Kavanagh helps Shels take spoilsin derby

Shelbourne recorded their first win of the season, riding their luck in accounting for Bohemians in their Airtricity League Premier Division encounter at Dalymount Park last night.

It’s been six years since these near neighbours met in the top flight, with Shelbourne’s well documented financial difficulties leading to a prolonged spell away from the limelight.

A well-deserved point against Sligo Rovers last weekend set Shels up nicely for this derby encounter although the absence of the influential David Cassidy through injury appeared to limit their attacking options.

However, his replacement in that advanced midfield role behind lone-striker Philip Hughes proved an inspired selection, with Paddy Kavanagh producing a hugely impressive performance.

It was the hosts who impressed during the opening exchanges, with Dwayne Wilson a lively presence down their left flank, and from one surging run and cross in the third minute, the unmarked Dinny Corcoran planted a firm header too close to Dean Delany, who saved comfortably.

Seven minutes later, Delany once again denied his former team-mate with an easy stop after Corcoran had volleyed from 18 yards following further poor communication in the heart of the Shelbourne defence. After Kevin Feely and Corcoran had both headed over from promising positions, Bohemians were hit by a sucker punch as they fell behind in what was the visitors’ opening attack.

The goal arrived in the 21st minute with Paddy Kavanagh blocking an Evan McMillan clearance before cutting inside Owen Heary and unleashing a sublime finish into the top right hand corner of Craig Sexton’s goal from the edge of the penalty area.

Despite taking a less than merited lead, Shelbourne continued to lack composure in much of their play and their marking left a lot to be desired 10 minutes before the break with Evan McMillan the culprit on this occasion as his free header from a Karl Moore corner failed to find the target.

The interval failed to have the desired calming effect on Shelbourne, who continued to defend haphazardly and they were fortunate not to concede within six minutes of the restart as Moore’s deflected shot whizzed narrowly wide of Delany’s right-hand post.

Despite their defensive frailties, Shelbourne offered a sporadic threat on the counter-attack and Kavanagh should have done better in the 54th minute than finding the first defender as he raced unopposed from the inside right position with both Hughes and Conan Byrne awaiting a centre.

Kavanagh’s influence was far more telling 20 minutes from time, and although Sexton did well to palm away his crisp drive from 20 yards, Hughes showed all his predatory instincts in rifling the rebound home from close range to double his side’s advantage.

Suitably buoyed by that second goal, Shelbourne finally began to show a degree of consistency with Hughes unlucky to be cautioned after his jersey looked to have been pulled by Feely inside the penalty area as the hosts’ heads visibly dropping as the evening developed.

A frustrating evening for Bohemians was encapsulated in the 84th minute when the tireless Moore created room inside the penalty area but he dragged his effort wide, with Shelbourne happy to see out the remainder of the game with relative comfort.

BOHEMIANS: Sexton; Heary, Feely, McMillan, L Byrne (D Byrne, 70); Moore, Joyce, McEvoy (Mulcahy, 68), Lopes, Wilson (Davidson, 78); Corcoran.

SHELBOURNE: Delany; Matthews, Boyle, Ryan, Fitzgerald; McGill (Murphy, 82), Cronin, Hurley, Byrne; Kavanagh, Hughes (Gorman, 85).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork)