Shelbourne 2-0 Drogheda United
Shelbourne kick-started their 2025 with another piece of silverware as they swatted aside ten-man Drogheda United in the President's Cup at Tolka Park.
The real business starts next week when Shels begin their SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division defence at home to Derry City, but Damien Duff's men looked fit and hungry in an accomplished performance.
This season's curtain-raiser between the reigning league champions and the FAI Cup holders was, ultimately, a mismatch.
Drogheda, badly missing the injured Douglas James-Taylor and Elicha Ahui, struggled to lay a glove on opponents who were typically organised and aggressive.
New arrival Mipo Odubeko and Sean Boyd had Shels two goals to the good by the break before a moment of Luke Dennison madness early in the second half saw him red-carded for handling the ball outside the area. Any hope the Drogs had evaporated at the point, as Shels comfortably closed it out to start the new year with a trophy.
Duff spent the week talking up the significance of this game – "there's silverware at stake" - and his side had an intensity from the get-go.
Former Republic of Ireland Under-21 attacker Odubeko only needed ten seconds to rattle the bones of Andrew Quinn with a meaty challenge on the touchline, as Duff's men owned the ball in the opening exchanges.
Sean Gannon stung Luke Dennison’s palms after intricate build-up play on the fringes of the area; Ali Coote’s low centre forced Quinn into a crucial interception; then Aaron Harper Bailey had to crane his neck to nod a deep Harry Wood free-kick to safety.
Odubeko – super sharp all night – had Dennison scampering after his low shot took a wicked deflection off a Drogheda man, the American keeper adjusting his body to gather at the second attempt.
The Reds were banging on the door; in the 28th minute, they broke through.
Coote’s corner from the left was glanced goalwards by Wood, and Odubeko helped it home with a deft flick.
Wood should have doubled his team’s advantage a few minutes later after Ledwidge picked him out in the box with a peach of a cross, heading wide under no pressure in front of goal.
The second soon arrived though, and it came from another Coote corner. This time the Scot whipped in a clever low delivery that caught Drogheda napping, the alert Boyd lashing in an excellent first-time effort that zipped past Dennison.
Zishim Bawa summed up Drogs’ frustrations with a reckless lunge on Sam Bone right before half-time that saw him get booked and had Duff barking at referee Paul Norton as they headed for the dressing-rooms.
Josh Thomas had been starved of decent service in the first period but the on-loan Swansea City man showed quality to fashion some space and slide a decent effort just past the post.
That suggested Drogheda might make a game of this, but Wood’s brilliant effort in response was more indicative of the game’s overall pattern as he slalomed infield and unleashed a curling shot that crashed off the post.
On 53 minutes, Drogheda fully pressed the self-destruct button. Dennison dallied on the ball before lashing an attempted clearance into the onrushing Odubeko. In a moment of panic, the keeper smothered Odubeko's effort, despite being two yards outside of his box. Red card. Game over.
Sub keeper Jack Brady's first job was to parry away the resultant free-kick, hammered in by Paddy Barrett.
Thereafter, it was a formality for the reigning champions.
"Keep the ball!" Duff screamed from the touchline and his players obliged. Drogheda chased shadows on a night where their running stats were high and spirits were low. This was a slog.
Owen Lambe did draw a decent save from Conor Kearns with a dipping long-ranger, but Drogheda looked leggy a long way from home.
Duff flexed his bench with the introduction of Rayhaan Tulloch and Ellis Chapman, though his side were largely content to play keep-ball. Gannon came closest to adding a third when his snap-shot flew a yard over the bar following some pinball in the box.
There's bigger tests to come for Shels, but it was job done tonight as they added a first ever President's Cup to add to the honours list.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge, Sam Bone; Harry Wood (Ryan O'Kane 72), Mark Coyle (capt, JJ Lunney 63), Kerr McInroy (Evan Caffrey 72), Ali Coote (Rayhaan Tulloch 63); Mipo Odubeko (Ellis Chapman 63), Sean Boyd
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Conor Kane, Andrew Quinn (Frank George Cooper HT), Aaron Harper Bailey; Darragh Markey, Shane Farrell (Luke Heeney 64), Ryan Brennan (capt, Paul Doyle 70), Conor Keeley, Owen Lambe; Steve Zishim Bawa (Thomas Oluwa 64), Josh Thomas (Jack Brady 55)
Referee: Paul Norton
Attendance: 4,584
