A weakened Shamrocks first team secured a vital point away to Iberia on Sunday in a tight top-of-the-table Division 2 clash at Randall’s Island.

With half a dozen key players injured or out of town, this was always going to be a struggle and yet the Rocks were full value for their 1-0 half-time lead, a fine solo effort from left winger Joey Aronovsky.

But a strong Iberia outfit, newly returned to the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, scored a deserved equaliser with just over a half an hour to go.

In tough conditions, the Rocks ground it out for the remainder of the game, ultimately securing a draw which keeps them top of the league after four games, boasting a superior goal difference to Iberia.

The reserves, meanwhile, needed two penalties to share the spoils with their ill-disciplined opponents, the Iberia reserves.

Michael McGreevey scored both, the first of which had the Rocks ahead midway through the first half. But Iberia leveled it before the break and went ahead not long into the second half.

Shamrocks never gave up though and were rewarded for a stubborn period of pressure when Ryan McKinley was taken down in the area in injury time.

In the first of three games at the same field on Sunday, the Over 30s were held 3-3 by NY Dinamo

Benny Ljuta scored twice, his second an absolute cracker from 30 yards out while fellow striker Tayfun Gokmen set up both John Riordan’s opener and Ljuta’s first half tap-in.

It was Paddy Mc Carry’s team’s first point of the season and should set up a nice platform for a vital game away to Manhattan Celtic Legends at Pier 40 on Sunday evening (7.30pm).

The Rocks firsts and reserves are back at Roosevelt Island on Saturday evening with games against Doxa FC which kick off at 6pm and 8pm.