St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Shelbourne 2
DAMIEN DUFF WILL tell you that Will Jarvis is absolutely brutal in training.
Nights like this show why the Shelbourne manager is willing to put up with it.
The on-loan Hull City winger scored two brilliant goals as he proved the match winner against St Patrick’s Athletic.
The two finishes were both a kind of gentle excellence, ably assisted by the superb Sean Boyd and Liam Burt.
With Bohemians beating Derry City, Duff now finds his side sitting five points clear heading into the international break.
Don’t be kidded of its significance.
When the full-time whistle blew after 10 minutes of added time the former Republic of Ireland international turned to the directors’ box, leaned back, clenched both fists and roared: ‘YESSSSSSSSSSS, GET IN THERE.’
The early part of this season has illustrated that Duff has assembled a tight-knit squad capable of challenging at the top of the table.
Injuries and suspensions, not to mention a foray into European action this summer, will test those credentials but their resolve is obvious.
They held firm when Jake Mulraney brought Pat’s back into the game with a neat header with 20 to go and when eight minutes of stoppage time were added they seemed to relish the task.
Pat’s couldn’t carve out any kind of opening to nab an equaliser and they now find themselves in eighth, four points off the bottom.
Jarvis’ class stood out given he had come close earlier.
The first two big chances of the game was an indication of the opening exchanges.
From a seventh-minute Shels corner the home side were able to break quickly.
Kian Leavy was set free by Chris Forrester on the edge of his own 18-yard box and made it as far as the one at the opposite end of the pitch.
It’s easy to say when you’re not running at speed with the ball at your feet and being hunted down but all that was required was a split second to lift his head and see the supporting Jamie Lennon unmarked to his right.
Instead, Leavy took one touch too many – and a heavy one – which allowed the covering Mark Coyle clear the danger.
For Shels, they created the best opening of the first 45 with sharp interplay and forward movement on 21 minutes.
Liam Burt slipped in Sean Boyd who peeled off between left-sided centre back Luke Turner and full back Anto Breslin. His clipped ball to the back post found Jarvis and he created half a yard to gently curl a shot just wide.
He would prove far more effective after the break.
On the half hour, though, Shels produced the best move of the half, starting with Sean Gannon effortlessly breezing past Jason McClelland from his right back position. He didn’t have to break stride and his pass into the centre for Burt, who had come in from the right, allowed the Scot switch the play with a clever turn and pass out to Jarvis whose left foot shot was a few feet too high.
Two minutes later a wild swipe from goalkeeper Conor Keanrs attempting to clear a pass back almost gifted McClelland a free sight of goal from the edge of the area. Gannon was on the cover and proved too strong and while the penalty appeals were hopeful the home fans had much stronger claims when JJ Lunney appeared to slip before attempting to clear a cross and stopped the ball with his outstretched hand.
Referee Rob Harvey wasn’t interested and the sides stayed level.
But not for long.
Jarvis got his first three minutes after the re-start, a clever finish that showed his intelligence as well as his technique.
Controlling the ball on the left corner of the penalty box, he used the approaching Luke Freeman as a way of disguising his curled finish low into the far corner.
Shels were buoyed and striker Boyd was even more influential now. Burt was also popping up in central areas as well as on the right as the visitors took control.
On 58 minutes it looked as though they would not lose their grip.
Jarvis was again the scorer, this time his finish even more gentle and considered than first. Boyd teed him up inside the box, bringing a sense of calm with a simple assist when other strikers may have attempted a wild swing of their weaker left foot.
The away fans were in their element and Duff was too.
Jon Daly turned to his bench for inspiration and it paid off when Mulraney glanced a lovely header beyond Kearns from Brandon Kavanagh’s pin-point inswinging cross.
There were 20 minutes left and Pat’s had a lifeline, but Shels’ resolve snuffed it out.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Freeman (Sjoberg 60), Redmond (captain), Turner, Breslin; B Kavanagh, Lennon, Forrester (Melia 87), Leavy, McClelland (Mulraney, 60); Keating
SHELBOURNE: Kearns; Gannon, Barrett, Molloy, Wilson (Ledwidge 75); Lunney, Coyle (captain), Burt (O’Sullivan 85), Jarvis (Farrell 75), Smith (Caffrey 62), Boyd.
Attendance: 4,988
League of Ireland results
Premier Division
- Bohemians 2-1 Derry City
- Dundalk 0-0 Waterford
- Galway United 0-1 Shamrock Rovers
- St Patrick’s Athletic 1-2 Shelbourne
First Division
- Cork City 2-0 Bray Wanderers
- Kerry 1-1 Cobh Ramblers
- UCD 3-0 Athlone Town
- Wexford 1-2 Finn Harps
