Memorable day deserves replay

The result was scarcely a surprise. We've grown well used to Harp Lager FAI Cup finals being drawn in recent years. But after some fairly indifferent deciders over the past few years, the quality of the football between Bohemians and Shelbourne at Tolka Park yesterday was good enough to make it memorable.

Of course, everybody had hoped they would produce a game of good, open football on this, their first meeting in a major cup final, but it was still a little bit of a surprise when they did just that. Both teams set out to win the tie at the first attempt and each created the sort of chances with which they might have done it. In the end, the goalkeeping was good enough and the defending sufficiently solid to ensure it will be late on Friday before we know which team is to come out on top.

It might have been different, for Shelbourne had the opportunity to kill the whole thing off within minutes of the kick-off.

Over the course of the match as a whole, Bohemians held their own in terms of attempts on goal, but had they been punished on those two occasions so early on when they were caught terribly square then it surely would have beyond them to come back.

Each time one of Dermot Keely's men slipped clear, however, a defender materialised as if from nowhere to make the covering tackle. Avery John's on Dessie Baker was quite brilliant, even if the Dubliner did dally on the ball a little, while Tony O'Connor's on Stephen Geoghegan a couple of minutes later must have been equally shocking to Shelbourne supporters long since used to seeing their men score from those positions.

For most of the first period Shelbourne just about continued to edge it, but key players, including the Bakers, Pat Fenlon - whose set pieces were especially disappointing - and James Keddy were having quiet days.

Bohemians were seeing as much of the ball as they had in any of their league encounters with the champions this season, and as the game went on they got the upper hand in central midfield where Kevin Hunt was the dominant figure.

Beside him, Stephen Caffrey squandered too much of the possession the Englishman won, but the greater problems were out wide where neither Paul Byrne nor Mark Dempsey were having much of an effect. Up front things were going well enough for Steve Williams to be forced into a couple of decent stops, while John's aerial power also posed a threat.

But there were frustrating moments too: twice Derek Swan delayed a pass when team-mates were screaming for the ball, and then passed up the chance to shoot first time from a good position.

Early in the second period Collins acted: he replaced Byrne with Ray Kelly and moved Garreth O'Connor from his deep striking role to more familiar territory out on the flank.

But within five minutes Hunt had injured himself in an accidental clash with Robbie Brunton, and with his departure that central midfield superiority took a bit of a hammering.

His side continued to enjoy strong spells, but it was at the other end that the better chances were created. The best fell to Dessie Baker who fired wide, was then brought down fractionally outside the box after being put clear and who then, late on, spent an age lining up a shot that was eventually blocked down.

Not so Mark Dempsey, whose first time crack at the Shelbourne goal in the 89th minute was met from six or eight yards by the head of Ray Kelly. It would have been quite a way to win a fine cup final, but then Williams' reaction stop was a wonderful way to stay in one.

Bohemians: Dempsey; T O'Connor, Maher, John, Brunton; Byrne, Hunt, Caffrey, Dempsey; O'Connor; Swan. Subs: Kelly for Byrne (56 mins), Doyle for Hunt (61 mins), Crowe for Swan (82 mins).

Shelbourne: Williams; Heary, Scully, McCarthy, D Geoghegan; R Baker, Doolin, Fenlon, Keddy; D Baker, S Geoghegan.

Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).

Stalemate . . . Shelbourne's Dessie Baker is marked by Avery John of Bohemians yesterday. - (Photograph: Cyril Byrne)