- Alex Dunne
- Sat, Apr 07 2018
Alex Dunne reports from Richmond Park
St Patrick's Athletic recorded their biggest victory of the season as they smashed Bray Wanderers 5-0 at Richmon Park on Friday night.
Jake Keegan scored twice, while Kevin Toner, Conan Byrne, and Dean Clarke also netted, as the Saints put the Seagulls firmly to the sword.
Pat's began unchanged from the 2-1 defeat at Derry City last week, while Bray reintroduced Paul O'Conor to the starting XI in their only change from the team that lost at home to Cork City.
From the get-go, Bray aimed every attacking ball at the head of Darragh Noone as they looked to push the hosts back, but they found chances limited as the metronomic pair of Garvan and Lennon took it in turns to toy around in midfield.
The first big chance fell to the Saints, as a right-footed cross from Ian Bermingham went just over Keegan's head and found Madden at the back post, but his low drive went just wide back across goal.
The Seagulls met little success with their direct approach, Aaron Dillon's long balls often finding the head of Toner at the back, but a chance came when Daniel Kelly robbed a loose Toner pass and fed McCabe, but a slip from the captain and a weak Hugh Douglas cross put paid to any worries.
The aerial dominance of the Saints paid off in the 17th minute when Keegan, Garvan, and Clarke exchanged passes before Bermingham crossed to Brennan, whose header went passed Dillon and was tapped in at the back post by the American.
The game would break down somewhat after, with Madden and Kelly both booked for diving and a penalty appeal for a foul on Clarke turned away, but Pat's kept creating and broke through once more from a Conan Byrne corner in the 37th minute.
After Jamie Lennon;s pot shot deflected wide, a pinpoint drive from Byrne – his fourth corner of the game – met Toner rising and unmarked, and he fired past Dillon from six yards despite the best efforts of a desperate Noone on the line.
Just three minutes later, it was 3-0, as Kenna raked down Clarke and was luck to only see yellow.
Conan Byrne stepped up and duly dispatched straight down the middle, the power of the shot taking it through Dillon's diving leg and into the roof of the net.
The Saints started brighter once more in the second half, Clarke testing Dillon twice early on, while a minor moment at the back was quickly swept up by Desmond before McCabe could capitalise.
It didn't take long for dominance to be reestablished, mind, and in the 58th minute Pat's duly scored their fourth after a fantastic one-touch through ball from Garvan released Keegan in behind to smash into the top left for his second of the evening. Dillon had no chance.
Four minutes later came the death knell, insult to injury for the travelling side as a simple lofted ball from Lennon once again caught Kenna and Sean Heaney napping.
Clarke pounced, rounded Dillon with one swift dart to the left, and tapped into the empty net at the Shed End to a cheer that sounded more ironic and sympathetic than anything else.
From there, it became something of a non-event, save for an audacious scorpion kick clearance off the line from Toner to deny Greene. It was champagne football even in defence for the Inchicore side.
Chances were fleeting. Garvan knocked two well over the bar, Clarke pushed another wide. Bray struggled to get out of their own half at times.
It was lethergic and lead-footen, McCabe was angered, Greene despondant. Sullivan withdrawn in anger, O'Conor trotting in the face of danger.
Had the Saints not mentally switched off, perhaps with one eye on the upcoming Dundalk and Cork games, it could have been even more embarrassing.
One last chance c ame and went as Conan Byrne looped a free kick around the wall, but Dillon was equal.
St Patrick's Athletic: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Kevin Toner, Lee Desmond, Ian Bermingham; Ryan Brennan (Graham Kelly 70), Jamie Lennon, Owen Garvan; Conan Byrne, Jake Keegan (Christy Fagan 60), Dean Clarke (James Doona 73).
Subs not used: Tyson Farago (gk) , Michael Leahy, Michael Barker, Darragh Markey.
Booked: Simon Madden (22).
Bray Wanderers: Aaron Dillon; Hugh Douglas, Conor Kenna, Sean Heany, Andrew McGovern; Paul O'Conor, Daniel Kelly (Cory Galvin 46), John Sullivan (Dan McKenna 63), Darragh Noone (Jake Kelly 46), Aaron Greene; Gary McCabe.
Subs not used: Evan Moran, Rhys Gorman, Ronan Coughlan, Ger Pender.
Booked: Daniel Kelly (24), Kenna (41), McCabe (65).
Referee: Ray Matthews.
Attendance: 1,252 (official).
Extretime.ie Player of the Match: Kevin Toner (St Patrick's Athletic).
