- Patrick O'Connor
- Mon, Sep 02 2024
Patrick O’ Connor reports from the Richmond Park
St. Patrick’s Athletic brought their scintillating form in the Europa Conference League back to Richmond Park on Sunday night when they put in a super performance in defeating Drogheda United by 4-1.
Their pathway to the three points was certainly smoothed by the dismissal of a Drogheda player in the first half but such was the slickness of their overall display it is likely they would have bagged the points anyway even without the numerical advantage.
The Boynesiders for their part also came into the game in high spirts after their 7-0 drubbing of Sligo Rovers last weekend, but they were never going to come near to repeating that performance given that they haven’t won a single game away from home this season.
The open 25 minutes of the game was very evenly balanced however and gave no hint of the drama that was to unfold later on.
The visitors started very well with Franz Pierrot and Darragh Markey in particular causing lots of problems for the home defence in the opening 25 minutes.
Pats did begin to assert their authority from that stage however and they won a series of corners, one of which led to their opening goal.
From a Brandon Kavanagh corner in the 29th minute, the ball was on its way to the net when Luke Heeney handled it deliberately; there was no option then for referee Rob Hennessy but to award the penalty and issue the red card to Heeney.
Chris Forrester despatched the penalty kick with ease to leave it 1-0 to the hosts.
The Drogs to their credit did not lie down and through their persistence they forced an equaliser, again from the penalty spot, just before the half time whistle.
The ball was played to Pierrot with his back to goal and as he swivelled to head towards the penalty spot he was pushed in the back by Tom Grivosti. Hennessy again pointed to the spot despite a vigorous protest front Pats centre back.
Douglas Taylor slotted home the penalty kick and it looked like it would finish all even at the break but there was more drama to come.
The game had been stopped in the 36th minute, apparently due to some racial comments from the home end towards one of the Drogheda players, and this led to four minutes of additional time being played.
In the first minute of that additional time, Pats regained the lead when Zack Elbouzedi provided the assist for Jake Mulraney to divert the ball past Luke Dennison to make it advantage to the Reds at the break.
The second half was barely four minutes old when the deadly Elbouzedi / Mulraney combination worked again, this time for the latter to flick the right wingers cross to the net for what seemed like the insurance third goal.
Both managers unloaded their benches and it was one Stephen Kenny’s late additions who put the final nail in Drogheda’s coffin with a goal in practically the last kick of the game.
Forrester played a great through ball to Mason Melia who was on the half way line and he ran at the overworked Drogheda defence before placing the ball past Dennison to leave it 4-1 at the final whistle.
St Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Tetteh Anang; Anthony Breslin, Tom Grivosti, Joseph Redmond, Carl Sjöberg (Ryan McLaughlin 71); Christopher Forrester, Brandon Kavanagh (Jason McClelland 71), Jamie Lennon; Zack Elbouzedi (Al Amin Kazeem 81), Aidan Keena (Mason Melia 75), Jake Mulraney (Alex Nolan 75).
Subs not used: Daniel Rogers, Conor Keeley, Luke Turner, Aaron Bolger.
Booked: None.
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Elicha Ahui (Aaron Harper Bailey 62), James Bolger (Jack Keaney 77), Andrew Quinn (Adam Foley 52), David Webster; Ryan Brennan, Luke Heeney, Conor Kane (Aaron McNally 52), Darragh Markey (Warren Davis 77); Frantz Pierrot, Douglas Taylor.
Subs not used: Andrew Wogan, Gary Deegan, Matthew O’Brien, Bridel Bosakani.
Booked: None.
Sent off: Luke Heeney (29).
Referee: Rob Hennessy
Attendance: 3,022
extratime.com Player of the Match: Chris Forrester (St Patrick’s Athletic)
