Wilson of Shelbourne in action against Anto Breslin of St Patrick's Athletic duriA second half header from teenager Sam Curtis saw St Patrick's Athletic edge Shelbourne and keep up the pressure on the European places in the Premier Division.
It’s a first away clean sheet for the Saints who overtake Shels in the table while interim manager Jon Daly further strengthened his claim for a permanent post with a third win in four matches.
The first shot on target of the game came from the boot of Chris Forrester who was denied by the body of Conor Kearns before Eoin Doyle’s rebound was deflected over by Shane Griffin.
Having waited 57 minutes for some goalmouth action the net was bulging from the resulting corner after Curtis headed home from Jake Mulraney’s ball.
Curtis, normally seen at right back, was filling in the centre to try and patch up Athletic’s leaky defence and was excellent on the night.
Shelbourne kicked off unbeaten in eight games as they looked to equal the club record of nine which was set by Pat Fenlon’s Premier Division winning side in 2006.
The opening half was bookended by a brace of long-range Forrester efforts. The first, inside 30 seconds looped just wide of Conor Kearns’ before a chip from halfway turned the wrong side of the post before the break.
This was a game that was pretty on the eye - if you had come solely to watch the deft flicks and tricks from Jack Moylan, Matty Smith, Forrester and Mulraney - but not filled with goalmouth action.
Neither team mustered a shot on target in the opening period with both defences largely on top.
Moylan, Smith and Evan Caffrey caused the Saints problems and had it not been for a pair of expert blocks from Tom Grivosti and Forrester the hosts might have hit the front.
Ben McCormack was one of three changes to the Pat’s XI having scored against Shamrock Rovers on Monday and he rattled the crossbar from 25 yards midway through the first half.
Forrester and Mulraney began to dictate proceedings as the visitors took control after their goal and Shels had club captain Luke Byre to thank for a goal saving block with 20 minutes remaining.
Damien Duff’s side failed to sting the palms of Kearns but had a flurry of efforts in the final moments before the 90.
Substitute Kyle Robinson hit the side netting from a back post header before a Shane Farrell rocket whizzed over the bar.
Eoin Doyle should have put the game beyond doubt in the 97th minute but he overran the ball when facing Kearns.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns, JR Wilson, Luke Byrne (Ledwidge 85), Shane Griffin, Shane Farrell, Tyreke Wilson (Robinson 85), Evan Caffrey (Hakiki 59), Mark Coyle (McManus 66), JJ Lunney, Matty Smith, Jack Moylan
St Patrick’s Athletic: Dean Lyness, Axel Sjoeberg (McGrath 80), Tom Grivosti, Sam Curtis, Anto Breslin, Adam Murphy (Timmermans 70), Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester, Ben McCormack (M.Doyle 70), Eoin Doyle (McClelland 85), Jake Mulraney (Carty 85)
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