WHAT BREAK?
Leaders Shelbourne show no rust on their return to action
SHELBOURNE marked their return from the mid-season break by routing poor Galway – well, by their goalscoring standards anyway.
It’s just the third time this season that the Premier Division leaders have won in the league by more than a single goal.
They were well worth their relatively comfortable win, despite Galway missing a late opportunity to claw their way back into the game from the penalty spot.
Shels looked sharp from the mini pre-season that manager Damien Duff said he put his squad through in advance of Galway’s visit.
They overpowered the Tribesmen, which is not something you say too often about a John Caulfield-managed side.
They turned 50/50s into 60/40s and covered every blade of grass but their performance wasn’t just about guts, there was no shortage of guile either.
Matty Smith, Liam Burt and John Martin were fluid in their movement inside the final third, while their link play was exceptional at times. Shels’ 11th minute opener was the perfect example of those attributes – in one motion possession was won by a greater alertness than their opponents and the goal crafted by sublime skill and awareness.
A Galway throw on halfway, an attempt by full-back Jeannot Esua to pass back t o Rob Slevin and then disaster for the visitors.
Smith anticipated and ghosted in ahead of Slevin to backheel the ball into the path of Martin (right), who didn’t have to break stride as he carried on into the area.
Martin had Burt in support to his right but he didn’t need the Scot. He opted instead to draw Brendan Clarke off his line and then drive the ball past the goalkeeper.
It was his fourth goal of the season and his second against Galway, having scored in United’s visit to
Tolka Park earlier this season.
Elsewhere on the pitch, JJ Lunney bossed a midfield that was missing suspended skipper
Mark Coyle and always sought to pick out a red shirt ahead of him.
Duff once again was vocal throughout, often stretching the boundaries of his technical area as he strained to get his point across to various players.
Even when Shels went two up in the 36th minute through Caffrey, the former Ireland winger refused to relax. The second goal was scored from a well worked set-piece, something that again will eat away at Galway boss Caulfield.
Wilson played a short corner to Burt, who had far too much room to measure his cross to Martin at the back post. He rose higher than Slevin to nod back inside the six yard box where Caffrey cleverly hooked the ball over his shoulder and between Clarke and his near post.
Galway’s best chance of regaining a foothold came with 16 minutes remaining, when sub Maurice Nugent was taken down by Conor Kearns.
The goalkeeper made up for his misjudgement in the tackle when he judged perfectly Francely Lombato’s spot kick intentions.
He dived low to his right to keep the strike out and pounced quickly on the ball before any Galway player could claim the rebound.
The visitors lost sub Aodh Dervin to a stoppage time red card, while for Shels the win keeps them two points ahead of Derry City.