Philip Hughes hit a remarkable hat-trick as Shelbourne progressed to the semi-finals of the FAI Ford Cup beating Limerick 4-3 at Tolka Park.
The First Division leaders were only reinstated into the competition after their conquerors, Sheriff YC, fielded an ineligible player, and Shels looked determined to make up for that from the off.
After 19 minutes, Hughes turned and volleyed home in the box and seven minutes later, his run forced Andrew Bhandarker into a challenge that saw the ball end up in the defender’s own net. It was 3-0 just after half-time as Hughes headed home Brendan McGill’s cross.
John Frost finally responded with a 30-yard strike on 54 minutes to make it 3-1. But Hughes then appeared to make the game safe with a bullet free-kick and his hat-trick. Barry Sheedy hit two late tap-ins for Limerick, but Shels had just about done enough.
Despite Limerick breathing down their necks in the league, Shels brushed them aside for the majority of the match at Tolka tonight.
Indeed, clearly intent on a big performance, they were the more purposeful side from the start.
It was a slow start, however, as within seconds of kick-off referee Dave McKeown pulled up with an injury. He was instantly replaced by Richie Winter and then Shelbourne initiated their onslaught.
Kevin Dawson flashed just past the post after 12 minutes and Hughes should really have scored when he blazed wide two minutes later.
But the striker was soon to make up for that after 19 minutes when Barry Clancy headed down in the Limerick box, allowing Hughes to chest, turn and blast home.
Six minutes later, the Limerick defence found it even more difficult to deal with the striker. With Hughes weaving in and out, full-back Andrew Bhandarkar came across to sweep the ball away but only succeeded in sending the ball into his own goal to make it 2-0.
And it got worse for Limerick just after half-time. Within 22 seconds of the restart, a Brendan McGill cross had found Hughes, who headed home emphatically.
John Frost did finally offer a proper Limerick response on 54 minutes. Left unchallenged, the full-back launched a shot from 30 yards that flew into the corner of Paul Skinner’s goal.
But Hughes responded in style 20 minutes later as he completed his hat-trick with a bullet of a free-kick from just outside the box.
That should have been it except for two late tap-ins from Barry Sheedy – a result of increasingly typical Shels’ slackness.
But in a game as testing as this, they summoned enough grit to hang on.
Shelbourne: Skinner; McGill, Matthews, Boyle, Fitzgerald; Bermingham (Gorman 75), Cassidy (Byrne 80), Dawson, Sullivan, Clancy; Hughes (Da Silva 89).
Limerick: Ryan; Frost, McCarthy, Broughall (Flynn 70), Bhandarker; Hynes (Sheedy 61), Quinn, O’Leary, Tracy, Coughlan (McGann 54); Behan.
Referee: D McKeown (Dublin)/ R Winter (Dublin).
