Shels lose it big-time - February 24,
2001
St Patrick's Ath 4 Shelbourne 1
Shels lost the plot big time halfway through this televised game. Question is: temporary blip or turning point of the season?
Extenuating circumstances suggest the former. The reigning champions aren't the first team to fall foul of St. Pat's prowess at set pieces - but they were coping well until they lost centre back Pat Scully and goalkeeper Steve Williams injured himself.
Shels compounded their problems by persevering with Williams until the 79th minute and by then the damage had been done.
If the second half came straight out of the St. Pat's textbook, the first half came out of Shels'. As so often, the leaders pounced with an early goal before their opponents even had time to settle - Dessie Baker latching onto Jim Crawford's pass to shoot the Reds in front after just three minutes. For the rest of the half, Shels looked well capable of defending their lead to the end.
But everything changed four minutes into the second half. Ger McCarthy chased a long punt from Stephen McGuinness and Avery John was tempted into the rash challenge. Liam Kelly fought off Robbie Griffin and Martin Russell for the chance to plant the penalty past his old club!
The next twelve minutes were like Groundhog Day for the champions - Darragh Maguire rose unchallenged to head home a Martin Russell free from the left and then Pat's staged an exact re-enactment with Robbie Griffin and Robbie McGuinness in the Maguire-Russell roles. 3-1!
And whatever chance Shelbourne had of regrouping disappeared five minutes later when Liam Kelly helped himself to another slice of revenge, scoring from an acute angle with the help of a despairing attempted clearance by Tony McCarthy.
St. Patrick's Athletic: Kelly; Burke, S McGuinness, Maguire, Croly, R McGuinness, Griffin, Russell, McCarthy, Kelly, Holt
Subs: K Doyle for Burke 41, Osam for Russell 79, Hughes for Kelly 90
Goals: L Kelly 50, 67, Maguire 55, Griffin 62
Shelbourne: Williams, Heary, Scully, McCarthy, John, R Baker, Crawford, Doolin, Fenlon, Keddy, D Baker
Subs: Hutchison for Scully 45, Byrne for Doolin 66, O'Hara for Williams 79
Goal: D Baker 3
Booked: John, R Baker, Fenlon
Referee: J McDermott (Dublin)