John Martin Shelbourne's hat-trick hero in 3-2 thriller with Sligo Rovers
Shelbourne 3
Sligo Rovers 2
Darryl Geraghty reports from Tolka Park
JOHN MARTIN WAS the hat-trick hero as Shelbourne got back to winning ways in a 3-2 thriller at Tolka Park.
Gareth McElroy had given Sligo Rovers a surprise lead early on, but Martin hit back with three unanswered strikes to prove the matchwinner, despite star in the making Owen Elding setting up an extremely nervy ending with a sensational long-range effort.
The impressive visitors, who made just the one change from the side that brilliantly overcame Galway United last week, got the dream start in the third minute. McElroy easily shrugged off his marker Kameron Ledwidge before confidently heading down past the helpless Lorcan Healy.
On his 100th appearance in Red, Evan Caffrey tried desperately to level immediately afterwards but saw his curling effort sail just over.
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Stop whatever you're doing and appreciate this moment of greatness from Owen Elding!😮
Game on in Tolka. Goal of the season? pic.twitter.com/b4QgCIKV5c — League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) May 23, 2025
The early goal set the tone for an end-to-end first half with chances aplenty. Irish under-21 International Jad Hakiki looked to get one over on his former side, cutting inside on his right foot and unleashing a thunderous strike that went inches wide.
It seemed a matter of time before the next goal was to come and it was the champions who grabbed the equaliser just after the half hour mark. Martin showed great movement in the area to get across Sligo stopper Sam Sargeant and calmly finish Caffrey's low cross from the left.
Just six minutes later the hosts were ahead through the same combination that brought about the opener. Caffrey, again, cut inside onto his right and crossed to the back post to find Martin, who gladly headed home unchallenged.
The half time break did nothing to slow the relentless pace as both sides continued to go at each other hammer and tongs. Martin must have thought three points were on the way, grabbing his hat-trick 13-minutes after the restart following a chaotic goalmouth scramble.
The home side's celebrations were cut short just a minute later when Elding responded with a goal of the season contender, striking beautifully straight into the top corner from almost 30-yards out.
Former Sligo man Ellis Chapman began to find some space in the pockets and had a couple of good chances to notch against his old side but was snuffed out on each occasion.
John Russell then threw the proverbial kitchen sink for the remaining minutes with a front two of Francely Lomboto and Wilson Waweru proving a handful and looking dangerous from set pieces. But Damien Duff's charges dug deep to repel everything that was thrown at them to hold on for three points in a roller coaster of a game.
Shelbourne: Lorcan Healy; Mark Coyle, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson; John O'Sullivan, Kerr McInroy, JJ Lunney, Ellis Chapman, Evan Caffrey; Harry Wood (Mipo Odubeko, 70'), John Martin (Daniel Kelly, 84')
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Harvey Lintott, 46'), Gareth McElroy, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Jad Hakiki, Matthew Wolfe (Francely Lomboto, 70'), Owen Elding, Stephen Mallon (Ronan Manning, 46'), Will Fitzgerald; Cian Kavanagh (Wilson Waweru, 70')
Referee: Aaron O'Dowd (Dublin)
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