Shelbourne's tactics prevail

CENTRAL TO Shelbourne's latest FAI Cup victory was the tactical switch from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 by Damien Richardson. It was a bit of a gamble. Had Shelbourne lost, Richardson would surely have been fielding brickbats afterwards instead of garlands.

Reverting to the formula of last season, Richardson buttressed his central midfield with the inclusion of John O'Rourke at the expense of a second striker, Dessie Baker, to leave Stephen Geoghegan ploughing a lonely furrow up front.

In the first half, the ploy had only limited success, the midfields effectively cancelling each other, rather than making too much happen. Cup finals are cup finals, in any case. Attempts to play ball from the back were conducted nervously and gingerly.

Shelbourne had more of the ball, but Derry gradually came into the game and, in a half of few chances, were just as threatening. Peter Hutton had clearly been identified as the main Derry threat and he was largely curtailed; occasionally breaking free in the first half, only to be ensnared by Shelbourne's offside trap. The other danger man was, of course, Liam Coyle.

One chest down and flick released the always menacing James Keddy, and one turn and cross led to the far post, down ward header by Paul Curran, which induced a scampering Peter Schmeichel like save by Alan Gough that Richardson admitted was "the turning point". One other superb crossfield ball to Keddy in the second half apart, Coyle was generally well shackled by Pat Scully.

Richardson later revealed that Tony Sheridan "had indulged himself too much by playing in the hole as a free man" and instructed the mid field three of Sheridan, O'Rourke and Brian Flood to play more as a unit. Mind, it had been Sheridan's superb through pass after 44 minutes which released Mark Rutherford for the cross, which O'Rourke headed into the turf and over the bar from six yards.

Nevertheless, the Shelbourne manager quibbled with the choice of Sheridan as `Man of the Match'. Richardson maintained that it was the second half "stranglehold" which a highly committed Flood and O'Rourke initially applied which, in turn, enabled Sheridan to attack and penetrate the opposition back four.

Felix Healy saw it similarly, but interpreted it differently. "You hear all this talk about the beautiful game," said Healy in a reference to Shelbourne's oft praised style. "But Shels set out to stop us from playing with five players crowding midfield."

Healy also said: "I felt there was only one team in it in the first half," and presumably he didn't mean Shelbourne. As for the second period, Healy admitted: "We looked tired. We didn't have the energy for it. But fair play to Shels. Their back four restricted us very well in the second half."

As it happened, the decisive breakthrough couldn't be attributed directly to any of these things but, rather, was the product of Shelbourne's increasing second half ascendancy - interrupted only by Keddy's deflected shot which looped past the post.

Sheridan was advancing more and Stephen Geoghegan was stretching City's back four more - Paul Curran's sliding tackle and Declan Devine's late save denying the Shelbourne predator. Yet ultimately, both goals came from the pressure being exerted on Derry's defenders when in possession as Shelbourne's midfield five pushed up.

Tommy Dunne sliced an attempted clearance for a corner; Pascal Vaudequin returning his initially cleared effort with a slanting, first time left footed centre. No one knew Pascal had one. Rising highest was Dave Campbell, who has now backed himself successfully to score the opener in three successive finals - having done so in both last year's drawn game and the replay for St Patrick's against Shelbourne before his record £20,000 transfer.

This year, the compulsoryfiver had been placed at 33/1, after bets at 25/1 and 16/1 last year, which adds up to a theoretical treble of 13,200/1. But he'll settle for yesterday's tidy profit and a winner's medal.

Asked if there was a deflection from his header en route to the net, Campbell said: "With five minutes left and at 33/1, there's no deflection".

"I had him last year as well," added Mick Neville, the joke taking a few seconds to sink in before Campbell added: "I think John O'Rourke backed me this year as well".

Neville refuted the suggestion that it wasn't a good final. "Taking into account the conditions, there was enough excitement to keep people interested. I've played in an awful lot worse, said the veteran of nine deciders, who is now within one of the record eight winners' medals.

Asked whether he would like to continue playing with Shelbourne for another season, their 36 year old skipper replied: "Other people can decide that".

Smiling into his can of the sponsor's brew, in earshot if not eyes hot, was Damien Richardson, who subsequently said he'd hope that Neville would be with Shelbourne next season, and in an expanded coaching role en route to inevitable management.

That the coup de grace was provided by Stephen Geoghegan was entirely fitting, latching onto Gavin Dykes' slip in steering home his 21st competitive goal of the season with that collector's item, a left footer.

In his own inimitable way, Gaygo concluded: "Once they keep going in, I don't give a s.....".