Shelbourne 4 - 3 Limerick

Shelbourne advanced to the FAI Cup Semi-finals with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Limerick at Tolka Park on Monday evening. A Philly Hughes hat-trick and an own goal from Andrew Bhandarker gave Shels a commanding lead but a long range John Frost strike and two late goals from substitute Barry Sheedy made for a nervy end to the game.

 

With barely a minute on the clock referee Dave McKeon appeared to land awkwardly on his ankle and fourth official Richie Winter had to step in and take control of the match. 

 

Shels began on the front foot and Peter Hynes was forced to head clear from inside the penalty area from a dangerous David Cassidy cross after five minutes. Kevin Dawson was next with a chance but he shot wide after Cassidy’s set-up before Philly Hughes scuffed a good chance acorss the goal. 

 

The opening goal arrived after 19 minutes and it was Hughes who made up for his miss minutes earlier. Barry Clancy headed on Brendan McGill’s ball into the box and Hughes controlled before firing left footed past the helpless Barry Ryan in the Limerick goal.

 

Denis Behan had a shot in anger for Limerick but Shels keeper Paul Skinner gathered at the second attempt before Hughes headed over from Cassidy’s delivery a minute later.

 

The home side doubled their lead eight minutes later. Philly Hughes’ close control inside the Limerick penalty area forced Andrew Bhandarker into a tackle but he could only steer the ball past Barry Ryan and into his own net.

 

The lead became three in the first minute of the second half as Philly Hughes rose high to head past Ryan from a pinpoint Brendan McGill cross. Less than ten minutes later Limerick had a lifeline. Full back John Frost drove toward goal unchallenged and duly fired a 30-yard strike into the bottom corner of Skinner’s goal to make it 3-1. 

 

Midway through the half Limerick controversially had a goal disallowed. Shane Tracy’s free kick from the right had Skinner under pressure and the ball bounced off the back of Behan and into the back of the net for what looked like a legitimate goal. Referee Winter decided that a foul had been committed and Shels were let off the hook. 

 

Hughes completed his hat-trick with 14 minutes to go as the striker powered a splendid free kick low into the bottom corner of Ryan’g goal, leaving the keeper with little chance.

 

The Limerick comeback began with 11 minutes remaining and it was two substitutes that linked up. Stephen O’Flynn worked well down the left before his centre found Barry Sheedy and he fired the ball past Skinner. And then with just one minute remaining of the 90 Limerick grabbed another goal as Sheedy again found space and fired low past Skinner again.

 

The away side continued to push for an equaliser but it was too little too late as Shelbourne held on and now face a home tie against St. Patrick’s Athletic in the semi-final.

 

 

Shelbourne: Skinner, Matthews, Fitzgerald, Clancy, Boyle; Sullivan, McGill,  Dawson, Cassidy (Byrne 82), Hughes (Da Silva 90), Bermingham (Gorman 76).

Subs not used: Mulhall, James, Delany.

Booked: Sullivan, Fitzgerald, Hughes.

 

Limerick FC: Ryan, McCarthy, Frost, Broughall (O’Flynn 70), Bhandarker, Tracy, Quinn, O’Leary, Hynes (Sheedy 61), Coughlan (McGann 54), Behan.

Subs not used: Scully, O’Callaghan, , Cusack, Collins.

Booked: Quinn, Behan, Frost. 

 

Referee: Dave McKeon, (replaced by Richie Winter in 1st minute)

Man of the Match: Philly Hughes.