Shelbourne secured a 2-1 aggregate victory over Linfield following a 1-1 draw at Windsor Park. Both teams scored in the first half, with Ali Coote netting for Shelbourne and Chris Shields equalizing for Linfield. Linfield's missed opportunities, including a failed goal attempt from Matthew Fitzpatrick, and the impact of injuries highlighted their struggles. Shelbourne's resilience shone through, especially after losing captain Mark Coyle to injury, as they maintained pressure and capitalized on Linfield's mistakes.
Linfield could have been 3-0 up on the night before 15 minutes had gone, with missed chances and a near goal hitting the crossbar. Kearns's lack of concentration gifted possession to Fitzpatrick, who failed to find the target, a critical moment for Linfield's hopes.
The captain of Shelbourne, Mark Coyle, was forced off due to an injury at 22 minutes, yet the team responded effectively, scoring the opener and maintaining pressure despite losing their leader.
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