League of Ireland Premier Division: St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Shelbourne 0
St Pat’s and Shelbourne had to settle for a point each after this entertaining game at Richmond Park.
Pat’s boss Stephen Kenny may feel more disappointed than Shels’ Damien Duff seeing his side had more of the chances overall – though it was Shels who nearly snatched the win at the death when Ali Coote headed wide.
Attacking the Shed end, the home side had the best of the early exchanges. After just four minutes Jake Mulraney whipped a fantastic ball across to the far side of the box but Mason Melia couldn’t get a decent touch and Shelbourne cleared it out for a corner.
Shels were under heavy pressure for a spell after that with Pat’s forcing a series of corners but the visitors managed to deal with each one – with Lewis Temple playing a major part in Shels’ solidity at the back.
Pat’s Jamie Lennon should have done better when he drove his shot wide on nine minutes while Brandon Kavanagh’s strike on 13 minutes took a deflection into the hands of Shelbourne goalkeeper Conor Kearns.
Shels’ Ellis Chapman then got off a shot on 16 minutes but Pat’s goalkeeper Joseph Anang saved easily. Anang saved with ease again three minutes later from a tame Harry Wood effort.
Kavanagh’s corner kick for Pat’s on 25 minutes was met by Sean Hoare, but the former Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers man couldn’t get his header on target.
Then Chapman had a shot for Shels that was pushed out for a corner by Anang. As the corner came in, Mark Coyle went down in the box and got a yellow card for his efforts.
Melia teed up Zach Elbouzedi on 31 minutes but his effort flew over the top.
Shels were forced into a change on 37 minutes when John Martin was replaced by Ademipo Odubeko having taken a knock earlier in the game.
Shels came more into the game as the half progressed and there was a flurry of activity coming up to the halftime break.
Chris Forrester went close for Pat’s on 41 minutes with a brilliant effort that looked destined for the top corner but it crept inches wide.
At the other end, Odubeko had a chance for Shels in injury time but couldn’t find the target.
Pat’s started the second half just as they had started the first and Shels found it hard to get out of their own half at stages as the home side dominated.
They had plenty of chances with the pick of them from Lennon on 56 minutes but he couldn’t get his header on target.
In a rare break forward, Shels’ Chapman had a terrific shot on 59 minutes off his left foot that forced Anang into a full-stretch save.
Wood was doing very well for Shels and on 63 minutes he won a corner after a great run and shot. The corner was cleared out to JJ Lunney who fired high over the top.
Anang then pulled off an unbelievable save on 67 minutes when he got down quickly to deny a rocket from Odubeko. The Shels man was having a good spell at this stage and had another opportunity to open the scoring on 70 minutes but his tame effort trickled wide.
Melia was showing his usual creative play and played a delightful through ball to Elbouzedi on 80 minutes but there was just too much pace on the ball and it came to nothing.
Sub Kian Leavy also had a chance for Pat’s but fired wide before Coote couldn’t get his header on target at the death.
Elsewhere, Drogheda United moved to the top of the Premier Division thanks to their 2-0 victory over Waterford at United Park, with Warren Davis and Darragh Markey on the scoresheet. Bohemians moved off the bottom echelons of the table with a 4-2 win over Sligo Rovers, with Ross Tierney getting a brace.
Shamrock Rovers secured a 1-0 win over Galway United away from home after a Rory Gaffney goal at the start of the second half. Meanwhile, Derry City came from behind to beat Cork City 2-1 at the Brandywell.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang; Sjoberg, Redmond, Hoare, Breslin; Forrester, Lennon (Bagley 90), Kavanagh (Leavy 73); Mulraney (McClelland 62), Melia (Carty 90), Elbouzedi.
Shelbourne: Kearns; Caffrey, Coyle, Temple, Ledwidge, Norris; Chapman (O’Sullivan 90), Lunney, McInroy; Martin, (Odubeko 37), Wood (Coote 72).
Referee: Rob Hennessy.
Attendance: 5,374
