League Report: Galway United 1 - 4 St Patrick's Athletic

St. Patricks Athletic moved into fourth in the table with an emphatic 4-1 win at Eamon Deacy Park on Friday night. A penalty by Killian Brennan, two from Conan Byrne and another from Ciaran Kilduff sealed the Saints’ win over ten man Galway United.

United’s David O’Leary did snatch one back for the home side after the break but Galway were, for the majority of the game, outclassed by a team finally finding form in the Premier Division. Alex Byrne is the latest in a long line of Galway United players to receive their marching orders this season.

It was the home side that created the early chances with Gary Shanahan coming close after six minutes. United’s trio in midfield had started to cause problems for Pats, but Liam Buckley changed his team to a 4-3-3 and this stopped Galway’s rhythm and early grip on proceedings.

The visitors grew into the game and on twenty five minutes Aaron Greene had his effort blocked by Stephen Walsh but referee Jim McKell awarded a penalty for hand ball. It seemed a harsh decision against a player committed to blocking the shot at virtually point blank range. Brennan dispatched the penalty with ease.

Pats were now in control of the game and this afforded both Brennan and Chris Forrester time and space on the ball in an ever-stretching United defence. Fifteen minutes later the Saints were two up thanks to Forrester’s pass to Conan Byrne down the right hand flank.  The winger slotted into the bottom corner for his first of the night.

St. Pats should have killed the game off before the break but a combination of missed chances and solid goalkeeping kept the scoreline at a modest 2-0.

After the break, Tommy Dunne made changes to his midfield replacing Paul Sinnot with left back Antonie O’Laoi. This allowed Alex Byrne to partner O’Leary in central midfield and there was instant impact as Galway, similar to the opening half, took charge of the game.

O’Leary’s strike from all of 25 yards was a nothing shot, but took a deflection on its way past Conor O’Malley in the Pats goal. A buoyed home support got behind their team but the Saints never flinched and began to create chances again through James Chambers and Forrester.

On the hour mark Kilduff blazed his effort high and over the bar after great work from Chambers down the right. The tall forward really should have scored from four yards out.

The former Shamrock Rovers player got a second bite at goal minutes later after Forrester’s pass caught the United defence napping. Kilduff raced onto Forrester’s pass, beat the on-rushing Ger Hanley and coolly slotted home. That was game, set and match, but there was more drama to follow.

Conan Byrne got his second of the night curling a left footed shot into the top corner despite Hanley getting a hand to it. Chris Forrester was again at the heart of the move.

As the clock ticked down, the night went from bad to worse for the home side as Alex Byrne saw a straight red card for a lunge on Chambers. It was a tackle born out of frustration rather than menace and he deserved to go.

Galway United: Ger Hanley; Stephen Walsh, Sam Oji, Colm Horgan, Alex Byrne; Gary Shanahan, Paul Sinnot (Antaine O’Laoi 46), David O’Leary (Padraic Cunningham 71), Ryan Connolly; Jake Keegan; Enda Curran.
Subs Not Used: Conor Gleeson (gk), Cormac Raftery, Kevin Garcia, Conor Barr.

Booked: O’Leary (55).
Sent off: A. Byrne (86).

St. Patricks Athletic: Conor O'Malley,; Ger O'Brien (James Chambers 34), Lee Desmond, Kenny Browne, Ian Bermingham; Conan Byrne, Killian Brennan, Greg Bolger (Conor McCormack 74), Aaron Greene, Chris Forrester (Morgan Langley 81); Ciaran Kilduff.
Subs Not Used: Booked: Brendan Clarke (gk), Jamie McGrath, Jason McGuinness, Sam Verdon.

Booked: K. Brennan (55).

Referee: Jim McKell (Tipperary)

Attendance: 1,355

Extratime.ie Man of the match: Killian Brennan (St Patrick's Ath).