2021 Season Preview: St Patrick's Athletic
St Patrick's Athletic's Jamie Lennon in action against Paul Doyle of UCD. Credit: Martin Doherty (ETPhotos)
Manager: Stephen O’Donnell
Stadium: Richmond Park
Players in: Ronan Coughlan (Sligo Rovers), Sam Bone (Waterford), John Mountney (Dundalk), Matty Smith (Waterford), Vitezslav Jaros (Liverpool - loan), Alfie Lewis (West Ham United – loan), Paddy Barret (Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng), Nahum Melvin Lambert (Reading – loan), Barry Murphy (free agent).
Players out: Luke McNally (Oxford United), Rory Feely (Bohemians), Conor Kearns (Galway United), Jordan Gibson (Sligo Rovers), James Doona (Athlone Town), Darragh Markey (Drogheda), Brendan Clarke (Shelbourne), Georgie Kelly (Dundalk – end of loan), Paul Cleary (Wexford), Kyle Robinson (Wexford - loan).
Extratime.ie Key Man: John Mountney
John Mountney joins the Saints for 2021, having spent nine seasons at Dundalk, winning five league titles and three FAI cups during his tenure with the Lilywhites.
The 28-year-old was a pivotal figure in Dundalk’s 2016 and 2020 Europa League campaign and has also played alongside manager Stephen O’Donnell at Dundalk.
He is an extremely experienced player, with over 200 appearances in League of Ireland. A five-time league winner will benefit any team, but especially St Pats, who have an exceptionally young side.
He was a fan favourite at Dundalk, and the experience that he brings, along with his versatility could well prove to be the perfect fit for St Patrick’s Athletic.
Extratime.ie One to Watch: Jamie Lennon
Perhaps, one of the most important bit of business Stephen O’Donnell carried out in the transfer window was the retention of Jamie Lennon.
The 22-year-old was one of the St Pats best performers last season, stringing together some impressive performances throughout the season.
He was part of the Ireland under-21 team, scoring his first goal against Luxembourg in November. He also netted for the Saints in their 4-0 preseason win over Wexford.
His confidence will be brimming, and it could be a season to remember for the Dublin native.
How they did last season:
Premier Division:
Pre Covid, St Pats looked decent, they had some impressive performances, winning two out of four, including an impressive victory away to Sligo.
However, they will be bitterly disappointed with their form after the return of play in July, winning just two out of 13 games.
Their lack of goals was an issue again last season, scoring just nine goals in those remaining 13 games.
They missed out on the European football on the final day last season, losing 1-0 to Bohemians, ending their season in 6th place.
FAI Cup:
It was heartbreak at the first hurdle for St Pats, as they lost out to Finn Harps.
An early Ryan Connolly goal for Finn Harps was enough to seal victory over the Inchicore side.
What to expect this season:
A league title may be a bridge too far for the Inchicore men, however stranger things have happened.
They have added some impressive signings including 21-year-old Alfie Lewis on loan from West Ham, and goalkeeper Viteslav Jaros on loan from Liverpool.
O’Donnell has also addressed the goal scoring problem, and has signed Ronan Coughlan, who was Sligo’s top scorer last season and Matty Smith has also joined from Waterford.
Rory Feely (Bohemians) and Luke McNally (Oxford) have both left the club, and it remains to be seen just how much of a loss they will be.
European football will be the main target for Stephen O’Donnell and his comrades, and anything more will be bonus territory. They have a tricky start to the season with games against Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians in their opening three games.
They will need to pick up points early, and if they find some consistency early on, it could well lay the foundations for a successful year.
Title Odds: 11/1
First game: Shamrock Rovers (Away).
