Shelbourne 3
Finn Harps 1
Darryl Geraghty reports from Tolka Park
SHELBOURNE GRABBED THEIR first league win since May against a dogged Finn Harps side in a breathless encounter at a packed Tolka Park.
A Gavin Molloy double and a well-taken Jack Moylan goal proved enough to secure all three points over Harps, who had equalised through Ethan Boyle in the first half.
Having been defeated in 3-1 The Showgrounds last week, The Reds looked to take their frustration out on a side that got the better of Damien Duff’s men twice already this season – their only two wins of the campaign.
Languishing second from bottom, Ollie Horgan looked to take advantage of the recent opening of the transfer window, trying desperately to give his side any slim chance of avoiding the dreaded relegation playoff spot. New signing Robert Jones led the line whilst fellow newcomers Harry Nicolson, Adam McCaffrey and Liam McGing made the bench.
Big front man Jones, made a nuisance of himself from the off and from an Ethan Boyle long throw-in, and with three surrounding him, managed to force the ball down to Barry McNamee on the edge of the area. The crafty number 10 probably should have done better with his effort as he blazed over on his favoured left foot.
The fast paced opening showed no signs of letting up and with fourteen minutes played the home side took the lead. Shane Farrell’s outswinging corner was met by the free head of Gavin Molloy, who made no mistake from just a few yards out for his first of the season.
The visitors, 3-0 winners on their last trip to Tolka Park, responded well and equalised just three minutes later from a set piece of their own. Regan Donelan’s whipped left footed cross from wide on the right side was met at the far post by Ethan Boyle, who also netted the opener back in March.
The encounter resembling something of a basketball game continued to entertain as both sides exchanged further chances. Firstly the Jones-McNamee combination almost paid dividends as the Scotman flicked on cleverly into the path of McNamee, who then volleyed a sweet strike forcing Brendan Clarke into an acrobatic stop.
Up the other end, Birthday boy Luke Byrne’s towering header, from yet another excellent Farrell delivery, looked destined for the top corner but was denied well by Gavin Mulreany
As the half drew to a close, man-of-the-match Molloy restored his side’s lead with a beautifully controlled left footed strike from 25-yards, having been tee’d up by silky Jad Hakiki who showed nice feet to drift past Ryan Connolly in the build up.
Donelan and Farrell both went close with free kicks from the restart, as neither side let up in intensity as it developed into a scrappier affair.
The home side looked the likelier to add to their tally as Sean Boyd and Jack Moylan were guilty of missing good chances, and with a quarter of an hour remaining made sure of the three points.
The electric Moylan picked up the ball in the middle of the park and played a neat one-two with Boyd, before clipping the ball past Mulreany who did his best to stay big.
The Reds saw out the game in a professional manner, sealing their first win in five games as the home fans rejoiced at the final whistle.
Shelbourne: Clarke, Byrne, Griffin, Ledwidge, Kane, Moylan, Lunney (Coyle, 84), Farrell, Hakiki (McManus, 80), Boyd (Carr, 86).
Finn Harps: Mulreany, Donelon, Slevin, Connolly, McNamee, N’Zeyi (Hery, 69), Jones, Rainey (McGing 83), Boyle, Mihaljevic (Rudden, 83), Duncan (McCaffrey, 60)
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan