Daniel Kelly strikes late as Shelbourne grind out win at St Pat's

Daniel Kelly of Shelbourne celebrates. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile.

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Shelbourne 1

Shelbourne haven’t had much to shout about this season. Grouped among the title contenders at the outset, they have disappointed once too often and came here with just one win in seven games. Slapped with the worst home record in the league tells its own story, too.

And yet for all of that unwanted baggage, no team has a better set of credentials on the road and Shels played with a doggedness at Richmond Park that their travelling fans would dearly love to see on a more consistent basis.

Substitute Daniel Kelly pounced with eight minutes to go to enhance their standing as visitors who refuse to bow, with St Pat’s the frustrated hosts this time in their bid to keep tabs with leaders Shamrock Rovers. Unbeaten in four games now, and up to fifth, Shelbourne will hope this is actually a turning point in their season.

Stephen Kenny had urged St Pat’s supporters to take their seats early in Inchicore, having seen his side score five and concede six goals inside the opening 13 minutes of games this season. But although the Saints brought the fight to Shelbourne early on, clearcut opportunities to land a blow were limited on either side.

Still, the hosts had the best of them midway through the opening half but Ryan Edmondson passed up the opportunity to add to the eight-goal haul that has him top of the Premier Division’s scoring charts. He was sliding in to reach Zack Elbouzedi’s low ball across the face of goal, but just couldn’t connect at a time when the Shels defence was all at sea.

At that point, St Pat’s carried more threat in their attacking play than Shelbourne but James Brown, Kian Leavy, Chris Forrester and Luke Turner all skewed efforts that either sailed over or drifted harmlessly wide. But there was enough in the intent for the home supporters to rally behind in a feisty clash laced with some fierce tackles.

Shelbourne weathered the early storm and grew into the game, albeit without setting off too many alarm bells in the Saints rearguard. But goalkeeper Joseph Anang made a timely save at his near post to keep out a Harry Wood shot that was going wide before it changed path after a wicked deflection off defender Turner.

Kerr McInroy’s injury-enforced withdrawal was a half-time blow for Shelbourne, and yet the team with the best away record in the league reemerged with purpose and should have snatched the lead within two minutes. Milan Mbeng, back after his own injury issues, crashed a close-range shot off the crossbar after St Pat’s defender Sean Hoare blocked Wood’s initial shot on the six-yard line.

Shelbourne were playing with more purpose now and St Pat’s relied on Anang for a second time to maintain parity. Still under consideration for Ghana’s World Cup squad, he clawed John Martin's header to safety with one hand and then showed smart reactions to snaffle the loose ball.

That pressure eventually told with eight minutes remaining as subs Rodrigo Freitas and Kelly combined on the counter. Freitas won the ball in his own half and after nearly losing possession, he regained composure and split Leavy and Joe Redmond with a killer ball for Kelly to race onto and steer low into the corner of Anang’s goal.

But Shelbourne were not home and hosed and had to withstand a barrage of St Pat’s corners at the death as Kenny’s men - who had Hoare sent off in injury-time - ramped up the pressure with Turner crashing a header off the crossbar. But the shrill of Rob Hennessy’s final whistle was music to Shelbourne's ears after a solid shift.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Anang; Redmond, Hoare, Turner; Brown (McClelland 89), Lennon (Rooney 89), Baggley (Palmer 76), Elbouzedi; Leavy, Forrester (Nugent 76); Edmondson (Keena 80) 

SHELBOURNE: Speel; Mbeng (Gannon 58), Bone, Rossi, Ledwidge; McInroy (Caffrey 45), Lunney; Coote (Kelly 58), Wood, Jarvis (Freitas 73); Martin (Chapman 89).

Referee: R Hennessy (Limerick).