Home Farm Fingal 1-2 Shelbourne

Slipshod Shels

Red Bull could have gone to Slane, but instead chose to sell his ticket (at a loss) and go along to witness the uninspiring drudge masquerading as the all-new, all-exciting League Cup competition first round tie, with Shels away to close neighbours Home Farm Fingal in Whitehall. Played in a ground, which must only be bested by Belfield, for lack of atmosphere, the seven hundred weak crowd, saw a Shelbourne side that promised much, slowly build up a head of a steam, threaten to overrun their first division opponents, only to collapse completely and be happy to escape with their ticket into the next round.

Making just one enforced change due to Pat Scully's suspension - Tommy Byrne coming in at left-full to allow Deco Geoghegan move to the centre of defence – manager Dermot Keely, by fielding his strongest starting eleven, appeared to be up for this match. The Real Reds started slowly, but got into their stride and played some intense tight-passing football and it seemed inevitable that if they scored once, then their class would tell and the floodgates would open. Despite several chances, when both frontmen Geoghegan and Haylock went close, it wasn't until six minutes before the interval that they achieved the breakthrough, with Eoin Heary running onto a Karel van der Velden corner to slide in a fine goal.

When goalsmith Stephen Geoghegan added the second just one minute into the second half, the match should have been over as a contest, with only the cricket-style scoreline to be decided. Red Bull was looking forward to seeing some of the subs get a run-out, particularly Johnny Powell in place of the largely ineffective Garry Haylock. However, aided by some inspired saves from 'keeper Paul Whelan, the home team clawed their way back into the match and when Foran volleyed past Steve Williams from a rebound, the Reds looked decidedly shaky, but managed to hang in there and see out the final 20 minutes to advance by the most slender of margins, to the second round.

Team : Williams; Heary, McCarthy, D Geoghegan, T Byrne; D Baker, Fenlon (Doolin 84 mins), van der Velden; R Baker; S Geoghegan, Haylock.

Comment : Both the players and manager Keely are aware of their early season inability to put away their opponents after establishing the lead and their superiority. Deja vous perhaps ? - Red Bull remembers only a couple of season back, when Rico's 'nearly-ran' teams were also accused of lacking steel or resolve.

Comment No. 2 : The most entertaining moment of the match was, when after Geogho was booked close to the halfway line, for blocking a Home Farm free, Keely screamed at the ref – as only he can in his tortured strangulated voice, " why did ye let them take the free, if he wasn't 10 yards away, ye dope ye."

Red Bull '99