Welcome to the latest installment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this chapter, we headed to Drumcrondra in Dublin for some Irish Women's National League action as Shelbourne Ladies took on Treaty United Women at Tolka Park.
It's All In The Name
Shelbourne FC is known as The Auld Reds, a reference to the club's kit colour. The club got its name from the nearby Shelbourne Road, which was home to the Shelbourne House, where a collection was held to purchase the club's first kit as well as pay its first affiliation fee.
Some Notable Former Players
Hector Acuna
Nicky Byrne
Jimmy Johnstone
Wes Hoolahan
Brad Jones
Kevin Dawson
Anthony Stokes
Some Notable People From Dublin
Ronan Keating- Boyzone Singer
Nicky Byrne- Westlife Singer
Damien Duff- Footballer
Colin Farrell-Actor
Brendan Gleeson-Actor
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Shelbourne Men
Shelbourne FC was created in 1895, and their second season as a team was a wonder, as they only lost one game, scored 109 goals, and won both the Leinster Junior Cup and the League Championship. They won the Leinster Senior Cup in 1900, then again in 1901 and 1904.
They won the IFA Cup in 1906 and went on to win several more trophies over the next few years. Shelbourne was a founder member of the League of Ireland following the separation of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. They won the league for the first time in 1926. They won it again in 1929 and 1931, but they resigned from the league in 1934 due to a disagreement with the league's regulators, and they would not rejoin until 1936.
They won their first FAI cup in 1939, defeating a Sligo side that included Dixie Dean in the final. They won their fourth league championship in 1944 and another in 1947. They relocated to a new stadium in Ringsend in 1949. Their only achievement in the 1950s would be winning the league in 1953. The 1960s began with a bang when they won their second FAI Cup in 1960, which they repeated in 1963, as well as the league in 1962. They would also make their debut foray into European football, but would lose to Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona. The club would undergo a decline as interest in Irish football waned as English football became more accessible.Shelbourne struggled in the 1970s and 1980s, and they were demoted in 1986 before regaining promotion the following season. The club's fortunes would improve in the 1990s.
Under Pat Byrne's direction, they won their first league title in 30 years in 1992, and they ended another 30-year wait the following year by winning the FAI Cup. During this time, they returned to Europe, but only made it to the second round of the Cup Winners Cup. In 1996, they won the League of Ireland Cup and the FAI Cup, despite midfielder Brian Flood having to play in goal for 70 minutes of the latter final. The following year, they would retain the FAI Cup.
They had a couple of close calls at the end of the 1990s, but they won the league and FAI Cup double in 2000. They won consecutive league titles in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and a surprise aggregate victory over Hadjuk Split in the champions league qualifying round saw them become the first Irish club to reach the competition's third qualifying round, where they were defeated by Deportivo La Coruna.
Shelbourne won their last league title in 2006, shortly after experiencing financial troubles. They'd be relegated from the Premier League, and their principal shareholder, Oliver Byrne, would die of a brain tumour. In 2011, they were promoted back to the first division, and they also reached the 2011 FAI Cup final.
They were relegated in 2013, and won the first division in 2019. They were relegated but promoted again in 2021, and the reds are hopeful of returning to the top division in the future.
And here's a fun fact: in 1967, Shelbourne striker Jimmy O'Connor set a record for the fastest hat-trick in top-level domestic league history, scoring three goals in two minutes and thirteen seconds.
Shelbourne Women
Shelbourne Women were formed in 1995 when Shelbourne took over Welsox FC's women's team. They unfortunately dissolved in 2002, but were reformed in 2007. After a merger with Raheny United, they joined the women's national league in 2015. In the 15-16 season, they finished second in three competitions but won the WNL Cup. They went on to win the FAI Women's Cup in 2016, as well as their first league title that year. They won the WNL Cup again in 2017, the league again in 2021, and then went one better by winning both the league and the cup the following year.
Honours
🏆 League of Ireland/Premier Division (Champions: 1925–26, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1943–44, 1946–47, 1952–53, 1961–62, 1991–92, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2006-2007)
🏆 League of Ireland First Division (Champions: 2019, 2021)
🏆 Irish Cup (Winners: 1905–06, 1910–11, 1919–20)
🏆 FAI Cup (Winners: 1938–39, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–2000)
🏆 League of Ireland Cup (Winners: 1995–96)
🏆 League of Ireland Shield (Winners: 1921–22, 1922–23, 1925–26, 1929–30, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1948–49, 1970–71)
🏆 LFA President's Cup (Winners: 1929–30, 1939–40, 1947–48, 1960–61, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2002–03)
🏆 FAI Super Cup (Winners: 2001–02)
🏆 Dublin City Cup (Winners: 1941–42, 1946–47, 1962–63, 1964–65)
🏆 City Cup (Winners: 1908–09)
🏆 Gold Cup (Winners: 1914–15)
🏆 Top Four Cup (Winners: 1961–62)
🏆 Leinster Senior League (Winners: 1902–03, 1903–04, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1910–11, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1918–19, 1923–24, 1942–43, 1943–44)
🏆 Leinster Senior Cup (Winners: 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1903–04, 1905–06, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1916–17, 1918–19, 1923–24, 1930–31, 1945–46, 1948–49, 1962–63, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1993–94, 2010, 2017, 2018)
🏆 FAI Intermediate Cup (Winners: 1932–33)
🏆 Enda McGuill Cup (Winners: 2003)
An Interview With Shelbourne FC supporter, Nicky Farrell:
GG: Could you tell us how long you've been a Shelbourne fan and how your experience with the club has been?
NF: I've been a Shelbourne fan for at least 50 years, possibly more.
GG: What kind of impact has Shelbourne had on the football world?
