SHELBOURNE DUG DEEP to come from behind and earn a massive three points to blow the race for Europe wide open.
In a breathless and bruising encounter JR Wislon put the visitors ahead before Daniel Kelly and Harry Wood’s three-minute double salvo turned the game on its head, as 4,032 were treated to a dramatic showing.
While their search for a permanent manager continues The Reds, under current under-20’s boss Lorcan Fitzgerald, rallied to rescue a point at the Showgrounds last weekend and showed a similar courageous spirit to protect their lead and narrow the gap on their fourth place rivals to just a point.
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) July 3, 2026
The visitors, who suffered a surprise blip in their fine season losing to bottom side Waterford at Oriel Park, included new signing Trevor Clarke on the bench.
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And despite the breaking news of Eoin Kenny’s impending transfer to Portsmouth, the visitors started like a house on fire grabbing the lead after just four minutes.
Daryl Horgan’s deadly delivery from the right was powered home brilliantly at the near post by JR Wilson who certainly enjoyed netting against his former side.
Missing the attacking trio of Mipo Odubeko, John Martin and Sean Boyd the home side looked light up front, but the man tasked with the goal scoring mantle, Rodrigo Freitas, really should have levelled following a free-flowing move down the left ending with Kelly slipping the Portuguese frontman clear through on goal who just couldn’t sort his feet in time and scuffed his shot high and wide.
Uproar erupted around Tolka Park moments later when Ali Coote went down under the challenge of goalscorer Wilson who looked clumsy challenging the Scottish attacker but referee Aaron O’Dowd waved away the vociferous protests.
But two goals in a thrilling three minutes flipped the script for the hosts.
Initially levelling through Daniel Kelly, who reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area before burying the ball. The flying winger then found Freitas at the back post with a floated cross and the all-action forward kept his cool to cleverly put the ball on a plate for Wood to grab his tenth of the season.
After the restart, it was the visitors turn then to have big penalty claims waved away when Artubi burst into the area going down under the challenge of Reds skipper, Barrett, but again the referee saw nothing doing.
The hosts were then served up a glorious opportunity to extend the lead when Minogue cleared the ball straight at Freitas, but with the keeper in no man’s land, the 24-year-old opted for power shooting straight at the grateful Dundalk stopper.
Despite a late onslaught, which Wilson saw a long range effort well tipped over by Speel and a Horgan chance from the edge of the area that flew over it – amongst a number of set-pieces – it was the hosts who held firm to get over the line.
Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Milan Mbeng (Sean Gannon, 72’), Paddy Barrett, Odhran Casey (Kameron Ledwidge, 61’), James Norris; Ali Coote (Sean Moore, 72’), Evan Caffrey, Jack Henry-Francis (Sam Bone, 82’), Daniel Kelly; Harry Wood, Rodrigo Freitas (Will Jarvis, 82’)
Dundalk: Enda Minogue; JR Wilson, Bobby Burns, Rob Cornwall, Tyreke Wilson (Mayowa Animasahun, 63’ (Harry Groome, 74’)); Keith Buckley (Shane Tracey, 74’), Aodh Dervin; Daryl Horgan, Ronan Teahan, Declan McDaid (Trevor Clarke, 63’); Gbemi Arubi
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Shelbourne hit two goals in three minutes to earn rallying win over Dundalk
Shelbourne 2
Dundalk 1
Darryl Geraghty reports from Tolka Park
SHELBOURNE DUG DEEP to come from behind and earn a massive three points to blow the race for Europe wide open.
In a breathless and bruising encounter JR Wislon put the visitors ahead before Daniel Kelly and Harry Wood’s three-minute double salvo turned the game on its head, as 4,032 were treated to a dramatic showing.
While their search for a permanent manager continues The Reds, under current under-20’s boss Lorcan Fitzgerald, rallied to rescue a point at the Showgrounds last weekend and showed a similar courageous spirit to protect their lead and narrow the gap on their fourth place rivals to just a point.
The visitors, who suffered a surprise blip in their fine season losing to bottom side Waterford at Oriel Park, included new signing Trevor Clarke on the bench.
And despite the breaking news of Eoin Kenny’s impending transfer to Portsmouth, the visitors started like a house on fire grabbing the lead after just four minutes.
Daryl Horgan’s deadly delivery from the right was powered home brilliantly at the near post by JR Wilson who certainly enjoyed netting against his former side.
Missing the attacking trio of Mipo Odubeko, John Martin and Sean Boyd the home side looked light up front, but the man tasked with the goal scoring mantle, Rodrigo Freitas, really should have levelled following a free-flowing move down the left ending with Kelly slipping the Portuguese frontman clear through on goal who just couldn’t sort his feet in time and scuffed his shot high and wide.
Uproar erupted around Tolka Park moments later when Ali Coote went down under the challenge of goalscorer Wilson who looked clumsy challenging the Scottish attacker but referee Aaron O’Dowd waved away the vociferous protests.
But two goals in a thrilling three minutes flipped the script for the hosts.
Initially levelling through Daniel Kelly, who reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area before burying the ball. The flying winger then found Freitas at the back post with a floated cross and the all-action forward kept his cool to cleverly put the ball on a plate for Wood to grab his tenth of the season.
After the restart, it was the visitors turn then to have big penalty claims waved away when Artubi burst into the area going down under the challenge of Reds skipper, Barrett, but again the referee saw nothing doing.
The hosts were then served up a glorious opportunity to extend the lead when Minogue cleared the ball straight at Freitas, but with the keeper in no man’s land, the 24-year-old opted for power shooting straight at the grateful Dundalk stopper.
Despite a late onslaught, which Wilson saw a long range effort well tipped over by Speel and a Horgan chance from the edge of the area that flew over it – amongst a number of set-pieces – it was the hosts who held firm to get over the line.
Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Milan Mbeng (Sean Gannon, 72’), Paddy Barrett, Odhran Casey (Kameron Ledwidge, 61’), James Norris; Ali Coote (Sean Moore, 72’), Evan Caffrey, Jack Henry-Francis (Sam Bone, 82’), Daniel Kelly; Harry Wood, Rodrigo Freitas (Will Jarvis, 82’)
Dundalk: Enda Minogue; JR Wilson, Bobby Burns, Rob Cornwall, Tyreke Wilson (Mayowa Animasahun, 63’ (Harry Groome, 74’)); Keith Buckley (Shane Tracey, 74’), Aodh Dervin; Daryl Horgan, Ronan Teahan, Declan McDaid (Trevor Clarke, 63’); Gbemi Arubi
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd
****
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