob Green’s box during the early stages, with their first sight of goal coming from distance as Gareth McCaffrey lashed wide.

United soon started to assert their authority on the game and could have doubled their advantage on 21 minutes as Wood rattled the post on the turn after Kemar Roofe had seized upon a loose clearance from Murphy.

Roofe was looking lively on the left for United, and the recent arrival from Oxford fired over from range before creating another opening for Antonsson, who saw his strike blocked after twisting clear of his marker.

Roofe was then involved again as United’s lead was doubled shortly after the half-hour mark, drawing a clumsy foul for Wood to calmly convert from the penalty spot to make things comfortable for Garry Monk’s side.

And it should have been three before the half-time whistle sounded, with Antonsson sending Roofe’s dangerous cutback over the bar before Roofe was desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as his curling effort cannoned back off the post from an acute angle.

It proved to be Roofe’s final involvement in the game as he and Bartley made way for Hadi Sacko and Paul McKay during the break, having both played the opening hour of the victory over Shelbourne earlier in the week.

Green had to be alert shortly after the restart to clutch a well-hit effort from Gary McCabe, before United were denied by the woodwork once again; this times Matt Grimes smashing the crossbar with a fine strike from 25 yards out.

United’s lead would soon be extended, though, as Charlie Taylor’s left-wing cross was deflected into the path of the unmarked Antonsson, who made no mistake in guiding his header beyond Murphy from six yards out.

Sacko was denied by the legs of Murphy on the hour mark as United chased a fourth, before Monk used the remainder of his substitutes in one swoop as nine new faces were introduced, with Luke Murphy taking the captain’s armband from Sol Bamba.

Youngsters Tyler Denton and Eoghan Stokes both threatened with half chances from outside the area, before the hosts came within inches of pulling one back through substitute Jamie Aherne - his low strike evading the far post by a whisker.

At the opposite end, the Rovers ‘keeper stood in the way of Doukara, Murphy and Sacko making it four in the closing stages, as United looked to add to their comprehensive lead, but there proved to be no further goals as the final whistle was blown on a productive pre-season tour.

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