Post match reaction: Shels vs Kildare County

Speaking with extratime.ie just after Shels’ five goal thrashing of lowly Kildare County, hat trick hero David Freeman was delighted with the second half performance as it put Shels’ top of the eircom First Division:

“I don’t think we played well in the first half, even though we were one up. And Colly (Shels’ assistant manager Colly O’Neil) was saying to us just after the game that once the second goal went in we started to play a lot better.

“We loosened up and with Keith Dunne and Alan Mulcahy coming on to freshen things up on the flanks it added a lot.”

Shels’ dominated the game however until the second goal went in just before seventy minutes, Kildare were still in with a shout, largely thanks to Charlie Treacy pulling off a number of great saves:

“The result was hard enough on the keeper really because he has played quite well himself.”

“To be fair to him, he made a few brilliant saves. A good save from Bisto early on, a good save from Alan Mulcahy then in the second half.”

Asked what he thought about Dundalk dropping points at Monaghan, Freeman was respectful of Monaghan’s home record.

“Yea we heard it was 0-0 but we went up to Monaghan and lost up there. It’s a difficult place to go. And maybe a draw, although they wont be happy, is not the worst result in the world.

“It changes so quickly. Last week [winning 3-1 away at Dundalk] we maybe got the rub of the green but it was a great result for us. Especially considering, I know they finished the game with nine men, but we were down to ten for seventy minutes or so. All in all it was a great win.”

Freeman’s third, the ninety third minute winner, was more down to Greg O’Halloran’s sportsmanship than Freeman’s ability. The ball broke to O’Halloran in front of the keeper, under no pressure, but he rolled it to Freeman to slot home. extratime.ie asked Freeman if he was surprised he received the pass:

“Yea, we were just saying there. I shouted for it obviously, but I wasn’t too sure he’d give it to me. But he did, and I owe him one, big style.”

Shels’ are home to Dundalk’s equals tonight, Monaghan, this Tuesday and Freeman is looking for a repeat of tonight’s second half performance:

“They’re coming fairly thick and fast but yea that’s what we’re going to try and do, that’s what we are trying to do. There’s no point going and winning against Waterford and Dundalk if you don’t make it count against the other sides.

“We’ve got the win tonight but hopefully we’ll have the heads on on Tuesday, but they’ll be in a good mood after their draw tonight.”