Shelbourne held on to their leading position in the League of Ireland Premier Division post a thrilling match against Waterford which concluded with a score of 3-1. The heroics of Sean Boyd and Liam Burt ensured their victory at Tolka Park, leading to a wave of relief and jubilation. With two matches left, Shelbourne is leading Derry City and Shamrock Rovers by two points.
Shelbourne’s manager, Damien Duff, praised his team saying they competed like ‘proper men’. Boyd’s crucial penalty shot in the 80th minute, bouncing off the crossbar, moved his team closer to claiming their first Premier Division title since 2006.
Despite Waterford player’s protests to referee Rob Hennessy, following a muddled ball catch involving Tyreke Wilson and Christie Pattisson, Boyd’s penalty was upheld. Soon after, Burt further extended their lead to 3-1 with a remarkable shot.
Even though the celebration of Shelbourne’s fans had hardly ended, the results of matches involving Derry, Rovers, and St Patrick’s Athletic could not deter their spirit. The team’s performance was noteworthy, with Boyd and Burt’s goals securing victory even in case of pressure.
The title race now extends until the final day. If Dundalk, who are already facing relegation, defeat them next Friday, Shelbourne would face Derry at Brandywell on November 1st, fighting for the title. Nonetheless, if Rovers were defeated by already demoted Dundalk and if Derry stumbles against St Pat’s next week, a win by Shelbourne would result in them being hailed as champions on home soil.
Shelbourne faced a tough challenge, having only managed to score in a 3-2 loss to St. Patrick’s Athletic over their last five games. Given these difficulties, it was no shock when they squandered four chances before Pádraig Amond managed to give Waterford the lead with a 37th-minute penalty.
Visible cracks in their confidence suggested trouble. Despite these setbacks, Boyd managed to sneak in an equalising strike past Sargeant, a feat he should have achieved by half-time. In a span of five minutes, Boyd took advantage of an error by Grant Horton, but the centre-back quickly recovered and blocked Boyd’s cross aimed at John Martin.
Boyd’s early pass for Ali Coote facilitated a basic save by Sargeant as Coote cut inside with the ball. Rayhaan Tulloch outpaced Darragh Power, leading to Boyd setting up Coote for an attempt that just rolled wide. Soon enough, Tolka Park collectively groaned as Tulloch disappointingly missed a golden chance from an untidy clearance.
Shortly thereafter, Waterford were granted a penalty when John Martin brought down Horton. Around that time, news arrived that both Derry and St. Pat’s were holding leads in matches in Dundalk and Inchicore. Amond took the opportunity to score his 15th goal of the season.
Duff’s visible frustration on the sideline possibly provoked a response, as in the next three minutes, Boyd was recognised for intercepting Darragh Leahy and getting the ball from a Waterford defender. Equal on all sides, the crowd at Drumcondra became more spirited when Derry temporarily rose to the top of the rankings following a goal from Colm Whelan at Oriel Park.
For the term ‘chokers’ to hold true in modern sports, an emotional breakdown must enable your immediate rivals to gain the upper hand. Nonetheless, as Shelbourne has struggled consistently since the summer, Derry also kept pace, bringing St. Patrick’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers into an unexpected competition for around 60 points. With the leading teams struggling, even Galway United and Sligo Rovers may have an unexpected chance to take the lead in the final races next month.
In June, Duff’s squad famously swept victories against Dundalk, Waterford, and Galway United, putting them comfortably ahead in the race. Duff, an icon of Irish football, had shared his perspective on the importance of star players shining during high-pressure times, like October.
Sadly, the club – situated in the northern part of Dublin – suffered the loss of key figures. Gavin Molloy transferred to Aberdeen, and Hull City recalled Will Jarvis, leaving the team on a downward trajectory.
Shelbourne ended the previous season on a high note, with 60 points to their name, netting 44 goals and allowing 27. This performance secured them a place in Europe, where they beat St Joseph’s of Gibraltar. However, they couldn’t keep up with FC Zurich.
Today, Shelbourne stands ahead with 57 points. They have scored 37 goals and let in 26, and face Drogheda and Derry in away games.
The club’s struggling form was evident with a single win in the league since June and no home success since their triumph over Galway United on the 28th of June.
In the face of this challenge, Shelbourne has finally managed to stem the negative tide. Now, the aim is to finish strong.
The lineup for Shelbourne in a recent match included Kearns, Gannon, Barrett, Ledwidge, Wilson, Coyle, and Caffrey with Lunny substituting at 77 minutes. From the bench, Coote replaced by Burt at 40 minutes, Martin replaced by O’Brien at 61, and Tulloch replaced by Wood at 77 minute. Boyd was also in the lineup. Waterford’s team consisted of Sargeant, Power, Horton, Leahy, Burke, McCormack, and Crowe-Beggley. On the bench, Pattisson, McMenamy replaced by Bellis at 85 minutes and Flynn replaced by McDonald at 76 minute. Amond completed the lineup.
The match was officiated by Rob Hennessy.
In other games: St Patrick’s Athletic bested Galway United 2-1 with Keena scoring at 32 and 68 minutes and McCarthy scoring at the 50th. Shamrock Rovers eked out a 1-0 triumph over Drogheda United due to Watts’ goal at 84 minutes. Finally, Derry City overcame Dundalk 2-0 thanks to Whelan’s 16th-minute goal and Patching’s 77th-minute penalty.