With the Premier Division title now beyond them and their involvement in Europe at an end, St Patrick's Athletic eased their way into the quarter-finals of this season's Sports Direct FAI Cup with an easy 2-0 win over Shelbourne at Richmond Park.
Shelbourne looked as if their minds were on next week's Conference League play-off tie against Linfield as they tamely exited this year’s competition.
Goals either side of half-time by Mason Melia and a Chris Forrester penalty put Stephen Kenny’s side through.
With a place in Europe up for grabs to the eventual cup winners, St Pat's will be hoping for a favourable draw for the quarter-finals as they seek their second cup win in the last three seasons.
Shels started well, playing into the Shed End of the ground, which housed the visiting support.
The visitors went close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute when Ali Coote’s left wing cross was met by the head of Reds defender Milan Mbeng, who saw his looping effort bounce off the top of the crossbar.
Pat's soaked up that early pressure and almost hit the front when Forrester found Jake Mulraney lurking at the right-hand edge of the area and his cross-goal shot didn’t miss the angle of post and crossbar by much.
Just after the half hour Shels lost their goalkeeper Conor Kearns to a rather freak accident, as centre-half Sean Gannon awkwardly headed the ball back to his 'keeper and Kearns hurt his knee as he twisted to collect the ball in the area.
Kearns had to be replaced by Lorcan Healy in between the posts and he was called into action in added time of the first half tipping Brandon Kavanagh’s goal-bound shot over the crossbar.
In added time at the end of the opening 45, St Pat's hit the front.
Referee Paul McLoughlin, who was the subject of some ire from the home support for not giving them free-kicks, used his judgement well to allow advantage after a Gannon foul in the Shels' half of the field.
Simon Power picked up the loose ball out on the left, squared it to Melia and the Spurs-bound teenager curled a delightful ball past Healy from the edge of the area to give the home side a lead at the break.
The Saints doubled their lead in the 53rd minute as Kameron Ledwidge handled Kavanagh’s free in the area and Forrester converted the resultant penalty, sending Healy the wrong way.
Moments later Joe Anang in the home goal, was tested for the first time in the match, saving well from Mbeng’s dipping shot from the right edge of the Pats area as Shels tried to get a foothold in the tie.
Anang also did well to deny Coote with his legs and was quickly off his line as Shels sub Mipo Odubeko clipped a shot over the advancing keeper but was narrowly wide.
Pats sub Kian Leavy looked lively when he came on and came close to adding to the home sides tally, but two goals were enough to put the home side safely through to the last eight.
St Patricks Athletic: Joseph Anang; Ryan McLaughlin (Carl Axel Sjoberg 75'); Joe Redmond © Tom Grivosti, Jason McClelland; Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester (Barry Crowe Baggley 83), Brandon Kavanagh; Jake Mulraney (Kian Leavy 68'), Mason Melia, Simon Power (Al-Amin Kazeem 75').
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns (Lorcan Healy 32'); Milan Mbeng, Sean Gannon, Lewis Temple, Kameron Ledwidge; Evan Caffrey (James Norris 45'), Mark Coyle (Kerr McInroy 45'), JJ Lunney (Mipo Odubeko 68'); Harry Wood, John Martin (Daniel Kelly 68') , Ali Coote.
Referee: Paul McLoughlin
