17-May-2008

Easy for Shels at Tolka

Shelbourne           5       Kildare County        0

A hotly disputed penalty sealed County’s fate in the 69th minute of this tie at Tolka Park.  Shelboure were on top from the start and after seventeen minutes Mark Rutherford rose highest to head James Chambers cross just wide.

The home side did not have to wait too long however for their opener. A John Brophy clearance was picked up by David McGill, who found Chambers on the right.

Chamber’s low cross was cleared but rebounded off the grounded Tommy Morgan and fell to O’Brien, who beat Charlie Tracey at his near post.

As half time approached Treacy made a stunning double save. Firstly he palmed away McGill’s 30 yard drive and recovered quickly to save Anto Flood’s follow up shot with his foot.Three minutes after the break Colin Fortune denied the home side a second when he headed off the line after Greg O’Halloran’ shot had beaten Charlie Tracey.

Kildare broke up-field immediately and Shel’s keeper Dean Delaney did well to keep out a fierce drive from Ciaran Kilduff. Shels second came from the penalty spot in the 69th minute. Alan Mulcahy sent in a cross from the right wing and Flood mishit his volley into the ground. Donnolly seemed to control the ball on his chest but referee Rob Rogers deemed that the defender had handled pointed to the spot.

Perhaps the recent furore in relation to penalty area decisions was weighing heavily on the official’s mind but this was a penalty that was given, which seemed at best very harsh. In any event this set back seemed to unsettle County who until that moment were coping well with Shelbourne’s superiority.

Five minutes later they were three down when Flood and Mulcahy combined for Mulcahy to cross to the back post where Freeman was lurking and he side-footed past Tracey.

Dean Delaney then made an excellent save when he dived low to his left to keep out Philly Gorman’s well hit effort. Two goals for the hosts in time added on gave the scoreline a rather flattering look, but there was no doubting the gap in class between the sides.

Keith Dunne waltzed through the County defence to score one minute into time added on and a through ball from David McGill for O’Halloran one minute later caught the County defence square and  he unselfishly squared to Freeman to complete his hat trick.

Shelbourne: Delaney, Chambers, Hedderman, Leely, Brennan, O’Brien (Mulcahy 60), McGill, O’Halloran, Flood (Crean 78), Freeman, Rutherford ( Dunne 72). Subs not used: Lawrence, McGuinness.

County: Tracey, Clancy, Clarke, Morgan (Kavanagh 45), Brophy, Robinson (Broderick 72), Fortune (Slattery 76), Donnelly, Kilduff, Gorman, Brady. Subs not used: O’Neill, Tyrell.

Referee: Rob Rogers.    

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