Sport

Byrne strikes twice as Shelbourne extend lead

Shelbourne 3 Sligo Rovers 0:  With a couple of their chief title rivals basking in the glory of their midweek exploits in Europe…

Paul Buttner at Tolka Park
Sat Jul 29 2006 - 01:00

Shelbourne 3 Sligo Rovers 0:  With a couple of their chief title rivals basking in the glory of their midweek exploits in Europe, Jason Byrne scored twice for the second match running as Shelbourne moved four points clear at the top of the Premier Division table. However, a good game was blemished, Sligo will argue, by its turning point five minutes into the second half which swung the match Shelbourne's way.

A dubious trip on Byrne by Liam Burns resulted in a harsh red card for the Sligo central defender. Byrne inflicted further punishment by blasting home the resulting free kick through the wall to make it 2-0.

Five minutes later Glen Crowe cushioned Dave Rogers' cross in from the left down for Byrne who drilled his shot past Richard Brush for his 13th goal of the league season.

A terrifically open game surprisingly only produced one goal prior to the interval. Inevitably, for a side that had scored 11 times in their previous two games, that came from Shelbourne on seven minutes.

READ MORE

Glen Crowe swept a ball instinctively out wide left to Ollie Cahill. The quick feet of Cahill did the rest as he cut inside Gavin Peers and found the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Sligo, with six wins from their last seven games, proved they can play and an excellent attack almost brought an equaliser on 15 minutes. Adam Hughes headed Keith Foy's cross down for Darren Mansaram who turned only to fire over the bar.

But Shelbourne's strength is getting forward and creating chances and they kept coming. Crowe was providing the vital links with a precise pass to Cahill whose delicate chip bounce over off Brush's crossbar.

Sligo had a great chance when Colin Hawkins was dispossessed on 28 minutes by Matt Judge but Dean Delaney saved his central defender's blushes by saving the the partially scuffed shot.

Shels continued to create chances and Jason Byrne twice went close to extending the home side's lead before the break.

Two minutes into the second half Hawkins' weak back-header gave Sligo's Mansaram a chance to pull a goal back but he was denied by Owen Heary's timely tackle.

SHELBOURNE: Delaney; Heary, Hawkins, Dillon, Rogers; Ryan (Baker, 80 mins), S Byrne (O'Halloran, 78 mins), Ndo, Cahill (Moore, 80 mins); Crowe, J Byrne.

SLIGO ROVERS: Brush; Peers, McNamara, Burns, Foy (McKenzie, 63 mins); Hughes, O'Grady, Turner, Kuduzovic (Singh, 78 mins); Mansaram, Judge (Cash, 55 mins).

Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).