As cross-channel suitors try and work out how much Liam Scales is worth on the transfer market, the Wicklow native underlined his value to Shamrock Rovers with a goal, another late, late show from the Hoops.

Longford Town are surely sick of the sight of Rovers this season as, for the third time in a year, they were on course to take at least a point off the champions, only to have their hearts, and their resistance, broken in injury time. Rovers’ habit of scoring late goals yet again proving to be crucial.

Rovers were headed for their first 0-0 draw of the season at home, a frustrating afternoon for the hosts who were sluggish in the first half and utterly dominant in the second 45 minutes, but thanks to a sterling display by defenders like Aaron O’Driscoll and ’keeper Lee Steacy, the game was scoreless after 90 minutes.

O’Driscoll defended manfully while Steacy made a series of saves – three in the final three minutes of normal time alone as he denied Seán Kavanagh, Graham Burke and Danny Mandroiu, and Longford looked good value for a second successive clean sheet.

But in added time, Seán Hoare whipped in a high ball and fellow defender Scales was there to head home his third goal of the season, a nice birthday present for the player who is being courted by a number of teams, although Rovers have confirmed that no deal will be done this week and Scales will travel to Albania for Thursday’s Europa Conference League tie with Tueta.

“I was told to push up the pitch. It was just a gamble really and it paid off,” said Scales. “That’s three times we’ve won with a late goal against them. You feel sorry for them. They dig in, their centre-halves were unbelievable. Tired legs and tired minds, probably, that’s been the case each time.”

It was a testing day for the champions, the win even more important on the back of a victory for second-placed St Patrick’s Athletic, and it was a weekend when all three of the clubs who had success in Europe in midweek struggled on the domestic stage, as Stephen Bradley admitted that his side showed the after-effects of a big night in Europe. 

“In the first half we were poor, slow, it looked like we’d played Thursday, everything we did was slow,” he said, the Rovers boss more pleased with the second half display, aided by an emptying of his bench which saw Dylan Watts, Rory Gaffney and Danny Mandroiu come on.

Scales, turning 23 on the day, is being tracked by a number of UK clubs but he says he won’t be side-tracked by transfer talk.

“There is interest, that’s public. I’m weighing options up and taking my time. Until I make that decision I’m a Rovers player. I plan on performing week in, week out as long as I’m here, until that comes. It is flattering but I go in and train as normal. I don’t want it to be a distraction. I had it at UCD in the past when it affected my performance. If there is news, we’ll talk about it.”

SHAMROCK ROVERS  – Mannus; Hoare, Lopes, Scales; Murphy (Finn 66), McCann (Watts 60), Towell (Mandroiu 60), Kavanagh (Grace 89); Burke, Greene, Emakhu (Gaffney 60).

LONGFORD – Steacy; McNally (J Manley 85), O’Driscoll, McDonnell, Kirk; Dervin, Zambra; Grimes (Chambers 60), O’Brien (Robinson 60), R Manley; Dobbs (Warfield 73).

REF – Rob Hennessy.