Shelbourne 0-0 Galway

Shels struggle to score

Boasting the meanest defence in the league with just 7 goals conceded, Shelbourne remain unbeaten this season and maintained their now familiar routine of assuming the early weekend lead at the top of the table, only to be overhauled by one of their more free-scoring rivals by the Sunday. With just 3 points separating the top 5 clubs bunched in the lead, the Real Reds need to start scoring goals and taking full points if they are to stage a realistic challenge for the title. Having drawn 6 out 12 games , 3 each at 0-0 and 1-1, Shels may yet come to rue those lost opportunities against the lesser lights of the league – such as Galway (twice), Drogheda and Waterford. Draws also, against fellow contenders – the Junkies & the Scum – when both teams were vulnerable, may also prove to be vital at the final reckoning.

Learning just half the lesson from last week’s performance against Rovers in Santry, schoolteacher Keely finally succumbed to sensibility and restored Dutchman van der Velden to his rightful berth in the heart of the Red’s midfield. However, the Shel’s manager still seems reluctant to acknowledge his folly in persisting with the ever-more useless Stockin’. The former striker, regardless of past glories simply doesn’t have ‘it’ any more, and has overstayed his extended welcome in the starting eleven. A spell on the bench or in the reserves may unearth some distant memory of where the goals lie. A glimmer of hope for Red Bull – who was the first to decry this particular Emperor as having no clothes – is that the Stockin’ only lasted the first 45 minutes, before Keely eventually saw the light and called time on him.

In a wet and blustery Terryland Park, the game started brightly with first the home side and then the visitors, chalking up a near-miss apiece. Galway winger Ollie Neary burst through on the right after only one minute, but the vigilant Steve Williams did enough for the ball to deflect over the top left-hand side of goals. Almost immediately afterwards, van der Velden was handed an opportunity for one of his speciality free kicks when Geogho was fouled 30 yards from goal. The former Rushden & Diamonds’ man hit a blistering screamer which was only just tipped over by the Galway ‘keeper, to deny the Real Reds an early lead. In a pretty much uneventful remaining first half, the Shel’s back four dealt comfortably with the home side’s out-of-form front runners, while Fenlon and van der Velden worked hard in the engine-room. Stephen Geoghegan struggled to find his touch – perhaps understandably, not yet fully recovered from the knocks he received in the Waterford and Derry games.

The arrival of Dessie Baker and presumably another one of Keely’s half-time bollockin’s, saw an increased tempo added to the game. Both the Baker boys had the better chances of the half to score the elusive winner, with Dessie forcing a diving block from Hickey after Scully had knocked down the ball from a corner and Richie shooting weakly, after sprinting clear down the right onto to a clearance from Heary and Fenlon. Galway had created a couple of half-chances through their best player Neary, but Williams was never really troubled, before the game sizzled out to a damp and disappointing ending.

Team : Williams; Heary, McCarthy, Scully, D Geoghegan; R Baker, Van der Velden , Fenlon , Keddy; S Geoghegan, Haylock (D Baker 45 mins).

Red Bull '99

Comment : Is the Red Bull a bit harsh on Haylers? Vote for yourslef in our dangerously un-representative poll.