NF: Shelbourne has made a good impression. Their long history has aided in this regard.
GG: Who is Shelbourne's standout performer this season?
NF: Luke Byrne, our captain and centre half.
GG: Could you provide us with an overview of Irish football and how it compares to football around the world?
NF: The League of Ireland is a semi-professional, highly competitive league. It has suffered primarily as a result of its close proximity to UK professional leagues, as many talented young players are offered opportunities to play professionally and accept them.
GG: Who is your all-time favourite player?
NF: Diego Maradona
GG: What is the best football match you've ever seen as a Shelbourne supporter?
NF: Shelbourne vs. Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League qualifying round, Lansdowne Road, 2004/05, first leg
GG: Which managers have left the most of an impression on Shelbourne fans?
NF: Dermot Keely, who led Shelbourne to the league and cup double in 2000.
GG: Who, in your opinion, was the most important team to play at Shelbourne's stadium, and why?
NF: Cup winners Cup tie against Barcelona in 1962
GG: Can you tell us how Shelbourne liked to play in the 2022 season in general?
NF: We liked to play passing possession games in 2022, which got us to the cup final, where we were defeated.
GG: Finally, can you tell us a funny Shelbourne story?
NF: 1993, on the last day of the season, our close rivals, Bohemians FC, needed only a draw to win the league; however, their bus broke down on the way to the game, KO was delayed, and they lost one nil.
Matchday: Shelbourne LFC 1-0 Treaty United Women
We woke up in Drumcrondra on a sunny Saturday morning on our final day of our holiday in Dublin. We headed to Fagans pub for some lunch, where we had the illustrious carvery that we were told about on multiple occasions. It was really nice, and the staff were really friendly, if you haven't already, I would recommend going there and trying it out.
We arrived at Tolka Park about an hour before kickoff. We ordered our tickets beforehand, and they were sent directly to our phones, so that element was relatively simple. The only complaint I would have is the lack of communication from Shelbourne FC regarudjg when the tickets would go on sale. For people like us who like to plan in advance, it did get rather frustrating.
The stadium itself is full of character, and you can tell that a lot of history has taken place within their four walls. A few stands need a bit of updating, as they appear to be crumbling to the ground at points. In the stand opposite the one with the 'reds' written on it, the view was really poor, with bollards blocking your view at most points. These will need updating at some point in the future, but they didn't ruin our experience by any stretch.
The people at the ground were amazingly friendly. I have spoken a lot about how friendly Irish people are, and this was certainly the case at Shelbourne FC. Everyone I spoke to was really interested in where I was from, and I had many conversations about my football club (mainly because Grant Horton and Reece Hutchinson are currently on loan in Ireland and we've just taken Aidan Keena from Sligo Rovers). It really does make a massive difference when you can have a chat with people at the games, as it makes you feel comfortable and right at home.
The food was sadly where the club were let down on the day. There was a food shack behind one the goals serving burgers, chips and drinks. I ordered a cheeseburger (primarily for the chance to rate the food), but I wish I didn't bother. Aesthetically, the first thing Finners said was 'is that cooked?' Which wasn't a good sign. I took a bite, and guess what... stone cold, and dry. I probably sound a bit harsh, but if you're going to pre cook the burgers before the match, at least keep them warm, otherwise I might have to stick them in the freezer to warm them up a bit.
I really struggled to rate the atmosphere for this game. In the past, I have given women's matches poor scores (because they tend to be quiet due to low attendances) and people disagree with the scores. Taking this into account, I can happily say that I was pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere. It wasn't amazing, but there was a lot of cheering and there was a young football squad who made a lot of noise during the game, so I think the atmosphere was reasonable.
Teamsheet
Shelbourne LFC
Manager: Noel King
Courtney Maguire
Keeva Keenan
Jessie Stapleton
Pearl Slattery (c)
Leah Doyle
Alex Kavanagh
Rachel Graham
Noelle Murray ⚽️
Megan Smyth-Lynch
Kerri Letmon
Maggie Pierce
Substitutes
Katie Keane
Siobhan Killeen
Jemma Quinn
Nadine Clare
Sophie Watters
Jenaya Robertson
Christie Gray
Kayla Hamric
Ruvimbo Mucherera
Treaty United Women
Manager: Alban Hysa
Anne-Marie Ulliac
Alannah Mitchell
Cooper Lee Lane
Grace McInerney
Chloe Hennigan
Jacqueline Altrogge
Emma Costelloe
Claire Winter (c)
Jess Heffernan
Hailey Walsh
Kiera Kilbey
Substitutes
Kate Foley
Emma Deegan
Esra Kangal
Katie Lawlee
Ruth McDonnell
Aoife Mulkern
Hannah Saidi
McDonnell
Kelsey Wing
Shelbourne dominated the game from start to finish. They took the lead when Noelle Murray scored on the rebound from a Alex Kavanagh long range effort which was poorly dealt with by the Treaty United goalkeeper. They then pushed for a second, with an Alex Kavanagh effort flashing past the keepers near post from a free kick. Jessie Stapleton then headed. over from a corner at the backpost during the Shelbourne onslaught.
The onslaught continued in the second half. The Reds had the ball in the net via Keeva Keenan but the flag was up, but I'm not convinced anyone touched it on its way in. Alex Kavanagh then smashed against the crossbar from a direct free kick. Shelbourne were then awarded a penalty after a dubious handball, however the Alex Kavanagh penalty struck the crossbar. Jessie Stapleton's header in the follow up was then saved. It finished 1-0 in what was a game dominated by the Irish women champions.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 5/10
Food and Drink: 3/10
Stadium: 6.5/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 6.5/10
GG
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