14-07-09: Shelbourne (a) 2-2 (HT 2-0) Crowd (3,343)

United undertook a trip to Ireland as part of their pre-season build-up and they soon found themselves without the services of Enoch Showumni, with a hamstring injury, and Alan Martin, with a back problem. Martin did not complete the warm-up prior to the first game with Shelbourne, at Tolka Park on 14th July 2009, and this meant Casper Ankergren played the whole game, while Showumni was taken off after twenty-nine minutes, as a precaution. Mike Grella and Alan Sheehan were given a chance after missing the game at York and as in the previous friendly, Ankergren apart, fielded a different team in either half. In the first half Ankergren found his outfield was: Andy Hughes, Tom Lees, Lubomir Michalik and Alan Sheehan, Andy Robinson, Fabian Delph, Jonathan Howson and Enoch Showumni, Jermaine Beckford and Mike Grella. Aidan White replaced Showumni after twenty-nine minutes. For the second half he was fronted by: Andy Hughes, who gave way to Liam Darville after sixty-five minutes, Jason Crowe, Paul Huntington and Ben Parker, Robert Snodgrass, David Prutton, Bradley Johnson and Aidan White, Mike Grella, who was replaced by Tom Elliott, after sixty-five minutes and Luciano Becchio. United were quickly out of the blocks and Mike Grella pounced on a defensive mistake to play Jermaine Beckford in, but he was quickly crowded out. Good work on the left by Enoch Showumni played in Mike Grella who tested Vinny Whelan, the Shelbourne keeper. Mike Grella was again involved as he created an opening for Jermaine Beckford but the striker could not capitalise, but after twenty-one minutes Beckford was unlucky, when after rounding the keeper, his shot from an acute angle was kicked off the line. Soon afterwards United's main striker again tried his luck with an overhead kick, but with his next involvement he gave United the lead after twenty-six minutes. He was on the end of another good Leeds move to give Whelan no chance. He almost made it two, three minutes later, when an Andy Robinson cross was slightly off target and he was unable to get in a firm shot. The home side sent on Michael Synnott for Jordan McMillan after thirty-three minutes. United were well on top and it was again Beckford in the spotlight as he headed an Andy Hughes cross onto the underside of the bar, and then Jonathan Howson went close when the Shelbourne defence allowed him too much room. The second goal inevitably came in the forty-first minute when, after good work by Aidan White, Beckford made no mistake with a sharp finish. Andy Robinson was unlucky not to find his name on the scoresheet just prior to the break when his long range shot was turned over the bar at the second attempt by the Shelbourne keeper. While leeds almost changed their whole team Shelbourne made do with just one change for the start of the second half, when Guy Bates replaced Andrei Georgescu. But the second half was more of the first, with Aidan White making a mazy run down the left to set up David Prutton for a cross which Bradley Johnson headed straight at the keeper. However, with their first serious threat of the half Shelbourne reduced the deficit, as Richie Baker crossed from the right for the substitute, Guy Bates, to easily beat Casper Ankergren with a well placed header, in the forty-eighth minute. This seemed to knock United out of their rhythm, and after Paul Huntington had snuffed out one threat and Casper Ankergren had saved well from Richie Baker, there was a goalmouth scramble and Andy Hughes was judged to have handled, and up stepped David Crawley to equalise from the spot, after fifty-six minutes. On the one hour mark, the home side made three changes as Maurice Farrell replaced Liam McMenamin, Joey Flood replaced Anthony Costigan and Mark O'Reilly took Richie Baker's place. The game then became dull and did not provide much entertainment for the 3,343 crowd, as Shelbourne's fitness showed and United faded. Casper Ankergren was called upon to save a free-kick in the seventieth minute and United were lucky that Jurgis Kalns lifted the ball over the bar rather than hit the target. Three minutes later the home side made their final three changes as Ross Moran came on for Michael Synnott, Patrick Kavanagh replaced Colin O'Brien and Keith Murray came on for David Cassidy. United soon resonded and after eighty minutes Luciano Becchio headed narrowly over from a Bradley Johnson cross. Tom Elliott was the centre of an incident which resulted in the Shelbourne keeper needing attention after he went up for a header and with three minutes left Robert Snodgrass put an effort over the bar as United searched for the winner but in the end were happy to settle for a 2-2 draw. Paul Tuite (Dublin) was the Referee.

Programme:

Match Report: Courtesy Mark Ledgard