Tired Shelbourne pay the price

NOT SO much `shelshocked' as shocking Shels. Lazing in the afternoon sun at Whitehall, they all but collapsed against a Home Farm team that was no more than honest and professional. What followed was that rarity, a home win for the Farm - their first of the season - yet in truth they've probably played better and got nothing.

Home Farm have, at least, kept going long after they were consigned to relegation, which Shelbourne have been unable to do since Derry's title win became inevitable.

After the match, Home Farm manager Dermot Keely looked almost as puzzled as Damien Richardson, if a lot chirpier about it.

In citing one of the worst performances of his tenure, Richardson attributed it to the ravages of an arduous season for his players. "We've lost our edge and now we re paying huge consequences for that. We were a very tired team physically tired and mentally tired," he said.

Yesterday, they began well enough, and you could see they were trying, penning Home Farm into their half for much of the first period.

Home Farm plugged away, ensuring that nothing came easily. Shelbourne moved the ball around well, but lacked a cutting edge, although all might have turned out differently when, after 23 minutes. Stephen Geoghegan found Pascal Vaudequin on the right and his first-time cross was headed home acrobatically by Dessie Baker. Not one home player even cast a glance at the linesman, and from a vantage point in line with the cross, it was clear that Baker timed his run from behind the ball when Vaudequin crossed, yet he was risibly adjudged offside.

Nevertheless, there was no excuse for the subsequent collapse, which was triggered before the break when Pat Scully - notably short of passing options - was dispossessed by Trevor Vaughan when trying to round him for Liam Kelly to go past Dave Campbell and tuck his shot above Alan Gough.

If that was poor defending, worse followed. Having spent much of the time in Home Farm's half, Shelbourne again came apart at the first hint of danger in the 63rd minute. Liam Kelly sent Graham Doyle free up the right, and he cut inside one defender before beating Gough by his near post.

Shelbourne were opened up again seven minutes later when Karl Gannon raced onto Graham Kelly's flick and Gough prevented a certain goal when saving with his hands outside the area.

He was duly dismissed, Brian Flood assuming the keeper's role and Home Farm suddenly began to revel as an unlikely hammering seemed feasible. Flood denied Gannon and Vaughan before Liam Kelly teed up the latter for a low left-footer in off the far post eight minutes from time.

. Tom Rohan, a former chairman of Shelbourne Football Club died at the weekend in St Vincent's Hospital following a short illness. Rob an also represented Shelbourne for many years at both FAI and National League levels and was a popular figure within the game.