- Pearse O'Caoimh
- Sat, Mar 08 2008
A saintly beast awoke down at the Stadium of light in the usually quiet suburb of Inchicore tonight but she didn’t awake without a hefty prod. Yes, Saint Patrick’s Athletic began the new season in style as they disposed of a brave Sligo Rovers side 3-1, all their goals coming in a 7-minute blitz. The crowd were forced to wait a lot longer than anticipated though, as a jersey clash delayed the game by 30 minutes. It seems Sligo Rovers had left their away jerseys back in the West and had to wear Saint Pat’s away strip. At 8.15, an impatient crowd finally gets to see the first ball in motion of season 2008.
However, a second frustrating delay was in store. It wasn’t until the 23rd minute until we saw a shot on goal when Pat’s new boy Gary Dempsey had a decent piledriver saved by Pat Jennings. 6 of Pat’s 7 new signings started the game and they were finding it difficult to impose any sort of rhythm on the game as rushed passes and non-existant creativity dogged their early efforts. Rovers were not about to let them get away with their mistakes.
Jamie Mckenzie rounded Pat’s keepr Barry Ryan on 25 minutes to put Rovers ahead after a botched effort from Fahrudin Kudozovic fell into his path. The 100 or so Rovers hardcores who made the trip erupted in a mix of disbelief and joy.
Gary O’Neill and Keith Fahy both missed guilt edged chances for Pat’s before the break though Sligo keeper Jennings was proving to be a pillar of solidity between the nets.
Pat’s boss John McDonnell was not about to panic and allowed the new boys more time to gel. His trust paid off on the hour mark when captain Jamie Harris headed home from close range after Bobby Ryan worked a decent cross. The beast had been grumbling in his sleep and straining to open her eyes up until this point. But my God how she awoke with a roar.
The rest of the game belonged to Pat’s. Suddenly, they were first to every ball, the players looked like they had serious structure about them and Sligo were visibly shaken. Ryan Guy got on the end of a Mark Quigley cross to head home on 65 minutes. Time for a yawn or a stretch from the beast? Not a chance. Within another two minutes, Guy rattled the Rovers net from 25 yards after some seriously suspect defending by Anto Murphy and Mauro Almeida. And that was it. 7 minutes of mayhem and onslaught brushed away the best efforts of a determined and worthy Rovers side.
After the match Rovers boss Paul Cook was in vintage realist humour “It’s going to be a very difficult season. We can’t win the league, we haven’t got a squad, we haven’t got a budget. Everyone knows that there are only 3 or 4 teams who can win it and all we can do is try.”
Meanwhile on the other side, Ryan Guy was in buoyant humour after his brace. “I’m just delighted for the team and delighted that we got off to the right start…..Hopefully we can go on from here now and of course I’ll hope to bag a few more in the next few games.”
So after 90 minutes, Rovers and Pat’s look very much like two teams heading in very different directions this season.
St Patrick's Athletic: Barry Ryan; Damien Lynch, David Partridge, Jamie Harris, Joe O'Cearuill; Bobby Ryan (Dessie Byrne 61), Gary Dempsey, Keith Fahey, Ryan Guy; Mark Quigley (Alan Kirby 86), Gary O'Neill, (Stephen Brennan 90+1).
Subs not used: Brendan Clarke, John Frost.
Bookings: Ryan.
Sligo Rovers: Pat Jennings; Raffaele Cretaro, Chris Butler, Mauro Almeida, Jamie McKenzie; Anto Murphy (Gary Curran 82), Conor O'Grady, Alan Moore (Matthew Judge 61), Sean Doherty (Brian Cash 66); Romauld Boco, Fahrudin Kuduzovic.
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Keith Foy.
Bookings: None.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer.
Attendance: 2,160
