Posted on 2020-04-232020-05-03

When Shelbourne defeated Cork Hibernians in Dalymount Park to win the 1963 FAI Cup, their second in three years, nobody thought it would take 30 years for the Reds to lift Irish football’s blue riband trophy again. 

The intervening three decades saw one Leinster Senior Cup, a move from Tolka Park to Harold’s Cross, and then back to Tolka. In the only FAI Cup Final that Shels reached in that period, they were infamously beaten by an amateur Home Farm side in 1975. However, change was in the air around Dublin 3. Just 12 months earlier, Mick Neville’s “for all the doubters” speech rang around Oriel Park as a 3-1 Reds victory secured the club’s first league title since 1992. 

Just five years earlier, the club had been promoted from the First Division following the first of only two relegations in the club’s history. Ironically, Shels faced Dundalk in the 1993 FAI Cup Final. The same opponents as the previous year when the club’s seventh championship was clinched. As the 1992/93 league season had not yet concluded by the time of the Cup Final was played, it was fittingly contested by the league champions of 1991 and 1992. 

The match itself went down as a dull affair. A cold and windy May afternoon in Lansdowne Road dampened the league’s showpiece affair. Greg Costello’s diving header was the only goal in a typical, cagey Cup Final. The Dundalk team on the day boasted some League of Ireland legends, too. Seasoned pros such as Alan O’Neill, Richie Purdy, Tom McNulty, Gino Lawless and Terry Eviston provided worthy opposition for a Shels team that included Neville, Mark Rutherford and Garry Haylock. 

Mick Neville, who captained the Reds from 1990-98, remarked, “I don’t know what Greg (Costello) was doing up that far, I thought he was going to get a nosebleed.” Costello was usually a right-full, but played in centre-midfield that day due to Gary Howlett’s absence. He played 230 games for the Reds, winning two league titles and four FAI Cups. Following the game, Shels held both the league title and FAI Cup for the first time ever. Unfortunately, the Reds had to wait seven more years to actually win the double, as a three-way playoff saw Cork City pip Shels and Bohemian to the title. 

Neville dismissed the suggestion that such a long wait for success in- creased the pressure on the players. “I think we just acted as professionals, you know? “We knew the fans had waited a long time for any sort of success, and it was important for us to give them that, but I don’t think we felt the pressure. “I remember ‘92 in particular, all of the other clubs and the media tried to pile the pressure on us and say ‘ah Shels will bottle it’, so after we did win it I said ‘that’s for all the doubters.’ “Then by ‘93, I suppose we had proven we could get over the line but we weren’t necessarily favourites, because Dundalk had a very experienced team and we still had a few young lads like Mark (Rutherford) and Brian (Flood).”

 Mick continued to note that he noticed similar doubts surrounding the Reds’ 2019 promotion-winning side. “With a big club like Shels there’s always going to be people out to get you and people who want you to fail, but the lads were professional last year and got the job done.” Neville, who is second only to Owen Heary in all-time appearances for Shelbourne, believes the 125^th anniversary year could be a great one for Shelbourne Football club.

The 125^th anniversary club kit is now available to order here or on the clubs official Umbro shop.

#WeAreShels

Posted on 2020-04-162020-05-03

Sean Quinn easily describes his run in the Shels midfield: “It’s been quality, absolute quality”. “I knew when I signed for Shelbourne Football Club I was rocking with the big boys and I couldn’t have started better when the gaffer threw me in the first game against Galway last year,” Sean reminisces. The central midfielder played in a superb through ball as Ciaran Kilduff completed a remarkable comeback for the Dublin based football club in the first game of last year’s First Division winning season.

 This year, the tall, Rathcoole lad, has “got a full pre-season under the belt” and feels more equipped than ever to have a crack at The SSE Airtricity League football standard. However, speaking with conviction he believes this Shelbourne squad under manager Ian Morris is a “proper team.” “We’re not just here to take part or to grind out results, we want to get at teams and show how good we are,” he urged. Nostalgic on some amazing nights in the Red shirt thus far, Quinn is clearly brimming with a love for the club and the bond being struck with fans. Breaking into the box in the final moments in Cork, Quinn played a key role for the reds in the winner as well as being influential in the game and said the win was an “amazing start to season.” 

Our fans that night were amazing, they were some scenes, a definite night to remember,” he said. “As a young lad, like myself, the fans just give you that buzz. If they can help us like that, the results will come and we’re all together on the right road,” he said.

Quinn is one of several Reds quickly becoming a fan favorite at Tolka Park and the Tallaght IT student says another, Gary Deegan, has left quite the impression. “Personally, I wasn’t sure I needed anyone to give me more motivation before a game, but he’s unbelievable. “He’s some character and just an amazing player to have with you in there and help, and I hope I can do the same with him,” he said. Certainly a player to watch for the rest of the season.

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#WeAreShels

Posted on 2020-04-142020-08-02

Shelbourne FC is delighted to team up with some Irish sporting legends including Alan Brogan, Kellie Harington, Damien Duff and Joe Brolly for a charity game in aid of the Beaumont Hospital Foundation.

