Dudek hails Real challenge
Cristiano Ronaldo in action during the Pre Season Friendly against Shamrock Rovers yesterday evening. Photo: Laurence Griffiths, Getty Images
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Real Madrid keeper Jerzy Dudek heaped praise on Shamrock Rovers after the Dublin club went within four minutes of pulling off a shock result against the Spanish side last night.
Bookmakers were offering odds of 5/1 on a draw and Rovers came very close to achieving that as they held their own against Real with a superb display, even though boss Michael O'Neill rested top strikers Gary Twigg and Dessie Baker, with one eye on Sunday's vital league game against Bohemians. But €36million man Karim Benzema, brought on as a half-time sub, finally broke Rovers' resistance with a good strike four minutes from time.
Yet the Hoops players - and especially their fans in the crowd of 10,915 - made a strong impression on Real's keeper, former Liverpool hero Dudek.
"Shamrock Rovers did not have any big stars in the team but they never gave up for the whole game and it was a great game for us," Dudek told the Herald.
- Aidan Fitzmaurice
