It was a good night for Shelbourne football club as they qualified for next Saturday's lucrative Setanta Cup Final in their own home ground after Cork City failed to beat Irish Cup holders Portadown by two clear goals, instead losing oneo-nil at Turner's Cross.
The visitors, already out of the competition, scored the winning goal after 30 minutes when Northern Ireland international Gary Hamilton slammed a 25-yard pile-driver past Cork reserve goalkeeper Mark McNulty.
Hamilton's joy was short-lived as he was shown a straight red card for an incident after a foul on George O'Callaghan five minutes later.
Despite playing with ten men the visitors soaked up the inevitable Cork pressure, and when the homeside did breach the Ports defence, reserve goalkeeper Paul Murphy made a couple of outstanding saves.
Cork keeper McNulty received his own red card in the 89th minute from referee John Feighery for fouling Peter McCann near the touchline as Cork pushed forward.
So it is be Shelbourne who will represent the eircom League in Saturday night's decider against Linfield or Glentoran at Tolka Park.