The match will provisionally kick off at 15:00 on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at Tolka Park, when a Shelbourne XI will play a Celebrity All Stars XI with all funds going directly to the Beaumont Hospital Foundation.

Dublin stars Jack McCaffrey and Alan Brogan as well as former Liverpool player Stig Inge Bjørnebye join the likes of Keith Andrews, Niall Quinn and Ray Kennedy for this crucial fundraiser.

The Shels XI will feature Wes Hoolahan in the famous red jersey once more alongside other legends like Tony Sheridan, Dave Rogers and Jim Crawford.

While the whole country has ground to a halt amid the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, Beaumont Hospital has seen the highest number of cases nationally as of April 10.

Located a five minute drive from Tolka Park, we feel compelled to help our heroes on the frontline.

These heroes include Shelbourne Women National League players Ciara Grant, Niamh McLaughlin and Kate Mooney who are working on frontline in medical facilities around the country and who will also play in the match if available.

All proceeds will go to the Beaumont Hospital Foundation as part of their “Beaumont Heroes Appeal.”

Shelbourne FC manager Ian Morris said: “Over the past number of weeks we have all been watching the news and seen the extraordinary work our frontline workers put themselves through every day. 

“Literally putting themselves on the line for us. This pandemic has really hit home how vulnerable we can be. 

“If we, or our family members fall ill, we want to know we will have the best healthcare workers, working in the best facilities, with the best equipment to keep us all healthy and safe. 

“Organising this game to try and raise money will hopefully provide some much needed funds to help. 

“Everyone who we have contacted has been absolutely fantastic. No hesitation just a response of: “how can I help”, which is amazing. 

“The Beaumont Foundation, with the Beaumont Heroes appeal is only a stones throw from Shelbourne FC. 

“All the proceeds will go there to try and help. I hope we can get huge momentum behind us to try raise as much money to help our frontline heroes”

A spokesperson for Beaumont Hospital Foundation said: “We were delighted to be contacted by Ian Morris, Manager of Shelbourne Football Club to advise us of his plan to organise a charity football match (in the post Covid-19 world) in aid of the Beaumont Hospital Foundation.

“This is great news from our point of view and will be doing all that we can to support Ian in his endeavour. I hope you can do the same and thank you in advance for your support.”

Tickets will be available from 09:00 on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 on the Shelbourne FC website at www.shelbournefc.ie/match-tickets 

For those not able to attend, a Non Attendance Ticket is available if you wish to support the hospital and all these tickets will be entered into a draw for some great prizes from our sponsors.

In the unlikely event that relevant health restrictions continue to apply, a later date will be chosen.

Shels XI*: Wes Hoolahan, Tony Sheridan, Dave Rogers, Pat Fenlon, Greg Costello, Stuart Byrne, Seana Cooke, Jim Crawford, Dean Delany, Owen Heary, Mick Neville, Paul Doolin, Pearl Slattery, Kev Doherty, Ollie Cahill, Kate Mooney, Richie Baker, Dessie Baker, Colin Hawkins, Glen Crowe, Bobby Ryan, Alan Moore, Jay Byrne, Ian Morris

Celebrity All Stars XI*: Joe Brolly, Jack McCaffrey, Damien Duff, Kellie Harington, Keith Andrews, Stephanie Roche, Alan Brogan, Niall Quinn, Ray Kennedy, Stig Inge Bjornebye, Gareth Farrelly, Wayne Henderson, John O’Shea, Andy Reid, Laurence Kinlan, Alan Cawley

*Players are provisionally confirmed to play depending on government restrictions and other relevant sporting circumstances. 

Posted on 2020-04-042020-04-04

‪Everyone at Shelbourne FC would like to pass on their condolences to the friends and family to Club President Theresa Donnelly who passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at home this morning. May she rest in peace. ‬

Posted on 2020-04-022020-04-04

Shelbourne FC is delighted to announce a formal partnership with Halpin Sport Sponsorship.

This partnership will see Shelbourne FC and Halpin Sports Sponsorship working closely together in continuing to build the commercial portfolio of the club.

On announcing the partnership, Shelbourne CEO, David O’Connor had the following to say:

‘In what is a truly unprecedented period of history that we all find ourselves in, the challenges faced by football clubs in this country over the coming weeks and months will be immense.

“With that in mind, it is vitally important that we as a club put plans in place now, in advance of normality resuming and when we can begin to enjoy games in Tolka once again.

“A big part of that is to continue to plan towards the expansion and growth of our commercial partners and sponsors. I have worked with Peter (Managing Director of Halpin Sports Sponsorship) over the past number of months and I could not speak more highly of himself and his company.

“Peter has already played an integral part in bringing new brands and partners to the club and I am very excited to work closely with him again once we are through this period of uncertainty.’

Peter Halpin, Managing Director at Halpin Sport Sponsorship, said:

“Halpin Sport Sponsorship are proud and delighted to have reached an agreement to work on behalf of Shelbourne Football Club for 2020.

“Dealing with CEO David O’Connor is a pleasure and we look forward to announcing new brands as partners to the Shelbourne FC Family as soon as the Covid-19 nightmare is over.”