St Pat’s: Gallagher; Quigley, Foy, Marney (D Byrne 81), Nicomedes (Livingstone 81); Croly, De Block, Sacilotto (Fahey 81), Harris (Mortimer 51); Rose (Quinn 51), O’Keefe (Freeman 73)
Shelbourne: Bennion; Ross, Agbata (Murphy H/T), T McCarthy (Kinsella 75); Hoolahan (Graydon 75), Brandvic (S Byrne 51), Kenna, Gannon (Dunne 86), Rowe (Lee 79); Geoghegan (Garbutt 68), Bough (D Baker 51)
Ref: Eddie Barr (Dublin)
St Pat’s emerged victorious from the first game of the Dublin Tournament at Tolka Park this afternoon, thanks to a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win and a winning spot kick from Keith Foy.
The game was initially delayed by 20 minutes but got underway at a frenetic pace. The best chance of the first half fell to St Pat’s French trialist Pierre De Block who was put through by Aidan O’Keefe on 36 minutes, but he faield to trouble Chris Bennion in the Shelbourne goal.
Shels’ substitute David Lee went close from a corner in the second half, but the match petered out with fourteen replacements introduced after the interval. Penalties decided the stalemate with Keith Fahey putting Saints in front before Pat’s keeper James Gallagher saved Dessie Baker’s effort. Successes from former Shels’ player Davey Byrne and Dave Freeman added to another stop from Gallagher, this time from Lee, gave Foy the chance to send Pat’s into Sunday’s final.