Shelbourne the masters, St Patrick's the brave

ST PATRICK'S indomitable spirit served them well at a pulsating Richmond Park (does it ever do anything else?). Outplayed for practically all of the first-half, reduced to 10 men for much of the second, they dug deep in time-honoured fashion to prize a point which they probably feel their sheer guts deserved.

But Shelbourne will rue the two points that got away, having silenced the majority of the 4,000 crowd with a first-half performance which was an exhibition of their footballing virtues. To come away with one point will have seemed almost like a defeat, all the more so as they now travel to Derry on Saturday six points adrift of the leaders.

The brilliant Tony Sheridan, back on fire after a fitful spell of form, is virtually uncontainable in this mood and was often the focal point of their swift passing game.

On the flanks, everywhere really, Shelbourne were the masters; their movement off the ball gave St Patrick's - who were unhinged by Packie Lynch's 23rd-minute departure and the ensuing reshuffle - a bedraggled look until they equalised, against the run of play, shortly before the interval.

Mick Moody and John McDonnell often looked untypically uncertain at the back, whereas former Saint, Dave Campbell predictably taunted from literally the kick-off, could scarcely have believed how comfortable his evening started off.

Home nerves were palpable as early as the fourth minute, when Sheridan's 50-yard pass to the heart of the St Patrick's defence ended up with Brian McKenna's clearance cannoning off a defender, whereupon the goalkeeper fumbled the high ball. Suspect under aerial pressure, McKenna was to prove inspired in his shot-stopping

Indeed, it was one of the curiosities of the night that Shelbourne were far more dangerous at setpieces, and corners especially, than the home side. Given Eddie Gormley's set-pieces were their only means of bothering Alan Gough in the opening period, and the Shelbourne goalkeeper was adhesiveness itself, the Shed had little to get excited about.

Another ricocheted clearance, Ray Carolan off Gormley, following pressure from Sheridan, put Stephen Geoghegan in the clear, but McKenna saved alertly one-on-one. He then repeated the feat with Pat Morley after an exquisite Sheridan pass with the outside of his left boot.

The breakthrough came after 38 minutes when a cross-field, seven-man move involving Greg Costello, Brian Flood, Declan Geoghegan (twice), Mark Rutherford and Morley, culminated in Sheridan's delicate, curling cross picking out the unmarked Stephen Geoghegan for a pinpoint, 12-yard header. A veritable gem.

Shelbourne were in control and St Patrick's couldn't get a handle on the game. Then Pascal Vaudequin's wayward pass, direct to Johnny Glynn, sparked a furious assault by the champions. The ball pinged back and forth across the Shelbourne area before Martin. Reilly's close-range effort from Paul Osam's cross-shot was blocked by Declan Geoghegan, leaving Glynn to fire the rebound into the roof of the net.

Shelbourne lost something of their passing rhythm after the interval, all the more so after Trevor Crolly was dismissed by Denis McArdle just past the hour for the second of two bookable tackles. This was McArdle's third successive Shelbourne match and his performance last night often infuriated both camps.

Moments before, Osam released Jason Byrne and Declan Geoghegan just denied the incoming Crolly from the ensuing pullback with Gough beaten. Thereafter St Patrick's, who brought Glynn back into midfield and funnelled back well, continued to provide as much danger on counter-attacks.

Temperatures rose, McArdle spoke of both benches, half-chances came either way as Shelbourne's almost desperate pressure intensified. They were reprieved when Byrne was adjudged fractionally offside as Martin Reilly latched onto Gormley's superb through ball to lob Gough. At the death, the St Patrick's spirit was typified by Reilly charging down Stephen Geoghegan's volley and then picking himself up to do likewise from Brian Flood's rebounded effort. St Patrick's were not for willing.