Shelbourne 1 - 0 Wexford Youths

David McGill’s header on forty one minutes was enough to see Shelbourne impressively beat Wexford Youths at Tolka Park tonight. Despite the narrow scoreline, Shels’ were by far the better, pressing from start to finish.

Shels’ were dominant from the outset, with Wexford willing to sit narrow and deep. However despite the ease with which Shels’ were afforded space out wide, finding clear chances proved to be a difficult task early on. David McAllister enjoyed the better of Shels’ efforts, with a twenty-yard shot spilled in the first minute with no red shirt ready to pounce in the box. Five minutes later and McAllister passed his volley a foot wide from just outside the box and on fifteen minutes the same man tried for a third time from outside the box, but Pa Doyle palmed the ball to safety.

Beyond that it was all foreplay with no penetration from Shels’, with Wexford offering very little going forward. The visitors did, in fact, have one great chance to score midway through the half when the trio of Danny Furlong, Gavin Doyle and Richie Fitzgerald countered and ran at Alan Keely and Damien Brennan. With time and space, however, Fitzgerald made a mess of finding either of his colleagues and the chance bumbled by.

Shels’ eventually took the lead four minutes before the break when David Freeman was given plenty of time to pick out a target for his cross from the right. That target was David McGill, whose excellent front post run afforded him enough time to glance the ball into the back of the net.

On the stroke of half time the lead was almost doubled however Anto Flood, who was as-industrious as ever up front without many good chances, could only head Mark Rutherford’s pinpoint cross straight at the keeper. Flood was free, seven yards from goal, and really should have done better.

The second half provided a similar format initially, but gradually Wexford began to press higher up the park. It didn’t result in many chances however and the only shot of note came on fifty-six mins when Conor Sinnott curled an effort just over from outside the box.

James Keddy should have at least tested the keeper on seventy minutes when Mark O’Brien picked out the second-half substitute with a crisp cross, however he couldn’t get enough on the ball. Wexford responded immediately with Sinnott working well down the right. His cross found Richie Fitzgerald free in the box, however, his effort was well saved by Dean Delany.

For some reason it was Shels’ who attacked to the finish then. Seemingly intent on expanding on their solitary goal advantage over Dundalk, Anto Flood and Darren Forsyth both went very close as a Keddy cross caused havoc in the area. Conor Sinnott, the more impressive of the visitor’s, received a second yellow late on for a petulant shove on Alan Keely with time running out for Wexford.

Flood again threatened up front for Shels’ but he couldn’t put the ball away with two great chances in the last four minutes; Damien Brennan may feel aggrieved that his header, excellently flashed across goal, wasn’t finished by a red shirt either. But that doesn’t matter just yet. Full Time: 1-0

Shelbourne: Dean Delany; Alan Murphy, Alan Keely, Damien Brennan, Robbie Hedderman; David McAllister, David McGill, Mark O’Brien (James Chambers 81), Mark Rutherford (James Keddy 67); Anto Flood, David Freeman (Darren Forsyth 61).
Subs not used: Vinny Whelan, Alan Byrne.

Wexford Youths: Pa Doyle; Keith Kearney (Tiarnan Rossiter 84), Anto Russell, Conor Sinnott, Paul Rossiter; Dave Miller (Chris Kenny 77), Paul Malone, Marty Kelly, Richie Fitzgerald; Danny Furlong (Kyle Dempsey 46), Gavin Doyle.
Subs not used: Stuart Lawlor, Paul Murphy.

Sent Off: C Sinnott (83).

Referee: Tom Connolly.

Attendance: 1,003

Extratime man of the match: Anto Flood (Shelbourne) -  incredible work rate.