Shelbourne 1-1 Limerick 37

Colin Scanlon broke the hearts of the 2038-strong crowd at Tolka Park last night with a late late crucial and late equaliser after Anto Flood had seemingly thrust the reds up into the Eircom League of Ireland Premier Division.

Scanlon, brought on with three minutes to go, squeezed a low shot past Dean Delaney in the dying seconds of the game as Shels’ failed to hold onto their slender lead following Flood’s strike midway through the second half.

A record crowd for the season turned up in a bid to help Shels’ secure a rather nifty return to the Premier following two years in the abyss that is the First Division, and their influence was almost tangible as the clock wound down. Shels’ had dominated the game and enjoyed the bulk of the chances, however the threat of Limerick’s counterattacks were apparent throughout the tie.

In a rather nervous first half, neither side seemed comfortable, with the hosts evidently startled by the opportunity at hand. However they still had some fine chances, most notably Flood’s free header from an in-swinging Mark O’Brien free kick. However Dave Ryan, not for the last time in the night, made a very good save.

David Freeman volleyed just wide from 20 yards and David McAllister headed straight at the keeper from the penalty spot before Limerick enjoyed their first real opportunity of the game after 23 minutes. Peter White did very well down the right to win a corner which Tommy Barrett headed inches wide with Gary Sheehan agonizingly close to flicking it in at the back post. Just before the break Flood headed a David Freeman cross into the bottom corner however Ryan got down low and scrambled the ball wide.

The second half started with far more intensity however, as both sides sought the initiative. A spate of corners for both sides showed the end to end nature of this affair, and again Shels’ were enjoying the better chances. David McAllister was crowded out of a shot from six yards before a Mark Rutherford cross on 62 minutes caused frantic defending by the Limerick defence. The ball fell kindly to Flood who finally found the net to the delight of the supporters behind the goal.

Limerick pressed immediately and won three corners in the next two minutes however Shels’, despite sitting deeper than a stone in a swimming pool, should have made it 2-0 five minutes later. Mark O’Brien found David Freeman unmarked at the back post but he somehow scooped his volley over the bar. Incredible.

David Ryan had a great chance at the other end after Alan Keely’s mistake left the Limerick man in on goal however Dean Delaney got down well to save. Both sides continued to work the wings but it seemed to all that Shels’ would hold on. However the frantic finish will leave a wound in the memories of all Shels’ fans there last night.

As the clock struck 90 minutes the fourth official held up a board with ‘3’ on it. The fans, for the first time this season, all collectively got behind Shels’ in what seemed to be a telling moment in the enchanted history of the northsiders. However poor possession by the hosts and hard work by Chukmuma Manjor presented Limerick with another corner. Shels’ scrambled the ball away, off the toe off Gary Sheehan in front of goal, however Colin Scanlon shot from the edge of the box low into the far corner to the dismay of anyone who could bare to glimpse through the cracks in their fingers.

Shelbourne: Dean Delaney; Alan Murphy, Alan Keely, Damien Brennan, James Keddy; David McAllister, David McGill, Mark O’Brien, Mark Rutherford (James Chambers 80); Anto Flood, David Freeman.
Subs not used: Vinny Whelan, Andrei Georgescu, Alan Byrne, Dean Lawrence.

Limerick 37: Dave Ryan; Peter White, Pat Purcell, Tommy Barrett, Brian Cleary (Bobby Tier 83); Wayne Colbert, Jason Hughes, Thomas Lyons (Chimka Manjor 59), Paul Walsh; Garry Sheahan, David Ryan (Colin Scanlon 87)
Subs not used: Brian Collopy, Ian Storan.

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Attendance: 2,038