SHELBOURNE got there in the end thanks to another back to basics, solid performance but, my, how Dundalk made them work for it. John Hewitt's supposedly beleaguered visitors even scored their first away goal of the season, thereby giving Shelbourne a palpitating last 13 minutes.
The victory, only Shelbourne's second of the campaign at Tolka Park, extended their unbeaten run to four games, and the haul of 10 points from 12 moves them - ominously up to fourth place - for 24 hours at any rate.
A minute's silence was observed and black armbands worn by the participants in memory of an 11 year old Shelbourne fan, Brian Neligan from Donaghmede, who was the victim of a tragic accident this week.
In the cold light of day, even dedicated Dundalk men might agree that it was therefore fitting that Shelbourne did win, all the more so by virtue of two Stephen Geoghegan goals. As agreed beforehand, the striker's jersey and an autographed match ball will be placed in the grave at the funeral tomorrow.
Dundalk, to their credit, employed a new 4-4-1-1 formation, with Brian Byrne as the attacking edge of a well populated midfield and player manager John Hewitt the playmaking anchorman.
Given it was the system's first try out, in the light of five away games without a goal, Dundalk employed it with some style. Belying their lowly position, the visitors provided Shelbourne with thoughtful, intelligent opposition for much of the night.
Although Shelbourne, themselves maintaining the 4-4-2 formation used in their last three games, had more of the possession in a nip and tuck first half, Dundalk more or less matched them chance for chance, using the additional mid fielder to counterattack well and moving the ball around nicely.
Mark Rutherford's hanging corners, which provided a constant threat all night, saw David Crawley block a goal bound header from Pat Scully inside two minutes. The Tolka faithful, around 2,000 of them on a bitterly cold night, waited for the customary early barrage from Shelbourne, but Dundalk demanded some patience from them.
Robbie DeVereux, keen to impress on his old stomping ground, was always looking to break from midfield, and a clever one two with Byrne after seven minutes saw him flash a low shot wide. Dave Campbell headed another corner wide, and - adapting to his recent midfield role with increasing confidence - was the instigator when Stephen Geoghegan tested Les Fridge (perhaps in his element on the freezing night that was in it) and Pat Scully shot over before Devereux directed Hanrahan's inviting centre high over the bar.
Dundalk were competing hard, in Mick Doohan's case too hard on one occasion, when he was booked for a tackle from behind on the hard working Pat Morley. Two minutes from the break, Shelbourne broke through, Morley intercepting Crawley's crossfield pass and swiftly releasing Geoghegan for a venomous 25 yard drive which bounced awkwardly for the surprised Fridge.
Shelbourne put together their best move just before the break when Greg Costello and his two strikers combined to put Rutherford in for an angled shot which he miscued. The winger also fired a Vaudequin cross over on the resumption.
The home team were dominant, limiting Dundalk to little or nothing. After Morley, Tony Sheridan and Scully (brilliantly picked out by Sheridan) threatened to extend the lead, Geoghegan did, deftly converting another Rutherford corner with a glancing near post header for his seventh goal in four games.
However, Shelbourne switched off, and within three minutes Devereux broke from his own half from a cleared Shelbourne free to find Joe Gallen with a crossfield ball, the latter stepping inside Costello before placing his low drive from the edge of the area inside the upright with some elan.
That made for a tense, absorbing finale, Shelbourne generally penning Dundalk inside their half to avert giving up a 2-0 lead for the second home game running.
