- Rónán MacNamara
- Mon, Sep 30 2024
Rónán MacNamara reports from Tolka Park
Shelbourne delivered their best performance in weeks but their stint at the top of the Premier Division table remains on life support after a late Al-Amin Kazeem winner gave St Patrick’s Athletic a 3-2 victory and their fifth consecutive league win on a thrilling night at Tolka Park.
Shelbourne are now on a run of one league win in nine games for the second time this season while Pats will think anything is possible after moving to within two points of Shamrock Rovers in third and seven of the league leaders with four games to go.
The difference between the sides was their ability in both boxes as the leaders botched numerous opportunities either side of Joe Redmond’s first half header before a defensive howler gifted Brandon Kavanagh a second just after the hour.
A Rayhaan Tulloch stunner with 14 minutes to go teed up a grandstand finish in Drumcondra before Matty Smith caused pandemonium in the stands with a sensational equaliser.
Shelbourne rallied again but it was Stephen Kenny, the only calm figure on a night of high drama, who had the last laugh as Kazeem rattled home the winner two minutes from time with his first touch since coming off the bench.
Damien Duff had been attempting to take the pressure off his players by showing them videos of Only Fools and Horses but Matty Smith lost his cool and was sent off in added time for an apparent eye gouge on Aaron Bolger. What a plonker might have been the opinion of some...
The result is a lifeline for Derry City who quite simply cannot be trusted in this title race but also for Shamrock Rovers who can recover from their hammering at the hands of the Saints on Friday with a win at home to Shelbourne on Sunday.
The league leaders crawling towards the Premier Division title welcoming the top team on form promised a great contest and the first half drew up a much more open encounter than was perhaps anticipated.
Shelbourne were the main protagonists for that, getting on the front foot, hassling and hurrying the Saints while opting to play through the thirds with Aiden O’Brien’s ability to playmaker replacing Sean Boyd’s aerial ability from Friday night.
The Reds, knowing a win could stretch out their lead at the top to a potentially unassailable seven point advantage, were straight out of the traps as Mark Coyle and O’Brien fired shots at goal.
The best chance for the hosts came from a Harry Wood corner after 13 minutes but Paddy Barrett headed over at the back post.
Otherwise, Duff’s side got into plenty of very promising positions around the edge of the Pat’s area but were ponderous with their final ball and guilty of overplaying and passing on responsibility to other players.
On numerous occasions, O’Brien and Wood were guilty of taking the wrong option in the final third while Pats were deadly and could have put the game to bed at half time.
Redmond notched his second Dublin derby goal in three days glancing Kavanagh’s whipped free kick home after 22 minutes before Kavanagh fired over when through on goal and Aidan Keena forced Conor Kearns into a good reaction save.
The moment of the half came from Keena who rattled the crossbar from inside his own half. The forward dropped deep and spotted Kearns off his line and his glorious effort cannoned off the underside of the bar and somehow stayed out.
Stephen Kenny’s side went into the half-time changing rooms knowing they have played better in their previous four league wins in a row while Duff’s side looked plagued by the same big moment jitters that had seen them pick up just one win in eight before kick-off.
Jake Mulraney almost put the game to bed five minutes into the second half, Kameron Ledwidge made a hash of clearing the ball and Mulraney feigned to shoot on his left and chopped back on his right before rattling the post.
Shelbourne were enjoying a purple patch after that with the introductions of Sean Boyd, Ali Coote and Matty Smith but the life was sucked out of Tolka as a defensive howler from Paddy Barrett presented the ball to Zach Elbouzedi who squared to Kavanagh who looked to have put the game beyond doubt.
But this is the League of Ireland and for better or worse, it’s always dramatic.
Two stunning strikes in the space of five minutes from Tulloch and Smith lifted the roof off the ground.
Tulloch played a superb one-two with John Martin and curled beautifully into the top corner before Boyd played a lovely cushioned header down to Smith who curled left footed into the top corner.
It was pandemonium in Tolka Park and it spilled over onto the sidelines as Duff and Brian Gartland got into a tussle. But what’s possibly more important is who was trying not to be crushed in between the pair.
Substitute Al-Amin Kazeem.
The 22-year-old was only on the pitch a matter of seconds and when Mason Melia hit the post he was on hand to slam home the rebound with his first touch!
The drama didn’t end there and things played out on a sour note for Shelbourne who will be without Smith after he was shown a straight red for throwing a hand into the face of Bolger.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Patrick Barrett (Patrick Barrett 88), Sean Gannon, Shane Griffin (Tyreke Wilson 41), Kameron Ledwidge; Liam Burt (Alistair Coote 55), Evan Caffrey (John Martin 68), Mark Coyle, Rayhaan Tulloch, Harry Wood (Matthew Smith 68); Aiden O'Brien (Sean Boyd 55).
Subs not used: Lorcan Healy, John O'Sullivan, Dan Ring, Dean Williams.
Booked: Patrick Barrett (14), Sean Gannon (70), John Martin (90).
Sent off: Matthew Smith (90).
St. Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Tetteh Anang; Anthony Breslin, Tom Grivosti, Joseph Redmond, Carl Sjöberg; Christopher Forrester (Aaron Bolger 62), Brandon Kavanagh (Al Amin Kazeem 87), Jamie Lennon; Zack Elbouzedi, Aidan Keena (Mason Melia 77), Jake Mulraney (Kian Leavy 77).
Subs not used: Daniel Rogers, Conor Keeley, Luke Turner, Jason McClelland, Michael Noonan.
Booked: Anthony Breslin (10), Jamie Lennon (79).
Referee: Damian McGraith
extratime.com Player of the Match: Brandon Kavanagh (St. Patrick’s Athletic)
