Playing attractive, exciting football, Shelbourne simply blew an abject Galway away from the start at Tolka Park, running up their matchwinnning lead before half-time.

After misses for Dessie Baker and Stephen Geoghegan, Shelbourne's power-packed start soon brought them the opening goal on 16 minutes. A delightful interchange of passes with Pat Fenlon and Davy Byrne involved got the ball to Richie Baker who looked up before beating Mark Cobey with a wonderful cross-shot from over 20 yards.

With Galway in disarray at the back Shelbourne scored again on 27 minutes. Geoghegan got to the end line to pull the ball back for Fenlon to score from 12 yards.

Dessie Baker shot wide of an open goal after Cobey parried a shot from Davy Byrne on 31 minutes before Richie struck again two minutes before the break.

Peter Hutton won a superb tackle to get the ball to Fenlon who hooked it over the top. And Baker, looking offisde, ran on to blast the ball past Cobey.

Shelbourne took their foot of the pedal in the second-half. Dessie Baker brought a good save from Cobey after a fine dribble early on before Jonathan Minnock almost broke the crossbar with a tremendous 20-yard free-kick on 64 minutes.

SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, McCarthy, Hutton, Minnock; D Byrne, Gannon, Fenlon; D Baker, Geoghegan, R. Baker. Subs: Fitzpatrick for Geoghegan (67 mins); Igwilo for D Baker (80 mins.); Houlihan for R. Baker (85 mins.).

GALWAY UNITED: Cobey; Keady, Sheridan, Silke, Quirke; Ryan, Murphy, Fortune, O'Brien; Clery, Keogh. Subs: S Byrne for O'Brien (half-time); O'Shaughnessy for Keogh (72 mins); Keane for Fortune (81 mins).

Referee: John McDermott (Dublin).