Shels survive Saints fightback - November 25, 2000
Shelbourne 3 St. Patrick's Athletic 1
In a game that looked all over at half time, Shelbourne had to survive a gutsy fightback by St. Patrick's before securing all three points at bitterly cold Tolka Park.
The reigning champions were two to the good at the interval thanks to sweet strikes by Richie Baker and Pat Fenlon and the Saints looked dead and buried.
But Pats came out all fired up for the second half and it took Robbie Griffin just nine minutes to pull one back from the penalty spot. Game on!
For the next ten minutes, Pat's looked as if they would pull it off - but then they were hit with a body blow. Robbie Griffin picked up his second yellow and had to walk.
To make matters worse, manager Pat Dolan too was red-carded after an exchange of verbals with referee Aiden O'Regan.
And, with Pats increasingly forced onto the back foot as Shelbourne made the numbers count, Dessie Baker made sure of the points with just three minutes left on the clock.
Shelbourne: Williams, Heary, McCarthy, Scully, John, Crawford, Byrne, Fenlon, R Baker, D Baker, Keddy
Subs: Doolin for Crawford 67, Foran for Keddy 83
Goals: R Baker 11, Fenlon 22, D Baker 87
Booked: D Baker, R Baker, Scully, Foran
St Patrick's Athletic: Kelly, Croly, Maguire, Doyle, Byrne, R McGuinness, Osam, Griffin, Kelly, McCarthy, Foley
Subs: Harris for Osam 82, Holt for Kelly 88
Goal: Griffin pen. 54
Booked: Griffin 55
Sent-off: Griffin 63
Referee: A O'Regan (Cork)