Credit:
Crumlin United 1-1 Shelbourne
- Gordon Hunt
- Tue, Jun 09 2009
Crumlin United earned a well deserved draw at Tolka Park tonight against a poor Shelbourne side. Daniel Loughran scored a penalty for United after Robbie Hedderman was given his second yellow card, with just over half an hour remaining. However, a cracking David McAllister strike ten minutes later levelled the match and sends the sides into an FAI Ford Cup Third Round Replay next Monday, again at Tolka Park.
Shelbourne started brightly against their Leinster Senior League opponents, with David McAllister’s snap shot from the edge of the area forcing a good save from Garreth Sutton after only ten minutes.
But after a very nervy and error prone opening fifteen minutes, Crumlin really came into the game and enjoyed the vast majority of the first half chances. Robert Douglas on the left and Stephen Larkin on the right were causing Dermot Keely’s men no end of trouble, with David Crawley in particular struggling to cope with his man all game. The use of the flanks, along with Daniel Loughran and Tony Griffiths up front, provided a constant threat to which Shelbourne struggled to cope.
In the eighteenth minute a fine pass from Robert Douglas released the energetic Tony Griffiths in on goal. Robbie Hedderman did just enough, though, to deflect his goal bound effort off the post and out for a corner. Marty Cramer took it and found Griffiths unmarked on the penalty spot, however, Dean Delaney flicked his header onto the crossbar to save Shels’ blushes.
Minutes later and Douglas nabbed a dreadful pass in the centre of Shelbourne’s midfield and charged at goal. However, after exchanging passes with Loughran, he was found marginally offside as Shels’ again survived.
Shelbourne couldn’t find any clear openings, despite Crumlin sitting deep throughout, and their best effort was Peter Hynes’ free header just before the break, following an excellent David McAllister cross, however it went over.
Shelbourne again came out strong for the opening minutes of the second half, enjoying plenty of possession in Crumlin’s half. Four minutes after the break and Anto Flood saw his header cleared of the line by Paul McCabe. However, despite their possession, Shelbourne began to struggle.
Daniel Loughran and Tony Griffiths were winning far too many balls, considering their diminutive size. And just before the hour mark their persistence paid off. A long ball was flicked into Griffiths’ path and Robbie Hedderman was, rather harshly, adjudged to have impeded the striker. Incensed, Hedderman was given his second yellow of the game, and sent from the pitch. Daniel Loughran slotted in the penalty, leaving Shelbourne with a mountain to climb.
The game maintained its ferocious pace and on 68 minutes, David McAllister struck the equaliser. A Shelbourne corner was headed clear by a Crumlin shirt but only as far as McAllister on the edge of the area, where he struck a fine left footed volley into the far corner.
The last 20 minutes saw both sides create plenty of chances on the break, with Anto Flood guilty of missing two in the dying moments for Shels’, and Loughran perhaps disappointed to dally on the ball when in behind the Shels’ defence at the death.
Regardless, the scoreline finished 1-1, with a replay next Monday, again at Tolka Park, Crumlin’s reward.
extratime.ie Man of the match: Tony Griffiths
Crumlin United: Sutton, Kavanagh, Griffin, Kenna, McCabe, Cramer, Larkin, Lee, Loughran, Griffiths, Douglas
Subs: O’Brien, Quinn, McCreevey, Redmond, Corcoran, Cuffe, Hyland
Shelbourne: Delaney, Quigley, Crawley, Hedderman, Doherty, McAllister, McGill, Cassidy, Hynes, Flood, Doyle
Subs: Keely, Brennan, Murray, McMillan, Whelan
About Gordon Hunt
Gordon Hunt is one of extratime's Dublin based reporters. Having worked with the site since it's inception, Gordon's name is carved into the foundations of extratime's tower block.