Dundalk brush off battling Shelbourne at Oriel Park

Dundalk 2 Shelbourne 0

Ciaran Kilduff returned in some style as FAI Cup holders Dundalk booked their place in the third round draw with a 2-0 win over Shelbourne at Oriel Park.

The curtains looked to have been pulled on the striker’s season when he fractured two vertebrae in Dundalk’s EA Sports Cup defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic on April 18th but he came off the bench in the 72nd minute and secured the Lilywhites’ passage to the next stage with a sensational volley 13 minutes later.

Kevin Doherty's side held out for 21 minutes before the natives made the breakthrough. Robbie Benson set Daryl Horgan free on the left and he checked back inside to lift a delightful right footed finish over Jack Brady.

Benson almost doubled the lead three minutes later but his header just cleared the Shelbourne crossbar before Horgan curled another delightful effort just off target.

Shels were offered hope just past the half hour when Lorcan Shannon picked out Adam Collins with a free kick from the right but the centre back couldn’t keep his header on target.

Benson saw a deflected effort whistle just past the post in the second half and Brady also denied Ronan Finn before Kilduff settled it, acrobatically smashing home a Darren Meenan corner.

DUNDALK: Sava; Gannon, Gartland, Barrett, Grimes; Shields, Benson (Poynton 87); Meenan, Finn, Horgan (O'Connor 89); McMillan (Kilduff 72).

SHELBOURNE: Brady; Boyne, Keeley, Collins (C Kavanagh 84), Kehoe; Shannon (Walshe 72), Doyle (Oguntola 81), O'Reilly, O'Connor, Doyle; English.

Referee: Rob Rogers.