League Report: Dundalk 5 - 0 St Patrick's Athletic

Dundalk returned to the top of the table in emphatic style on Monday night, putting five goals past a sorry St Patrick’s Athletic side and ensuring that the Saint’s woeful record at Oriel Park in recent seasons continues.

Rather unusually considering the final, the sides went in at half-time scoreless before a brace from Patrick Hoban sent the Lilywhites on their way.

Ronan Murray, Michael Duffy and Jamie McGrath also scored in the second period to make sure the defeat away to Cork City just 72 hours prior was made a distant memory.

Stephen Kenny made four changes from the Dundalk side that succumbed to that first league defeat of the season with Brian Gartland, Dean Jarvis, Stephen O’Donnell and Ronan Murray all coming in.

The Lilywhites dominated the early exchanges of this match and created their first chance after five minutes when Patrick Hoban produced an excellent piece of skill before forcing a remarkable save from  Barry Murphy, who was in for a busy night in the St Patrick’s Athletic goal.

Hoban was once more involved when he set up Michael Duffy, who wasn’t far away after Kelly had been caught out by Dundalk skipper O’Donnell.

The striker was again causing problems for the St Pats defence, this time firing wide with his left foot after being played through by Robbie Benson.

Dundalk’s top scorer looked on fire throughout and he headed agonisingly wide from a Duffy free-kick before James Doona fashioned the visitors first meaningful effort on goal, using some magnificent skill to turn Brian Gartland inside out and forcing Gary Rogers into an excellent save.

Duffy then fired wide after a nice lay off from Hoban before the duo again combined, with the latter this time lifting his effort over the bar as Dundalk continued to pepper the St Pats goalmouth.

News of the unfolding events at Tallaght Stadium filtered through via the public-address system just as the players went in at the break and it must have done the trick, as the hosts took a deserved lead straight after the restart.

Hoban’s shot took a wicked deflection off the unfortunate Kevin Toner, leaving Murphy completely flat-footed as the Saints’ resistance was finally broken.

Dundalk could, and probably should, have doubled their advantage soon after when a brilliant cross from Dean Jarvis on the left was met by Duffy, who crashed his header off the crossbar before Murray’s shot was pushed away by Murphy for a corner.

The second goal came from the resulting corner though, after a goalmouth scramble saw the ball ricochet off Gartland and into the path of the grateful Hoban, who slotted home from close range.

Murray should then have scored after curling his effort wide following a cross from Duffy before Jake Keegan, who scored a brace against Bohs on Friday night, fired an effort well over at the other end.

Two soon became three after Hoban, now on a hat-trick, unselfishly laid the ball off for Murray, who rifled his effort into the top of the net past Murphy to score his first league goal for the club.

Pats went in search for a consolation goal and the underemployed Rogers had to make a decent save to deny Lee Desmond before Simon Madden fired wide from the resulting corner.

Two goals in quick succession completed the rout however:  a goal of the season contender from Duffy, who curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner, before the marauding Jarvis left Madden in his wake and set up substitute Jamie McGrath to tap home.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Hoare, Brian Gartland, Daniel Cleary, Dean Jarvis; John Mountney, Robbie Benson (Chris Shields 80), Stephen O’Donnell, Michael Duffy; Ronan Murray, Patrick Hoban (Sam Byrne 73 (Jamie McGrath 77)).

Subs not used: Gabriel Sava, Dane Massey, Dylan Connolly, Krisztian Adorjan.

Booked: Daniel Cleary (87).

St Patrick’s Athletic: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Lee Desmond, Kevin Toner, Ian Bermingham; James Doona, Darragh Markey, Graham Kelly (Michael Leahy 73), Jamie Lennon, Dean Clarke (Conan Byrne 76); Jake Keegan (Thomas Byrne 69).

Subs not used: Brian Maher, Michael Barker, Killian Brennan, Ian Turner.

Booked: Kevin Toner (25), Thomas Byrne (86).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.

Attendance: 2,086 (official).

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: John Mountney (Dundalk).