Cassidy strikes winner to fire Shelbourne back top
Alan Matthews’ side made hard work of Harps and only a David Cassidy finish on 49 minutes separated the sides and sent Shels ahead of Cork and Monaghan in the table.
Harps were the better side in the opening half, with Marc Brolly threatening on numerous occasions and were unlucky not to lead at the break after Packie Mailey’s headed goal from Gareth Harkin’s cross was ruled out for a push on goalkeeper Dean Delaney on 43 minutes.
SHELBOURNE: D Delaney 7; I Ryan 7 (G Matthews 88), S Byrne (L Fitzgerald HT) 5, A Boyle 7, S Paisley 7, C James 6, D McGill (R Scully 78) 6, D Cassidy 7, P Hughes 6, B Clancy 7, B McGill 6.
FINN HARPS: C Gallagher 7; M Brolly 7, J Doherty 7, C Coll 7, P Mailey 7, M Forker 6, C Connaghan (G Merrit 67) 6, T Bonner 6, K Cowan 7, G Friel (K McHugh 67) 7, G Harkin 6 (G Whoriskey 78).
Referee: B James 7.
(Gavin Early)
TWO first-half goals helped Waterford United to three crucial points over a battling Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park last night.
After 17 minutes Waterford took a deserved lead. Conor Sinnott took advantage of poor defending to shoot low to the left hand corner.
With the homeside not having a singly direct shot on goal, it was home keeper Holden who superbly kept out efforts from Quinn and Murray before the visitors increased their lead just on the break, with David Breen forcing the ball home from close range.
Wexford Youths showed considerable improvement in the second half with Darragh Walsh forcing a fine 58th minute save out of keeper Kevin Burns. The homeside pulled a goal back in the 60th minute. Shane Nolan powered in a low shot which keeper Burns spilled, and following the resulting goalmouth melee, the referee awarded a penalty which Danny Furlong neatly tucked away, making it 2-1.
But they could not grab the equaliser as Blues held on.
WEXFORD YOUTHS: P Holden, M Kehoe, G McCurtain, A Woulfe, K Keogh, C Wall, B Ryan, G Yelverton (P Malone 45), D Furlong, D Walshe (D Grincell 60), S Nolan.
WATERFORD UTD: K Burns, K Murray, M Coady, K Burns, L Chin, D Breen, G Dunphy (P Carey 83), S Dempsey (D Wilson 72), K Quinn (S Barrett 90+1), C Sinnott, G Keane.
Referee: Philip Cascara.
(Brendan Furlong)
A SUPERB brace of goals from Jason Molloy gave Mervue United their first home win of the season against nine-man Monaghan United at Fahy’s Field.
Molloy opened the scoring after just five minutes when Dave Rodgers lost possession in midfield, but Roddy Collins’ side got back on level terms 13 minutes later when Declan O’Brien superbly lobbed Ger Hanley.
But Mervue carried a 2-1 lead into the break when Eric Browne was on hand to tap in Mark Ludden’s smart cut-back in the 27th minute.
Molloy made the game save 10 minutes after the restart with a terrific individual effort and any hopes of a Monaghan comeback were dashed eight minutes later when Paul Whelan was red-carded for raising his hands after a stiff challenge from Molloy.
And he was joined in the dressing room by O’Brien after 77 minutes when the Monaghan striker was shown a second yellow card.
MERVUE UNITED: Hanley; Curran, Conneally, Browne, Cunningham; King, Varley, Tierney (Lee, 73), Ludden; Molloy, (O’Brien, 70), Gaffney.
MONAGHAN UNITED: Sava; Whelan, Rodgers, Collins, Grimes (Marks, 54); Foley, Reilly (Isichei, 73), R Brennan, McMahon; S Brennan (Tierney, 61), O’Broen.
Referee: S Templeman.
( John Fallon)
LIMERICK FC cruised to a comfortable win over Athlone Town at Jackman Park last night.
Geoffrey Judge’s ninth minute lob complimented by Brian McCarthy’s 43rd minute volley put Limerick into a 2-0 lead.
Shane Tracy sealed the win five minutes from time with a low left-footed volley.
Athlone’s Niall Scullion was sent off on the hour for a foul on Stephen O’Flynn.
LIMERICK: Ryan, Treacy, Purcell, McCarthy, Frost, Broughall, Tracy, Judge, Quinn, Hynes, O’Flynn. Subs. Coughlan for Hynes (66 mins), O’Callaghan for Purcell (inj. 63 mins).
ATHLONE TOWN: Shlingerman, Scullion, Williamson, Woods, Danagher, Barrett, Gill, Tier, Stack, Sweeney, Gardiner. Subs. Horan for Gardiner (60 mins), Monaghan for Gill (63 mins), King for Williamson (84 mins).
Referee: S Grant (Wexford).
(Bernard O’Neill)
