Oct 26,2024
On the weekend of their 100th anniversary at Tolka Park, Shelbourne could be Premier Division champions by Sunday evening after they saw off Drogheda United to close in on a first league crown since 2006.
Shelbourne were clinging on to top spot after one win in ten, but back to back wins when they needed them most mean they have one hand firmly on the trophy and could be champions if Shamrock Rovers drop points away to Dundalk on Sunday.
Goals from Sean Boyd and Rayhaan Tulloch have put Damien Duff's side four points clear of St Patrick’s Athletic who can no longer win the league themselves while they are five clear of both Derry and Shamrock Rovers.
This was the ideal scenario for Shels before kick off as Drogheda arrived with nothing to play for other than gaining minutes before the FAI Cup final and their playoff to preserve their Premier Division status.
The Drogs did play their part and substitute Bridel Bosakani halved the deficit in the 67th minute but the hosts held on before the crowd spilled out onto the pitch at full time as the title party got started earlier than anticipated.
Shelbourne put aside any nerves that had been lingering in their recent performances and attacked Drogheda who went through the motions in a one-sided first half.
After Liam Burt had missed the target twice in as many minutes, it took Shels just eleven minutes to open the scoring and even at this early stage it had been coming.
Shels hit the front
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A long clearance to the half-way line was turned into a window of opportunity by John Martin whose superb flick around the corner set Boyd through on goal and he nonchalantly chipped the ball over Luke Dennison.
It was one way traffic from there as Shels peppered the Drogheda goal. JJ Lunney had the run of the place on his first start since August while Burt was heavily involved as he and Sean Gannon shot wide before Martin headed straight at Dennison from point blank range.
Shelbourne started the second half sluggishly and were fortunate that poor passes in quick succession from Kameron Ledwidge and Paddy Barrett weren’t punished by Luke Heeney and Douglas James-Taylor.
Just as Drogheda looked like putting another spanner in this title race, Shels doubled their lead in the 55th minute. Tulloch darted across the front post to smash Boyd’s cross home from close range as the Reds took a huge step towards the title.
Post-match reaction from "cool' Damien Duff
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Drogheda did get their goal after a sweeping ball by Adam Foley found Heeney who quickly shifted the ball onto substitute Bridel Bosakani and he curled beautifully into the top corner to tee up an intriguing last third.
Tolka Park grew nervy as the game ticked into the final ten minutes, the home fans would have taken a third goal from anywhere, even off the backside of Boyd who saw the ball trickle wide after charging down Dennison.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns, Sean Gannon, Tyreke Wilson, Kameron Ledwidge, JJ Lunney, Sean Boyd, John Martin (O’Brien 65), Evan Caffrey, Paddy Barrett, Liam Burt (Coote 72), Rayhaan Tulloch (Wood 72)
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison, Elicha Ahui (O’Brien 57), Andrew Quinn, Jack Keaney, Darragh Markey (Davis 46), Gary Deegan, Douglas James-Taylor (Bosakani 57), Adam Foley, James Bolger (Harper-Bailey 57), Luke Heeney, Aaron McNally (Cailloce 75)
