Shelbourne 2 Bohemians 0: In some respects a frustrating night for Jason Byrne but he'll not dwell long on it as he sets out this morning to join his international colleagues on the Algarve.
Having seen a goal that, initially, appeared his later correctly credited to a team-mate, he then skied a penalty and fluffed a decent scoring chance in a promising position. That said, he still provided plenty of positives to Shelbourne's cause who, having initially struggled to suppress their opponents, comfortably closed out the tie when going two up early in the second half.
For all their early possession, Bohemians failed to truly test goalkeeper Dean Delaney and although Shelbourne were restricted in their own advances, they soon punished the visitors in cruel fashion.
Sean Dillon's cross into the box, after 16 minutes, was headed goalwards by Jason Byrne and Stephen O'Brien appeared to gather it but, under pressure from Colin Hawkins, the ball squirmed loose and was bundled over the line.
The goal, fortunate as it was, certainly lifted the home side but still Shelbourne struggled to suppress Bohemians in midfield. Stuart Byrne, and particularly Alan Reynolds, endured a difficult night against the bustling Mark Duggan and Mark O'Brien.
Having endured a lull, Bohemians suddenly breathed renewed life into their cause as half-time approached, Delaney acrobatically clawed away Vinny Arkins's header which looked destined for the net.
However sound their midfield unit proved, Bohemians' defence unit was not quite as formidable and, three minutes before the interval, centre-backs Aidan Collins - later carried off with a suspected broken jaw - and Barry Ferguson gifted Shelbourne a penalty. Collins's back pass was about to be seized upon by Jason Byrne but Ferguson body checked the striker who subsequently squandered the spot-kick.
But Shelbourne were not to be denied a second and, five minutes after the restart, Stuart Byrne popped up to tuck home Gary O'Neill's cross from close range. Byrne could, and probably should, have wrapped proceedings up 10 minutes later but, with no one to beat but O'Brien, he swung and missed Stuart Byrne's measured ball over the napping defence.
SHELBOURNE: Delaney; Heary, Hawkins, Dillon, Rogers; Kearney (Baker, 72 mins), S Byrne, Reynolds, Cahill; J Byrne (Crowe, 83), O'Neill. Booked: Heary (35).
BOHEMIANS: O'Brien; Rice, Ferguson, Collins (Heary, 53 mins), Byrne; Harkin, O'Brien, Hunt, Duggan (Dunphy, 81); Arkins, O'Keefe. Booked: Byrne (36), Ferguson (41).
Referee: A Kelly (Cork).
