Shelbourne got the perfect fillip for Thursday's European Cup Winners' Cup return with Kilmarnock with an emphatic 3-0 defeat of Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park last night to qualify for the League Cup quarter-finals with a 100 per cent record from Group E.
Davy Campbell, playing in midfield, was Rovers' chief tormentor with two headed goals in the 13 minutes before half-time. Pat Fenlon's free-kick provided Campbell with a free header for the first on 32 minutes, with rightback Pascal Vaudequin crossing for the second in first-half injury time.
Vaudequin then scored a glorious third after 61 minutes. He collected Tony Sheridan's audacious pass to play a clever one-two with Dessie Baker before chipping Robbie Forde in the Rovers goal.
St Patrick's Athletic exorcised the ghost of last Friday's home defeat to Bray Wanderers at Richmond Park when taking the game to Bohemians from the start and getting an early goal which proved enough to win their Group F tie, 1-0, and all but end Bohemians' interest in the competition.
Trevor Molloy gave the Inchicore club's vibrant start its just reward when scoring after 11 minutes. Following a slalom-like run from the left which resulted in Maurice O'Driscoll being left on his backside, the former Athlone Town player let loose an angled shot which was deflected into the net by Bohemians' left-back Eoin Mullen.
Bohemians enjoyed more of the possession in the second-half as they chased the game but it was St Patrick's who created the better scoring chances.
Martin Reilly forced Bohemians defender Robbie Best to head off the line from an Eddie Gormley corner in the 77th minute, while Reilly knows he should have done better when heading way over unchallenged from Keith Doyle's cross two minutes later.
St Patrick's Thomas Morgan and substitute Tommy Gaynor then had near misses in injury time.
Drogheda United put their recent troubles behind them with a second successive win in 24 hours as they beat Monaghan United 2-0 at United Park to put them in the driving seat in Group D.
David Nugent finished off an Alan Murphy cross to open the scoring 10 minutes into the second half. Nugent then set up Bobby Browne for the second 11 minutes from time.
Holders Galway United beat Athlone Town 1-0 at St Mel's Park but needed a 41st minute own goal from on loan St Patrick's Athletic midfielder, Alan Kelly, to take the points.
