Shelbourne 1-0 Bohemians

Shels secure vital win

Forget all the pre-match hype about scoring goals and giving some side a ‘pasting’. A win is a win, particularly in a Dublin derby. Dermot Keely will have been well pleased with this result: the 3 points being far more important on the night, than the Red’s current shyness in front of goal. This vital result, along with slip-ups from the Junkies and the Scum, could be the beginning of the league chase developing into a 2 horse race between Shels & Cork City.

Hallelujah, exultations and praise be. The Stockin’ (not just the penny) has dropped. Garry Haylock was at long last dropped to make way for Dessie Baker, who impressed with his work-rate and eye for goal, when he came on for the Stockin’ in the two previous outings. However, Keely still erred on the side of caution, giving Doolin the start ahead of the more flamboyant Karel van der Velden. Red Bull can’t wait for the Christmas and Millenium holiday period, when ould Dermot Scrooge himself, might break out in a moment of festive madness and go the whole hog in selecting our best and obvious starting eleven.

In typical derby fashion, the game began in hell-for-leather fashion with the Real Reds dominating the early exchanges. Richie Baker - who’d been somewhat muted in recent games, no doubt distracted with transfer thoughts – was back almost to his buzzing best, but might have done better with a couple of early chances to put the Reds in front. The main talking point of the first half though, was the failure of Hugh Byrne to award a clear-cut penalty when the Boh’s ‘keeper Russell brought down Dessie Baker, when he seemed certain to score.

Byrne continued to make several more dodgy decisions – Red Bull admits, many in Shels favour – in the second half, as the game took on a more physical guise, with the Bohs drawing on their recent sparring practice in the ring. Unfortunately, some of their tackles were more suited to the wrestling ring, rather than the fancy footwork employed in the boxing arena. Richie Baker and van der Velden (eventually on for Doolin 10 minutes into the half) were the victims of some crude interceptions as the visitors strove to quell the free-running Reds. Brunton was finally dismissed midway through the half, when yet again, van der Velden was viciously brought down in front of the baying Bohs support in the Riverside stand.

Looking to be heading for an almost inevitable scoreless draw, Shel’s perseverance eventually paid off in the 78th minute when Dessie Baker was on hand to follow thru’ on another screamer from van der Velden, which spilled out of Russell’s hands. It was a deserved reward for the hard-working elder Baker lad, who has recently been eclipsed by the exploits of his younger brother, Richie. Pudgy Paul Byrne, a second-half sub for Bohs, did well when he came on. He continues to deceive and showed some neat touches and hasn’t lost his ability to ‘turn on a sixpence’. The Real Reds defence held firm though, despite some near-misses from the visitors, and in the end ran out worthy winners.

Team : Williams; Heary, McCarthy, Scully, D Geoghegan; R Baker, Doolin (van der Velden 55) , Fenlon , Keddy; S Geoghegan, D Baker.

Red Bull '99

Comment : 1-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-1. Fintan Cassidy had an interesting article in the programme, about how certain Shels fans are not happy unless we win 10-9. While id be happy to win the League with all one-nils, Cork are beating teams 5-0, whereas we are struggling against poor teams such as Galway. We need to start dominating teams more of these 1-0s will dry up.