PHIL YOUR BOOTS!
Gorman on target for classy Shels
Shelbourne…………………….. 4
Dundalk………………………….. 0
by DAIRE WALSH
TWO GOALS from Philly Gorman, as well as a terrific solo effort from Kevin Dawson, helped Alan Mathews’ Shelbourne to a comfortable win over an overwhelmed Dundalk at a rain-soaked Tolka Park.
This result saw Shels leap-frogging Cork City into sixth place, while Dundalk remain two points ahead of bottom side UCD.
In heavy rainfall, Shels were on top in the possession stakes during the opening quarter, with Patrick Kavanagh looking particularly lively on the left.
He linked up well with Dawson, who was doing his best to break into the Dundalk area from his midfield post.
Yet despite the early pressure, the first real opening of the contest fell the way of Dundalk after 14 minutes.
This particular chance fell the way of striker Michael Rafter, who took advantage of a slip by centre-half Andy Boyle, only to see his delicately dinked effort drift the wrong side of the right-hand post.
This came as a major warning sign for Shels, and it certainly did produce a response from them, with Dundalk custodian Peter Cherrie forced to turn a well-struck Patrick Kavanagh shot away on 22 minutes, before watching a long-range Philly Hughes free-kick drifting just over his crossbar nine minutes later.
Unfortunate
The hosts eventually broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark, when Gorman headed home from 12 yards after his strike partner Hughes had his initial effort parried by the unfortunate Cherrie.
The Lilywhites were left with a mountain to climb when Gorman got his second just seven minutes after the re-start, nodding a pin-point Gareth Matthews delivery to the net from close-range.
The result was put beyond doubt on 62 minutes when Dawson, who was one of Shelbourne’s very best performers in the game, raced clear on the right, before finishing calmly past Cherrie on his near post.
This goal ended the game as a contest, although Dundalk went agonisingly close to getting one back when Chris Shields put winger John Mountney through on goal with keeper Chris Bennion off his line, but Shels left-back Lorcan Fitzgerald was able to track back to clear off the line.
Luck was certainly not falling the way of the travelling Louth men on the night, a fact that was further emphasised on 71 minutes, when substitute McLaughlin inadvertently drove a Dawson cross from the right into his own net for the fourth goal of the evening.
SHELBOURNE: Bennion 7; Matthews 8, Boyle 7, Hurley 7, Fitzgerald 7; Cassidy 7 (C Byrne 75, 6), Dawson 8, Sullivan 7 (P Byrne 82), Kavanagh 7 (McGill 65, 6); Hughes 7, Gorman 9. Subs not used: Shortall, Skinner, S Byrne, Ryan.
DUNDALK: Cherrie 7; Walsh 6, Foran 6, Burns 6, Osborne 5; Mountney 6, Shields 6, McDonnell 6 (McLaughlin 46, 6), Waters 5 (Brady 46, 6); Rafter 6 (Reilly 67, 6), Griffin. Subs not used: Farrelly, Shanahan, Thomas, Cunningham.
REFEREE: Alan Kelly (Cork).
WEATHER: Consistent Rainfall.
ENTERTAINMENT: One-Sided.
ATTENDANCE: 801.