Moylan & Boyd strikes seal first home win of season for Shels

Shelbourne manager Damien Duff. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Shelbourne FC 2 Sligo Rovers 1 

Shelbourne grabbed their first home win of the season with an impressive win over high flying Sligo Rovers, thanks to goals from Jack Moylan and Sean Boyd, with Paddy Kirk replying for the visitors.

With Joey O’Brien in charge, as suspended duo Damien Duff and first team coach Alan Quinn watching on from the stands, The Reds started the aggressors with the attacking trio of Jack Moylan, Sean Boyd and Shane Farrell causing mayhem in the final third.

Following some positive news on the “Save Tolka Park” campaign front in recent days, as Dublin City Council recommended the ground not be rezoned for housing purposes, there was an air of optimism around the famous old ground.

The raucous home support had even more to cheer about midway through the first half as fan favourite Jack Moylan curled home from the edge of the area to break the deadlock.

The visitors, unbeaten in three, couldn’t halt the flow of pressure and just before the break Sean Boyd doubled Shels lead with an almost identical goal, but from a few yards further out.

The Reds, who emerged one-nil victors up in The Showgrounds at the start of April, could have made it three just minutes into the second half, but Ed McGinty at full stretch brilliantly denied Boyd his second from a header.

To their credit, Rovers kept going and halved the deficit with a thunderous Paddy Kirk strike, having beaten two challenges at the edge of the box with 25-minutes remaining.

McGinty, widely regarded as one of the league's best keepers proved it yet again with an incredible double save to deny Boyd, first from a header at point blank range and the follow up at the big striker's feet just as it looked like he would slide home.

Despite a nervy last few moments, Shels hung on for a massive three points as the final whistle was met with huge relief by home players and fans alike.

Shelbourne FC: Brendan Clarke, John Ross Wilson, Conor Kane, Aaron O’Driscoll, Shane Griffin, Luke Byrne, JJ Lunney (Aodh Dervin, 64’), Mark Coyle, Sean Boyd, Jack Moylan (Daniel Carr, 89’), Shane Farrell Subs not used: Lewis Webb, Kameron Ledwidge, Jad Hakiki, Stanley Anaebonam, Gavin Molloy, Stephen Negru, Gbemi Arubi 

Sligo Rovers: Edward McGinty, Lewis Banks (Colm Horgan, 79’), Robbie McCourt, Greg Bolger (Seamus Keogh, 79’), William Fitzgerald (Max Mata, 45’), Aidan Keena (Cillian Heaney, 79’), Mark Byrne (Jordan Hamilton, 45’), Adam McDonnell, Paddy Kirk, David Cawley, Nando Pijnaker Subs not used: Niall Morahan, Karl O’Sullivan, Cillian Heaney, Richard Brush, Kallin Barlow 

Referee: Ben Connolly.