Mid Season Report Card - Shelbourne

Club: Shelbourne.

Manager: Kevin Doherty.

Stadium: Tolka Park.

Highest attendance this season: 779 v Shamrock Rovers (EA Sports Cup).

Highest league goalscorer: James English (7).

Mid-season position: 5th.

How we thought they would do

Having finished just outside the play-off positions last season, Shelbourne would have expected to be pushing for a top three spot again – though it would have been a surprise to many had a challenge for automatic promotion materialised.

With Limerick FC maintaining a full-time set up it was more realistic for Shels to be hopeful of making it into the play-offs. As Drogheda United dropped down from the Premier Division and with UCD hoping to be competitive as well, it was always going to be a tough ask for a young Shels side.

How they really have done

It was a disappointing start to the season for Shels as they lost their opening game at home to Cobh Ramblers and could only manage a 1-1 draw with Cabinteely. However, they did manage an impressive win over Drogheda with a 3-0 victory at Tolka Park.

The Drumcondra side failed to build on this result, though, as they slumped to a heavy 5-1 defeat away to league leaders Limerick and a 2-1 home loss to fellow promotion rivals UCD.

Belief started to creep back in when they managed two away wins in their next two games, a 3-1 away victory over Athlone Town – led by the goals of James English – followed up by a 4-1 win against Waterford United. Yet consistency was developing into a problem for Shels as they fell to a 1-0 away loss to Cobh after receiving their first red card of the season when Alan Kehoe was dismissed.

Their next four games continued in this pattern as they grabbed a 2-1 home win over Athlone and then went to Cabiniteely to score four with no response. Momentum was hard to grasp as they were disappointed to just miss out on taking points away from Limerick for the first time in the season when they lost 4-3 before losing a crucial game in the race for the play-offs 2-0 away to UCD.

The EA Sports Cup provided some hope when they started the campaign with an emphatic 5-0 win over Cabinteely before a memorable penalty shootout win over neighbours Bohemians. Another Dublin derby followed in the competition, a 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers leading to another shootout. Shels' luck ran out here as they lost out to the Hoops.

The FAI Cup also provided misfortune for the Reds when they were drawn away to Dundalk in the second round, losing a tight encounter 2-0.

Moment of the season so far

Shelbourne 0-0 Bohemians (Shels win 4-3 on penalties).

A tense and fiery Dublin derby filled with resolute defending and wastefulness in front of goal finally saw some joy for the Reds as this EA Sports Cup clash went to penalties. Jack Brady turned out to be the hero on the night as he saved two spotkicks before Keith Buckley fired over to give Shels a famous win and passage to the quarter-finals.

Star Player: Jamie Doyle

Despite striker James English netting seven goals for Shels in the league so far, the most dangerous player the Reds have is winger Jamie Doyle. Since signing from UCD in the off season, he has consistently used his pace and strength to take apart defences and has created numerous opportunities for English and his fellow teammates.

Doyle himself has scored five goals in the league campaign, with his fine performance in the 2-1 win over Athlone a great example of the constant threat he poses down the left. When he has been missing, Shels look a different team without him.

However, he could improve his finishing in certain situations. Though he routinely manages to get into decent positions with his stellar dribbling, he has been guilty of missing key chances like those spurned in the crucial 1-0 loss to Drogheda earlier this season.

Surprise star player/star signing: Cian Kavanagh

It’s no surprise that Shels’ indifferent form coincided with an injury to the on-loan Shamrock Rovers midfielder Cian Kavanagh. Kavanagh's ball retention and vision makes him a cut above the rest and his possession under high pressure is excellent. He has recently made his return to first team action and Kevin Doherty will be hoping to keep him fit as they try to turn their season around.

Young player: James English

Having signed from Darndale FC in the middle of last season, English did brilliantly to force his way into Doherty’s thinking and was successful in signing on for this campaign. English has netted seven goals this season which makes him the First Division’s second highest scorer.

Despite facing stiff competition for the lone striker berth in for the form of Sodiq Oguntola and Stephen Elliot, once the former Republic of Ireland international gets fully fit, English has shown the workrate and finishing ability to be a mainstay up front for the Reds.

What they need to do in the transfer market

A disappointing position for Shels has been the right of midfleid, despite Lorcan Shannon’s best efforts to reap the rewards that Jamie Doyle has received from his work down the left. It's easy to think that if thre right wing was as productive as the left, much needed goals would be flowing a lot more.

Where we see them finishing

If Shels are to mount a serious challenge for the top three against Cobh, UCD and Drogheda, they will need a run of five or six games without defeat to start thinking about it again. Consistency has always been the key, though, and it will be hard for the Reds to beat last season’s position of fourth again.