Shels’ self-belief evident as they see off St Pat’s
SHORT, back and sides was on the barber’s chalkboard at Tolka Park last night. Not only was the pitch looking trim and tidier than Monday, so too was Damien Duff, shorn of his shaggy locks.
Clad in a dapper three-quarter coat, was this a new-style Duffer? Not a bit of it.
By the break, he’d thrown off the coat, remonstrated with the ‘lino’, the fourth official, and several of his players too.
Will Jarvis, as far away as any player from Duffer in the first half, got a rollicking for not gambling when a daisy-cutter from Liam Burt was pawed away by Danny Rogers.
‘Will! Will! Follow it in and it’s a tap-in,’ screamed Duffer, who knew a thing or two about playing on the left wing.
Shels were excellent value for their interval lead as they seized the game by the jugular and pinned the Saints back for long spells.
This was more like it from the league leaders who were seeking their first win in six games.
The Reds bared their teeth early from the moment Seán Gannon scooted down the lank and crossed for Tyreke Wilson to rattle off a shot on target.
Both full-backs in the opposing box inside three minutes? Shels meant business.
The Saints kept their guard in place for the first half hour, with Chris Forrester prominent in the trenches, and Jake Mulraney flitting on and off stage on the right flank, but they lacked an end product.
And then, the dam burst, like the Tolka in spate.
First, Jarvis cut inside Ryan McLaughlin and found the target, before JJ Lunney let rip with a pile-driver which Danny Rogers beat away.
The ‘keeper needed more protection. He also needed Joe Redmond but the captain will be out for at least a month with an ankle injury.
Moments later, the Saints were split open by a flowing Reds move. Mark Coyle, the cement between the stones for Duff, played his part as did
Matty Smith with a surging run in the inside right channel.
The Saints were exposed and when Smith pinged a cross into the box, John Martin arrived on cue with a crisp first-time effort that pinged past Rogers into the bottom corner.
After Jarvis incurred Duff ’s wrath, Mulraney offered the Saints encouragement with a rasping free that Conor Kearns touched over.
Mulraney went close again just after the restart with a fierce left footer and for the while the ‘Richer’ faithful on Richmond Road were encouraged.
But bit by bit, the Reds inched their way back on to the higher ground, with Duff earning a caution over an offside call he disagreed with. Jarvis, egged on by Duff, was gifted a chance to put the outcome to bed when Rogers miscued a clearance.
Always unhurried, the winger took a touch too many before blasting over.
Soon after, Jarvis was tugged back, earning the Reds a free deep inside the Saints half.
Wilson pinged in a wicked ball, all dip and pace, and as Gavin Molloy steamed in to make connection with his head, the Saints’ chin was exposed.
But Rogers instinctively stuck out a strong right arm to keep his team in the fight.
With five added minutes, the Saints had hope to cling to but Shels are a stronger crew this year and weren’t ruffled.
Having stood firm against the Hoops on Monday, their selfbelief was evident as they returned to winning ways and remained top of the league.
At the end, the players, and Duffer too, linked arms in front of the Red Brigade in the Riverside Stand. Why not? It had been a while. SHELBOURNE: Kearns; Gannon, Molloy, Ledwidge, Wilson; Smith (O’Sullivan 75), Coyle, Lunney; Burt, Martin (Boyd 64), Jarvis (Caffrey 88). Scorer: Martin 33. ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; McLaughlin, Keeley, Turner, Breslin; Mulraney (Nolan 64), Lennon (Palmer 64), Bolger (Leavy 79), Forrester; B Kavanagh; Melia (C Kavanagh 58). Referee: R Harvey (Dublin).