League Report: St Patrick's Athletic 3 - 2 Sligo Rovers

Brandon Kavanagh celebrates scoring the winner for St Patrick's Athletic from the penalty spot

Brandon Kavanagh celebrates scoring the winner for St Patrick's Athletic from the penalty spot Credit: Matthew Lysaght (ETPhotos)

Patrick O’Connor reports from Richmond Park

St Patrick's Athletic completed a great fortnight for the club when they picked up three league points with a 3-2 win against Sligo Rovers in a thrilling match at Richmond Park on Sunday evening.

Following their 5-3 aggregate victory over Liechtenstein side Vaduz, there was a noticeable spring in their step and certainly no side of jet leg when the Saints took to the pitch in Inchicore for the 6pm kick off against the Bit O'Red.

They certainly left it late to secure this win and there was a lot of controversy over the winning goal.

 But that will not bother them as they now get ready again for another European Conference League match at home to FC Sabah of Azerbaijan next Thursday night.

Sligo Rovers also had reason to be confident as they headed to the capital as they arrived in Inchicore on the back of a great four game unbeaten run.

They certainly gave as good as they got from Pats and in fact led twice in the game before falling to a sucker punch winning goal in the 99th minute of the game.

Rovers opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Conor Malley took advantage of a loose pass from Jamie Lennon and he strode forward from midfield before striking a superb long range shot that gave Joseph Anang no chance.

It did not take long for the home side to draw level and the sides were tied at 1-1 after 25 minutes.

Aidan Keena fed Jake Mulraney along the left wing, he outpaced JR Wilson who then tugged Mulraney’s jersey inside the box, referee Rob Hennessy had no option but to award the spot kick and Kenna struck it powerfully for his first goal for the club



It remained 1-1 at the break but Rovers did not take long to regain the lead and they were two one ahead by the 53rd minute

Following a great passage of play by Rovers, Will Fitzgerald whipped in a great cross from the left and Ellis Chapman was unmarked in the box and he headed it past Anang, another good goal for the visitors.

There was a raft of substitutions by both managers and one of them, Brandon Kavanagh, turned out to be the super sub who turned the game in Pats favour.

Kavanagh picked up a loose ball in midfield in the 65th minute and fired off a long range shot at Ed McGinty, the Rovers keeper normally deals with these at his ease but on this occasion the ball seemed to bobble before it reached him and it bounced into the net to make it two all.

The drama continued right up to the end of the game and there was 10 minutes of added time played with the controversial winner for Pats coming in the 99th minute.

The home side won a free kick on the half way line and when Kavanagh floated the ball in, there was a tussle between Chapman and Luke Turner with the latter falling to the ground with only minimal contact from the Rovers player.



Referee Rob Hennessy awarded a penalty to the astonishment of Rovers players and fans, and indeed to all neutrals also, but Pats took full advantage of the decision and Kavanagh slammed home the penalty to leave in three two to the home side.

Rovers’s manager John Russell saw red for remonstrating with the match officials over the decision and moments later the final whistle was blown.

St Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Tetteh Anang; Al Amin Kazeem (Anto Breslin 60), Joseph Redmond, Axel Sjöberg, Luke Turner , Christopher Forrester (Mason Melia 60) Kian Leavy, Jamie Lennon, Romal Palmer (Brandon Kavanagh 60); Aidan Keena (Zack Elbouzedi 66), Jake Mulraney (Aaron Bolger 76).

Subs not used: Daniel Rogers, Conor Keeley, Jason McClelland, Alex Nolan.

Booked: Jamie Lennon (88).

 

Sligo Rovers: Edward McGinty; Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson, John Ross Wilson, Nando Pijnaker; Ellis Chapman, Connor Malley (Kailin Barlow 97), Niall Morahan (Jack Henry Francis 84); William Fitzgerald, Stephen Mallon (Owen Elding 84), Wilson Waweru (Luke Pearce 76).

Subs not used: Richard Brush, Charlie Wiggett, Kyle McDonagh, Daire Patton,  Gareth McElroy.

Booked:  Nando Pijnaker  (25) ,Niall Morahan (66), JR Wilson (88), Killian Barlow (98).

Sent off: John Russell (99).

 

Referee: Rob Hennessy.

Attendance: 3,211.

extratime.com Player of the Match: Axel Sjoberg (St Patrick's Athletic).

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