The game was to mark the purchase of Tolka Park by the Shelbourne club. The Shelbourne substitute was Philip Power and Dylan Kerr replaced Vinnie Jones for Leeds. The Referee was D. McArdle (Dundalk) and the game was played at Tolka Park. Leeds took the lead after twenty-seven minutes with a goal from Lee Chapman. Gary Speed added a second in the seventy-second minute.
Programme:
Match Report: From the Irish Times (Thanks to Steve Bell for Report and teams etc)
"Shelbourne did the League of Ireland football the world of good for the second time this week when at Tolka Park last night, an estimated 12,000 crowd saw them taking on Leeds United in a friendly match to celebrate the purchase of the ground".
"The appeal of this game was such that the kick-off was delayed for fifteen minutes after the fans outside were told that the ground was full. It was estimated that over 1,000 were left outside and the club asked for extra Gardai just in case there was trouble. In the event there was none."
"Though Leeds retain a huge Irish support, which stems from the days of Johnny Giles, Jack Charlton and Billy Bremner at Elland Road, the pity is that they failed to live up to their reputation last night."
"Leeds, while winning by two clear goals, never really showed the flair expected of them, apart from some brilliant patches from Gordon Strachan, the former Manchester United player, the classiest player on view."
"It took Leeds twenty-seven minutes to prise open the Shelbourne defence when the controversial Vinny Jones, their £650,000 signing from Wimbledon, started a move which was taken up by John Hendrie and polished off by Lee Chapman."
"Strachan had previously seen his free-kick saved by Fred Davis while Leeds keeper Mervyn Day had to deal with a hot shot from Mick Byrne. Just after Leeds had taken that lead, Byrne had another chance when put through by Joe Reynolds, but he shot wide."
"Vinny Jones' involvement in the game ended rather abruptly when, after getting a yellow card for a foul on Shelbourne player-manager Pat Byrne, he was taken off."
"Shelbourne gave as good as they got in the incredible atmosphere created by the sort of crowd that has not been seen at Tolka Park for years. Hendrie shot wide at the far post but Leeds wre lucky in the sixty-seventh minute when a cross by Ian Hill saw substitute Philip Power heading against an upright."
"Leeds finally wrapped it up in the seventy-second minute when Hendrie, another star of the side, set up Gary Speed but, for the second time in a week, Shelbourne earned a great deal of respect."
