Jarvis double against Shamrock Rovers gives Shels buffer at the top
Shelbourne’s Will Jarvis celebrates scoring the second goal of the game with a penalty. Picture: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
A champions-like performance to perforate the five-in-a-row bid by the champions and give the Duffer a handsome buffer.
Damien Duff’s first win at Tallaght was Shelbourne’s third in a row, generating a six-point gap to Derry and significantly another three to Shamrock Rovers.
That first title since Shels struck a turning point in 2006 of the league trophy being presented with demotion for financial irregularities is coming closer on the horizon.
By the end, the holders were more like Ragball Rovers, down to 10 men for the last hour when they trailed by a pair of Will Jarvis penalties. The mother of all their renowned revivals is imperative for them to rechart history.
Late goals on Monday night – John Mountney’s winner for Dundalk and sub Evan Caffery snatching Shels another victory – ensured Duff’s side enjoyed a healthy lead over the champions heading to Tallaght.
It was their first visit of the season to the home of the champions and the fact they’ve only one left ought to render any downplaying by the Shels camp as redundant.
They even negotiated this landmark win without starting the striker who’d scored in their previous four games.
Seán Boyd is one of Duff’s several project players, discarded by plenty of others, but welfare was prioritised in managing the gametime for someone riddled by serious knee injuries.
What mattered most to the Shels staff was sustaining the defensive unit that’s been their hallmark on this journey, Just a dozen goals have been conceded in their 19 games, this second to John Caulfield’s resolute Galway, and there were several factors for them restricting Rovers to another blank.
In the first instance, the Hoops can only blame themselves for failing to capitalise on their early pressure.
With Jack Byrne back to full fitness and starting his third game on the spin, they had the nous to stretch the leaders but it was Trevor Clarke’s dominance over Sean Gannon on the left which provided the most potent outlet.
Gannon was only back at Tallaght for the first time since leaving but this wasn’t shaping up to be a happy homecoming when he was skinned twice by the wing-back inside the first eight minutes.
While it was meant to be a cross, Clarke’s delivery looped up in the air to beat Conor Kearns and clip the top of the crossbar. Within 60 seconds, the same player ghosted in behind Gannon to meet Neil Farrugia’s delivery but prop his volley off the near post.
Then came the most glaring of misses by the unlikeliest of culprits. Johnny Kenny’s seventh goal of the season secured victory over Derry City on Monday and that was more difficult than the one he spurned.
Clarke tormented his opposite number again to send Graham Burke to the endline and his squared ball across the six-yard box invited a cleaner touch than the miscue Kenny applied to somehow allow it slip.
There was no way back once Shels made them pay. Kearns does pack a punch with his feet but his long kickout was still routine enough for Rovers to deal with. Instead, Pico Lopes depended on Josh Honohan to connect and when he didn’t, Caffrey was left alone to charge clear. Lopes had no option but to stick out a leg and concede the penalty, which Jarvis duly converted.
What unfolded for Rovers in their comeback quest was what can only be branded a series of unfortunate events. Injury and concussion forced Dan Cleary and Honohan off and the defenders were followed by the marauding Clarke to a muscle strain.
By the half-time whistle, childhood friends Byrne and Burke were bickering on their way towards the tunnel.
Stephen Bradley needed an answer all he got were more from Shels. Leon Pohls denied Jarvis within a minute of the restart and the danger deepened when Lopes slid in to foul Matty Smith on 57 minutes.
Once again, Jarvis chose the left side, this penalty rising higher into the top corner.
Lopes being sent-off, when he might have been for the first penalty, seemed just and Farrugia’s wild shot summed off another off-colour showing for Rovers.
L Pohls; D Cleary (L Grace 28), R Lopes, J Honohan (A McEneff 34); N Farrugia, M Poom, J Byrne (C Noonan 82), T Clarke (A Greene 44); D Nugent, G Burke; J Kenny.
C Kearns; S Gannon, P Barrett, G Molloy, K Ledwidge; M Coyle, JJ Lunney (D Williams 76); J O’Sullivan, E Caffrey (S Farrell 90), W Jarvis (S Boyd 72); M Smith (J Hakiki 76).
Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).
8,276.
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