Sport

Fitzpatrick on form

NATIONAL LEAGUE/Shelbourne 3 Drogheda 0: Two goals in nine second-half minutes saw champions Shelbourne maintain a 100 per cent…

Sat Apr 03 2004 - 01:00

NATIONAL LEAGUE/Shelbourne 3 Drogheda 0: Two goals in nine second-half minutes saw champions Shelbourne maintain a 100 per cent record at the expense of still pointless Drogheda United at Tolka Park last night.

Gerard Rowe and Jason Byrne were on target as Shelbourne put behind them an early scare - when Declan O'Brien had a second minute goal controversially disallowed - to make it three wins from three starts. Ten minutes from time Glen Fitzpatrick netted the third.

Fitzpatrick also played a crucial role in the first two goals, providing the key pass on both occasion. His individual reward came in the 80th minute when he raced clear to make it 3-0.

The hosts were on their way after 56 minutes. United defender David Sullivan gave possession away to Fitzpatrick and what a costly mistake it was as he put Rowe in the clear. Rowe made no mistake in rifling past substitute goalkeeper Gary Rodgers.

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On 65 minutes Shelbourne doubled their lead. This time Fitzpatrick delayed his pass to free Byrne who beat the offside trap before shooting home.

Drogheda had thought they had made the ideal start with just two minutes gone but referee Alan Kelly called a halt to the celebrations. O'Brien fired home from close range after Shelbourne goalkeeper Steve Williams could only parry Stephen Gray's shot. And although the linesman seemed happy to allow O'Brien's strike to stand the Cork official disallowed the effort.

It was the early wake-up call Shelbourne needed. Yet despite their domination it was Drogheda who went closest to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the interval when Alan Reilly let fly with a dipping 35-yard shot which clipped the top of the Shelbourne crossbar.

Fitzpatrick looked most dangerous for the home side in the first half. After 15 and 21 minutes he was twice in on goal but on both occasions failed to find the target.

SHELBOURNE: Williams, Heary, Crawley, Rodgers, Harris, Crawford, Cahill, S Byrne, Fitzpatrick, J Byrne, Rowe. Subs: Hoolahan for Rowe. 75 (mins), Morgan for Crawford (85), McCarthy for Fitzpatrick (88)

DROGHEDA UNITED: O'Dowd, Sullivan, Gray, Lynch, O'Connor, Lester, Cronin, Lacey, O'Brien, Rooney, Reilly. Subs: Rodgers for O'Dowd (half-time), Freeman for Lacey, Myler for O'Brien (both 70).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).