Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
St. Patrick's Athletic 2-0 Galway United
- Eoin Manning
- Fri, Mar 05 2010
Click on the image to view a selection of photos from the game, courtesy of Fergus McNally
Goals in either half were enough for St. Patrick’s Athletic to get their Airtricity League Premier Division season off to a flying start with a 2-0 win over ten-man Galway united in Richmond Park tonight.
The explosion that was the opening to the game could have and should have been given an even earlier spark when after five minutes Alex Williams found himself only managing to hook a volley over Barry Ryan’s crossbar from the edge of the six yard box following some determined build up play from Pat's captain Damien Lynch.
It can often be used as an excuse that a chance has come too early for a
player, a theory that Ryan Guy clearly does not subscribe to as only three
minutes later the American found himself free in the Galway box when fed by
Stuart Byrne.
The winger calmly set himself and his left foot shot had too much power for Ryan to keep out as the former Pat’s stopper was beaten at
his near post to send the Inchicore crowd into raptures.
When Galway seemed to finally be settling, the game had its second
incendiary moment. Visiting midfielder Stephen O’Donnell appeared to have
nipped in ahead of David Mulcahy on the half-way line and been clipped in
the process, however, the referee didn’t see it the same way and awarded
O’Donnell his second yellow of the game after only 17 minutes for
simulation.
O’Donnell was clearly distraught by the decision, but there was no real
complaint from the ex-Bohemian’s man who left the field with his head in his
hands.
Bizarrely the game then began to settle down and there was little if
anything to report incident wise for the remaining half hour or so of the
opening period.
Pete Mahon would have been concerned by his team’s apparent inability to
maximise their numerical advantage, while Sean Connor would have been
mightily relieved at the character his players showed in keeping themselves
in the game.
The second-half started almost as dramatically as the first as a brilliant
Derek O’Brien free-kick on 46 flew inches over Gary Rogers’ crossbar with
the Pat’s netminder a mere spectator. Not to be outdone, Byrne then
screamed a long-range effort of his own into the Shed End of the famous old
ground.
The primary source of creativity for Mahon’s men was coming down the Saints’
left and a whipped delivery from Gareth Coughlan on 68 caused panic in the
Galway box and when the ball fell invitingly at the feet of Alex Williams
the striker lashed home for his second of the season from ten yards.
The clinical finish gave Pat’s the comfort of a two-goal lead, which on the
balance of play they certainly warranted. Coughlan’s work for the evening
was done and he was replaced shortly after by another debutant in Brian Cash.
It was suddenly all too easy for the Dubliners as they went in search of
number three to the celebratory cheers of olé from the Richmond Park crowd
which greeted every pass.
In the end, the supporters had to settle for two, although fans and players
no doubt went home very satisfied with their evening’s work.
St. Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; Lynch, Kenna, Guthrie, Bermingham (Pender 85); Guy, Byrne, Mulcahy, Coughlan (Cash 71); Faherty (Byrne 81), Williams.
Subs not used: Connor, McAllister.
Galway United: Ryan; Conneely, Heary, McKenzie, Meynell; Foley (Creaney
84), O’Donnell, Curran, O’Brien; Molloy (McBrien 65), Sheppard.
Subs not used: King, Sinnott, Friel.
Referee: Padraig Sutton.
Man of the match: Alex Williams.
About Eoin Manning
Eoin Manning has been a part of the extratime.ie reporting team since 2009 and covers the Dublin clubs. Eoin also writes for many of the countries national newspapers and can be contacted at eoinpmanning@gmail.com
