- Patrick O'Connor
- Fri, Jun 14 2024
Patrick O Connor reports from the RSC
Shelbourne recorded their sixth one nil win of the season, and their second in a row, when they overcame the challenge of Waterford in a game that never rose above the mediocre at the RSC on Thursday night.
The result sees the Reds go into the mid-season break still on top of the table and leading Derry City by two points, while Waterford still hold onto fourth place with the advantage of still having one game in hand over the leaders.
The first 45 minutes was played at a pedestrian pace with no real intensity from either side and this made for a rather subdued atmosphere in the stands where 2,750 supporters were in attendance.
Both sides were guilty of loose passing and poor ball control and neither keeper had much to do in that opening period of the game.
There were a few half chances at either end, the best for Shels coming in the 13th minute.
Sean Gannon did great work down the right wing and forced a corner, from the resultant kick Evan Caffrey worked the ball to Mark Coyle for what looked like a training ground move but the captain’s shot was off target.
The home side also had a chance in the 26th minute when substitute Niall O’ Keeffe floated in a perfect cross onto the head of Padraig Amond but Gavin Molloy intervened and flicked the ball away for a corner.
It finished scoreless at the half time break.
The breakthrough goal arrived in the 55th minute and it was in form Shelbourne winger Will Jarvis who found the net following an unforced error from Waterford’s Grant Horton.
Horton received a back pass but allowed Jarvis to close him down quickly before dispossessing him, and when the Hull loanee was through one on one with Sam Sargeant there was only going to be one outcome, he slid the ball past the keeper to make it one nil.
The goal did not spark any great increase in intensity and the game was still very flat for large periods of the second half, with the home side in particular finding it difficult to replicate the form which saw them score four goals a week earlier against Sligo Rovers.
Their main goal scorer Padraig Amond in particular was starved of a quality service up front as the Blues resorted to lumping high balls into the box as the game drew to a close.
Shelbourne are masters at holding a narrow lead and their very defensive formation in the last minutes enabled them to thwart any attacks that the Blues managed to mount, much to the frustration of the home support.
Waterford did find the net in the 88th minute but it was immediately ruled offside, a decision that did not prompt any complaints from the home fans.
The five minutes of added time did not alter the scoreline, with both teams now taking a breather until June 28th when Waterford travel to play Dundalk and Shelbourne host Galway Utd.
Waterford: Sam Sargeant; Grant Horton (Robert McCourt 75), Darragh Leahy, Darragh Power, Kacper Radkowski; Ben McCormack, Rowan McDonald (Niall O'Keeffe 30), Dean McMenamy, Christie Pattisson (Connor Evans 65); Padraig Amond, Connor Parsons.
Subs not used: Matthew Connor, Joseph Forde, Ryan Burke, Romeo Akachukwu, Kacper Skwierczyński, Gbemi Arubi.
Booked: Dean McMenamy (35), Ben McCormack (61), Grant Horton (71), Niall O'Keeffe (76), Darragh Leahy (90).
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Kameron Ledwidge, Gavin Molloy, Tyreke Wilson (Shane Griffin 85); Evan Caffrey (John O'Sullivan 72), Mark Coyle, Jonathan Lunney; Liam Burt (Matthew Smith 63), William Jarvis, John Martin.
Subs not used: Lorcan Healy, Taylor McCarthy, Shane Farrell, Jad Hakiki, Keith Ward, Dean Williams.
Booked: John O’ Sullivan (73) , Jonathon Lunney (81), Conor Kearns (82), Mark Coyle (84).
Referee: Rob Harvey.
Attendance: 2,750.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Sean Gannon (Shelbourne).
