JOHN MARTIN SCORED twice off the bench as Shelbourne finally found some home form to record their biggest win of the season – and relegate Sligo Rovers.
Victory, only their fourth in the league at Tolka Park this year, moved Shelbourne up to fourth place in the table.
Though with Bohemians losing their FAI Cup semi-final to Waterford it means the possibility of that being enough to clinch a European place has ended.
It marked a bittersweet night for Shels’ head coach John Russell as his first match against the club he played for and then managed for four years before taking the job in Drumcondra confirmed their drop into the First Division.
John Russell. Bryan Keane
Bryan Keane
Ironically, their last win was with Russell in charge when they beat champions Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium back in May, 15 games ago.
An action-packed start to the game, with chances for Shels’ Dan Kelly at one end and Kaiyne Woolery at the other, delivered the opening goal for Shels on 12 minutes.
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Mipo Odubeko was the chief architect, collecting Evan Caffrey’s ball in from the left to spin past two defenders and surge to the end line with Kelly applying the final touch to the low cross.
It should have been 2-0 on 23 minutes following a terrific flowing move down the left.
James Norris, Sean Moore and Odubeko worked the ball to Kelly who rifled wide.
The woodwork then came to Sligo’s rescue minutes later, Shels’ skipper Kerr McInroy rattling the visitors’ crossbar with a stunning strike from some 35 yards.
McInroy was just off target again on 43 minutes with another drive from distance before Shels, who could have been three or four up, conceded a shocking equaliser in first-half stoppage time.
Milan Mbeng dallied on the ball, the alert Jack Shorrock nicking the right-back’s attempted pass to Odhran Casey into the path of Woolery, who shot through the legs of Beach for a composed finish.
Kelly wasted another chance to restore Shels’ lead in the opening minute of the second half before they duly regained it on 49 minutes.
Ruthless by Mipo Odubeko to put Shels in front 💥
John Martin has since made it three with his first touch. https://t.co/qm2yoW2mjg
Moore and Caffrey set up Odubeko who feinted past a defender to blast a left-foot shot t the net.
It proved Odubeko’s last action as he went off injured immediately.
His replacement Martin made a dramatic entry, stretching Shels’ lead within 10 seconds of coming on when heading home Kelly’s right-wing cross.
Mbeng then redeemed his first-half gaffe when adding Shels’ fourth goal on 57 minutes, pouncing on a defensive mistake to sweep the ball past Liam Hughes.
Rampant now, Shels made it 5-1 two minutes later, Martin scoring with a diving header at the back post from Kelly’s cross.
Hughes would deprive Martin of his hat-trick with the pick of a string of saves thereafter as he prevented a right rout.
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Sligo Rovers relegated as Shels discover a streak of form
Shelbourne 5
Sligo Rovers 1
Paul Buttner reports from Tolka Park
JOHN MARTIN SCORED twice off the bench as Shelbourne finally found some home form to record their biggest win of the season – and relegate Sligo Rovers.
Victory, only their fourth in the league at Tolka Park this year, moved Shelbourne up to fourth place in the table.
Though with Bohemians losing their FAI Cup semi-final to Waterford it means the possibility of that being enough to clinch a European place has ended.
It marked a bittersweet night for Shels’ head coach John Russell as his first match against the club he played for and then managed for four years before taking the job in Drumcondra confirmed their drop into the First Division.
Ironically, their last win was with Russell in charge when they beat champions Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium back in May, 15 games ago.
An action-packed start to the game, with chances for Shels’ Dan Kelly at one end and Kaiyne Woolery at the other, delivered the opening goal for Shels on 12 minutes.
Mipo Odubeko was the chief architect, collecting Evan Caffrey’s ball in from the left to spin past two defenders and surge to the end line with Kelly applying the final touch to the low cross.
It should have been 2-0 on 23 minutes following a terrific flowing move down the left.
James Norris, Sean Moore and Odubeko worked the ball to Kelly who rifled wide.
The woodwork then came to Sligo’s rescue minutes later, Shels’ skipper Kerr McInroy rattling the visitors’ crossbar with a stunning strike from some 35 yards.
McInroy was just off target again on 43 minutes with another drive from distance before Shels, who could have been three or four up, conceded a shocking equaliser in first-half stoppage time.
Milan Mbeng dallied on the ball, the alert Jack Shorrock nicking the right-back’s attempted pass to Odhran Casey into the path of Woolery, who shot through the legs of Beach for a composed finish.
Kelly wasted another chance to restore Shels’ lead in the opening minute of the second half before they duly regained it on 49 minutes.
Moore and Caffrey set up Odubeko who feinted past a defender to blast a left-foot shot t the net.
It proved Odubeko’s last action as he went off injured immediately.
His replacement Martin made a dramatic entry, stretching Shels’ lead within 10 seconds of coming on when heading home Kelly’s right-wing cross.
Mbeng then redeemed his first-half gaffe when adding Shels’ fourth goal on 57 minutes, pouncing on a defensive mistake to sweep the ball past Liam Hughes.
Rampant now, Shels made it 5-1 two minutes later, Martin scoring with a diving header at the back post from Kelly’s cross.
Hughes would deprive Martin of his hat-trick with the pick of a string of saves thereafter as he prevented a right rout.
Shelbourne: Beach; Mbeng (Untergrabner, 64), Casey, Ledwidge, Norris (Roche, 75); Kelly (Boyd, 75), McInroy, Henry-Francis (Coote, 64), Caffrey; Moore, Odubeko (Martin, 51).
Sligo Rovers: Hughes; Gabbidon (Zefi, 65), McElroy, McHugh, Stewart; Meekison (Kavanagh, 58), McManus (Patton, 58), Young, Gillespie (Quirk, 58), Shorrock; Woolery (Pearce, 81).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).
Attendance: 5,684.
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