Promotion Candidate Special Feature: Shelbourne
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With the race for promotion to the Premier Division a four horse race for much of the season, we take a look at the four hopefuls looking to reach the promised land. Tonight, Jody Moylan looks at Shelbourne.
Shelbourne
Manager: Dermot Keely
Current position:(Start of season prediction) 2 (3)
Home-ground: Tolka Park
Top Scorer: David McAllister 11
Star Man: A toss up between keeper Dean Delaney and David McAllister. Delaney has ironed out the chinks in his armoury and is now unquestionably the top 'keeper in the division. McAllister, meanwhile, is both scoring and creating goals. Eleven from midfield this season is no mean feat and his form from here on in will be paramount to Shelbourne’s cause.
Story So Far: After the 11th hour heartbreak of last season, giving up a goal to Limerick 37 in the final minute of the final game to concede promotion to Dundalk, Shelbourne have done well to shed the memory of that nightmare and move on to push once more for contention to the elite class.
Shels boss Dermot Keely says that moment is behind them now, “Initially it was very disappointing but it’s in the past. The lads have been brilliant and you just have to move on”. Both David McAllister (who signed permanently at the beginning of the season from Drogheda) and Anto Flood have been leading the charge with 11 and 10 goals respectively and, in turn, are the two top scorers at the club.
Shels have lost the least amount of games in the First Division this season with three and look in good shape for promotion, lying in second, equal on points with UCD on 61 but with a game in hand. Keely feels there’s a lot more to do and cites his sides recent performances as not up to scratch, “Shockin, we’ve been shocking to be honest in the last three weeks.” Last weekends victory in Galway against Mervue United seemed to reflect Keely’s sentiments - while scoring four Shelbourne had to come from behind twice against a Mervue side that lie second from bottom and ended the game with nine men: “We play well against the top teams but seem to struggle against teams we should be beating. We shouldn’t be going behind [against the weaker teams] and sometimes we don’t take these teams seriously enough.”
Ultimately it’s all about getting points on the board and the Drumcondra outfits home and away form differs little as they have proved formidable wherever they have ventured this season, be it on Richmond Road or further afield. The next ten days may well prove pivotal in the First Division with Shels coming up against fellow contenders UCD, Waterford United and Sporting Fingal. “There’s nothing we can do about the fixture backlog, but the truth is the league is going to be won or lost in the next week”, stated Keely after training on Monday evening.
Remaining Fixtures:: UCD (H), Waterford United (A), Sporting Fingal (A), Athlone Town (H), Finn Harps (A), Longford Town (H), Kildare County (A).
extratime.ie verdict: Top of the table, despite the upcoming fixtures
Shelbourne
Manager: Dermot Keely
Current position:(Start of season prediction) 2 (3)
Home-ground: Tolka Park
Top Scorer: David McAllister 11
Star Man: A toss up between keeper Dean Delaney and David McAllister. Delaney has ironed out the chinks in his armoury and is now unquestionably the top 'keeper in the division. McAllister, meanwhile, is both scoring and creating goals. Eleven from midfield this season is no mean feat and his form from here on in will be paramount to Shelbourne’s cause.
Story So Far: After the 11th hour heartbreak of last season, giving up a goal to Limerick 37 in the final minute of the final game to concede promotion to Dundalk, Shelbourne have done well to shed the memory of that nightmare and move on to push once more for contention to the elite class.
Shels boss Dermot Keely says that moment is behind them now, “Initially it was very disappointing but it’s in the past. The lads have been brilliant and you just have to move on”. Both David McAllister (who signed permanently at the beginning of the season from Drogheda) and Anto Flood have been leading the charge with 11 and 10 goals respectively and, in turn, are the two top scorers at the club.
Shels have lost the least amount of games in the First Division this season with three and look in good shape for promotion, lying in second, equal on points with UCD on 61 but with a game in hand. Keely feels there’s a lot more to do and cites his sides recent performances as not up to scratch, “Shockin, we’ve been shocking to be honest in the last three weeks.” Last weekends victory in Galway against Mervue United seemed to reflect Keely’s sentiments - while scoring four Shelbourne had to come from behind twice against a Mervue side that lie second from bottom and ended the game with nine men: “We play well against the top teams but seem to struggle against teams we should be beating. We shouldn’t be going behind [against the weaker teams] and sometimes we don’t take these teams seriously enough.”
Ultimately it’s all about getting points on the board and the Drumcondra outfits home and away form differs little as they have proved formidable wherever they have ventured this season, be it on Richmond Road or further afield. The next ten days may well prove pivotal in the First Division with Shels coming up against fellow contenders UCD, Waterford United and Sporting Fingal. “There’s nothing we can do about the fixture backlog, but the truth is the league is going to be won or lost in the next week”, stated Keely after training on Monday evening.
Remaining Fixtures:: UCD (H), Waterford United (A), Sporting Fingal (A), Athlone Town (H), Finn Harps (A), Longford Town (H), Kildare County (A).
extratime.ie verdict: Top of the table, despite the upcoming fixtures
