FITTINGLY, for a battle between two under achieving powers of the domestic game, one decisive blow decided it. Trevor Croly, one of six new signings this season in a reconstructed St Patrick's Athletic side that is now beginning to gel, struck the winner seven minutes from time, in a predictably tense encounter.

The first half was so tight and congested it was almost claustrophobic. Shelbourne began the second half with a gallop, and forced their few clear chances during that spell. But the balance shifted imperceptibly towards St Patrick's after the 73rd minute arrival of Brian Morrisroe.

His typical cameo infused St Patrick's with some pace and danger, his cross providing the winner. Shelbourne had a fair amount of possession, but Packie Lynch and John McDonnell were virtually impenetrable, and St Patrick's will point, with some justification, to the fact that Alan Gough was ultimately the busier of the two goalkeepers.

Brian Kerr delayed naming his team until the last possible second and when unveiled it contained a couple of surprises. Paul McGee, the `Maggot' as opposed to Ski, was included as one of the two wide men supporting Paul Osam following his signing from Linfield. The skilful Keith Long, despite wearing 10, was employed at full back and sacrificed from midfield, where Mick Moody, wearing two, shadowed Tony Sheridan wherever he went.

St Patrick's sought to turn the Shelbourne back three repeatedly with long balls to the tall figure of lone striker Paul Osam, or beyond, with McGee and Martin Reilly supporting from either side. But the home defence (with Dave Campbell clearly pumped and none too bothered by the derisory chants of the visiting fans) coped comfortably with the assistance of an offside trap that ensnared St Patrick's six times.

After a first half devoid of scoring chances, Shelbourne upped the tempo. Stephen Geoghegan moved wide to return the ball inside for Dave Smith, who extracted a good save from Brian McKenna and sawn his headed rebound steered inches wide by Pat Morley.

Morley then volleyed over off balance when Stephen Geoghegan flicked Mick Neville's ball over the top into his path. The visitors' response was a miscued shot by McGee and the switching of Long and Moody as Sheridan began to make inroads.

Apart from that, not much else, save for a few long balls which always required a Shelbourne mistake for anything to come of them. However Gough came off his line to save well from the sluggish McGee, who was promptly substituted. Brian Morrisroe immediately ran at the home defence, Neville's tackle deflecting the ball into the path of Osam but Gough reacted swiftly and saved superbly.

Suddenly, the St Patrick's midfielders were beginning to make inroads. Croly played a one two with Martin Reilly and his looped, deflected shot was brilliantly pushed away one handed by the off balance Gough. After 78 minutes Sheridan's cross found Stephen Geoghegan unmarked, but, stretching, he could only glance his header wide.

Five minutes later St Patrick's struck the decisive blow.

Shelbourne lost possession near their own corner flag, and Morrisroe's low cross found its way through a well populated penalty area to find Croly at the far post. His first shot rebounded from the butt of the upright, but the rebound fell invitingly for him to steer home the winner.

St Patrick's were never likely to let Shelbourne back in after that.