A long throw into the box is cleared but only as far as a corner. Brendan Clarke comes up for it, but it amounts to nothing and that is surely it. 

Shelbourne are launching anyting they get at the box, they have a free kick and maybe one last chance to do so...

The ball pings about the box before David McMillian clears it. 

There will be five minuts of additional time.

John Martin  - Patrick Hoban  (Dundalk).

Dundalk going for it with their subs after surrendering the lead from the penalty spot. 

2,427 is the official attendance here tonight. 

Shels are well in this. This half has been a bit more end to end and Shels are starting ot get more of the ball further up the field. The bit of extra room with two men off from either side, seems to be suiting them. 

Another few moments of lunacy there. Farrell is booked for Shelbourne and Mark Coyle is very lucky to avoid one himself as he bundles through a Dundalk player en route to remonstrate with the ref. 

The red card for Bradley actually came on the back of something noticed by the assistant. IT will be interesting to watch that one back again.

Ten men each on the pitch, Dundalk's numerical advantage not lasting very long.

Now we have a game on our hands. Shels in the ascendency ascendancy now

Woah.

A ball over the top from Shels almost falls kindly to , who would have been a cert to score.

Momens later Shels have a penalty shout as Jack Moylan goes down under close atention, but it's not given. 

Dundalk have come out with their tails up. They have been well on top and are piling on the pressure. Shels will need to weather this pressure and regroup lest the madness at the end of the first half will be their undoing. 

Damien Duff gets a first yellow for his loud protestations at Griffin's sending off, and then a subsequent second. So that's the manager sent off as well. Silly stuff. 

Dundalk need to watch their tempers here after those yellow cards. Connolly is tore between playing the ball or the man as a ball is lumped in and indecisiveness as the red mist descends allows Daniel Carr to swan into the box as the ball goes over the Dundalk defender's head. 

Paul Doyle (Dundalk) is booked.

Hmm a bit of play acting involved in that one. A Shel's player stoops to walk into Doyle's outstretched hand and hits the deck, right in front of the ref and Doyle is booked. Patrick Hoban and a number of Dundalk players take issue with the card, and it looks like Hoban is going to get a yellow for his protestations too. 

We have some handbags. 

Dundalk have a corner, their second of the game. It was a bit hectic in the six yard box and it's cleared, only for another corner. The subsequent one skims off a Lilywhite player and goes out out for a Reds' throw-in. 

Okay positive points so far and it's in the form of praise for both defensive units. So not a riviting game it's safe to say.

Shels have kept their shape well and limited Dundalk's possession. Connolly and Boyle have been dominant and cleaned up any and all of the long passes humped in at them. 

Shels advance down their right flank, on the Shed side, and Griffin manages to turn his man as he cuts into the box. His first effort is blocked and his subsequent go at the rebound blazes well over. 

Stephen Bradley has a first time snap shot. It's the first (on target) effort of the game. Brendan Clarke dives and holds onto it. It was heading for the bottom corner. 

On a number of occasions, Dundalk have played the ball back to Shepperd in goals. His distribution has been very solid. He must be a breath of fresh air compared to last year's first choice between the sticks. 

Dundalk on top in terms of possession but they haven't managed to have a decent shot on goal yet. 

Dundalk advance in numbers, Macari is on the ball with options in front of him and he mishits the through ball, big-toeing it out of play for a goal-kick. 

Shane Griffin (Shelbourne) is booked. A tactical foul on Stephen Bradley who was almost played away down the right. 

Neither side has had great success with sustained passing accuracy yet. Every time somehing looks to be brewing, it's undone by a bad pass. 

Stephen Bradley with a well hit free from outside the box. It had pace but not accuracy and fizzes wide of the goal. 

A great ball from Kelly on the left finds Sloggett in the box who controls it well with his chest, he could fire home from his left but elects to try and turn it back onto his right. In the meantime, the Shels players arrive back to smother the danger.

It's been pretty tame so far. Neither side has fashioned a chance of note. Darragh Leahy almost let Daniel Carr bear in on goal with an underhit backpass to Connolly, but the Dundalk defender managed to get there first. 

Dundalk won the toss and they are playing towards the Carrick Road end. Shels, the Reds, in their red kit and Dundalk in the familiar black and white kit. Tonight they have a once off 'Watch Your Back - Motor Neurone Disease' charity jersey, which will be auctioned off after the game to raise funds. 

A slight delay as one of the assistant referees has taken issue with the net of the goal at the Carrick Road end. 

'Woke Up This Morning' by the Alabama 3, better known as the into song for The Sopranos, is bellowing as we approach Kick Off. That is of course to acknowledge that Vito Spatfore, real name Joseph Gannascol, is here to cheer on his adopted League of Ireland team, the Lilywhites. 

Dundalk will line out with a recognised striker this time around. Patrick Hoban returns to the fray, as does Stephen Bradley and Andy Boyle. Brian Gartland is of course suspended after his sending off on Monday. 

We're not far from our 7.45 KO here at Oriel Park. Ciarán Fisher here taking you through the action. I have to make a correction to our preview tonight. John Mountney returns to the Dundalk bench for this game, I had him down as an injury. Great to see him on the mend.