SHELS ARE ON TARGET AT TOLKA
LEAGUE leaders Shelbourne earned their first win in five with a hard fought victory in their second massive Dublin derby in five days.
In a full-blooded affair, John Martin’s first-half strike ensured all three points stayed in Tolka Park as a packed crowd of 4,755 watched on.
With the state of the pitch a topic of conversation in recent weeks, both sets of players went about their business as best they could despite the conditions underfoot.
The home side, who grabbed a hard earned point against Champions Shamrock Rovers on Monday night, came flying out of the traps.
The marauding Sean Gannon was left scratching his head at how his side failed to take the lead a couple of minutes in.
Cut
Having played a couple of neat one-twos down the right wing, he cleverly cut back to the penalty spot but saw both John Martin and JJ Lunney have air shots, before Tyreke Wilson shot straight at Danny Rogers.
But the injury hit visitors started to impose themselves with the talismanic Chris Forrester beginning to find his groove.
In a tension filled first half, that saw Shels coach David McAllister booked for arguing over contentious throw-ins, it was his side who then swung the momentum back in their favour.
After a couple of warnings from Will Jarvis and Lunney — on his 100th appearance — forcing Rogers into sharp saves, The Reds took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Martin swept home Matty Smith’s ball from the right.
Jake Mulraney was unlucky to see his
25-yard free-kick tipped around the post by Conor Kearns just before the break.
Mulraney was at it again just after the break as the game ebbed and flowed, but this time hit his powerful volley from the edge of the area straight at Kearns.
Jon Daly shuffled the pack with a half an hour remaining, but it was the home side who forged the
by Darryl GERAGHTY
clearest opportunities.
Firstly Will Jarvis, whose double did the damage at Inchicore in the reverse fixture, almost took advantage of a sloppy clearance, just missing the top corner.
And from the resulting corner Gavin Molloy was somehow denied from point blank range heading straight at the keeper from just a few yards out. SHELBOURNE: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Gavin Molloy, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson; JJ Lunney, Mark Coyle; Liam Burt, Matty Smith (John O’Sullivan, 74’), Will Jarvis (Evan Caffrey, 88’); John Martin (Sean
Boyd, 64’)
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Danny Rogers; Ryan McLaughlin, Conor Keeley, Luke Turner, Anto Breslin; Aaron Bolger (Kian Leavy, 79’), Jamie Lennon (Romal Palmer, 64’); Brandon Kavanagh, Chris Forrester, Jake Mulraney (Alex Nolan, 64’); Mason Melia (Cian Kavanagh, 58’)
Referee: Rob Harvey
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: Johnny Kenny heads home the equalising goal for Shamrock Rovers in last night’s draw