Shelbourne 1-0 Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers suck as Shels coast to victory

The Real reds extended their lead at the top of the eircom Premier Division with this single goal win at Tolka Park last night. Eaaasy.

The victory was a valuable one by the League Leaders in their quest for the title, but as a football spectacle it was a poor offering. The prime cause of this was the defensive tactics used by Sligo who were keen not to lose, but in the end they were caught out and fell to their 11th defeat of the league. The goal which decided the match came five minutes before half time. Richie Baker beat the offside trap on the right and crossed for Pat Fenlon to score with a cracking shot from just inside the area.

Sligo rarely attacked, the couldnt, but they did increase the tempo late in the second half, and they were unlucky not to score close to the finish with two headers, one by Pádraig Moran, which was tipped over the bar by Red Steve Williams, and another by Steve Birks which went narrowly wide.

Having lost 5 3 to Shamrock Rovers last week, Sligo were determined not to concede goals this week. Their main ploy was defence and they often had up to nine players behind the ball. The policy at times frustrated Shels as the Reds found themselves with nowhere to go. This often led to wide shooting from far out which came to nothing.

In the first half Sligo rarely attacked and the only chance they created came a minute before the break. In what was a rare Sligo attack the ball fell invitingly for Moran in front of goal, but he somehow shot high over the bar from almost underneath it. Generally, the tactics employed by Sligo left few chances for an open game and the entertainment value suffered as a result. Star of the Sligo rearguard action was their Caribbean born central defender Wesley Charles who virtually cleared everything in sight.

And he almost snatched a surprise goal for Sligo 11 minutes into the second half when he came up for a corner, but drove the lose ball into the side netting. Just a minute later he was booked when he took down Richie Baker who was in full flight up the left having been put through by Tony McCarthy.

We had a wonderful chance to go into an early lead when after only four minutes a great run up the left wing by Gary Haylock led to the striker sending in a cross which Richie Baker tried to slide home with the outside of his foot but the ball went wide. Just six minutes later Declan Geoghegan tried to out fox Sligo goalkeeper Nicky Brujos with a similar type of effort but the Sligo keeper scrambled across his line to save the ball at an upright. From the lose ball Dessie Baker sent it into the Sligo penalty area but it was headed clear by Charles.

In the 29th minute Richie had another wonderful effort and was so lucky not to score when he swerved the ball around the Sligo defence but the ball struck an upright. Just three minutes later Shelbourne missed another great chance when a cross by Richie Baker was missed by Ian Rossiter but James Keddy shot the chance well over the bar.

Team: Williams, Heary, Geoghegan, McCarthy, Scully, Dessie Baker, Haylock, Richie Baker, Fenlon, Keddy, Doolin. Van Der Velden for Doolin (55 mins), Campbell for Van Der Velden (80 mins).