Shelbourne 4 Limerick 37 3SHELBOURNE exorcised a ghost or two in Drumcondra last night as they recorded a long overdue win over bogey side Limerick to reach the last four of the FAI Cup.
Having lost to non-league Sheriff YC in the last round, Shelbourne were reinstated, on appeal, after the non-league side were expelled for fielding an ineligible player. Four points clear at the top of the First Division table, and desperate to get back up to the top flight after five years in the lower tier, Shelbourne now have a home cup semi-final with St Patrick’s Athletic to look forward to on the weekend of October 16th.
Keen to avenge a recent home defeat against a side that’s been a bogey for them at Tolka Park for several years, Shelbourne began with plenty of purpose.
Top scorer Philip Hughes flashed a half volley off target minutes after a delightful attack involving Brendan McGill, skipper David Cassidy, Kevin Dawson and Barry Clancy’s cross.
But Hughes made full amends on 19 minutes to give Shels the lead. John Sullivan’s cross was hooked back into the box by Clancy and Hughes controlled the ball on his chest, turned and volleyed past Barry Ryan.
With Cassidy, Dawson and Sullivan running midfield, rampant Shelbourne doubled their lead on 27 minutes. Hughes was involved again as he lost possession in the box. But the ball ran into the path of defender Andy Bhandarkar who, facing his own goal, put the ball into his own net as he attempted to clear for a corner.
Shelbourne got a third goal within 15 seconds of the restart. And it was simplicity itself as McGill put over the telling cross from the right and Hughes found Ryan’s bottom right corner with a well-placed header.
John Frost gave Limerick faint hope nine minutes later when cutting across from the right to rifle a low left-footer to the net from 30 yards But Hughes completed his treble with a goal direct from a free-kick on 76 minutes – his 23rd strike of the season.
Sheedy tapped home a Stephen O’Flynn cross to make it 4-2 on 80 minutes. The young substitute then rattled Shelbourne further when shooting home off a post in the 90th minute.
SHELBOURNE: Skinner; Matthews, Boyle, Fitzgerald; B McGill, Cassidy (Byrne, 82 mins.), Sullivan, Dawson, Clancy; Hughes (Da Silva, 90 mins.), Bermingham (Gorman 77 mins).
LIMERICK FC: B Ryan; Frost, Broughall (O'Flynn 70 mins.), McCarthy, Bhandarkar; Hynes (Sheedy, 61 mins.), Quinn, O'Leary, Tracy, Coughlan (McGann, 55 mins.); Hynes.
Referee: Dave McKeon (Dublin).
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