| League leaders inflict more pain on Rovers |
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| Monday, 23 April 2007 | |
 St Patrick's Athletic returned to the top of the eircom League by inflicting a comprehensive victory over Rovers on Saturday.
Report courtesy, www.fai.ie St. Patrick’s Athletic eased back to the top of the eircom League of Ireland Premier Division table with this facile win at the Showgrounds, though in a curious game they needed a penalty and two own goals to break Sligo’s spirit. Despite Sligo starting well, it was St. Patrick’s who ought to have taken a ninth minute lead. Gary O’Neill put Anto Murphy in behind the Rovers' defence, but Richard Brush made a good one-handed stop from the midfielder’s low drive. Rovers continued to take the game to the league leaders, but were rocked back on their heels on 17 minutes when Saints stole the lead from the penalty spot. Dave Mulcahy was sandwiched between Conor O’Grady and Chris Turner and referee Dave Mckeon pointed to the spot. O’Neill sent Brush the wrong way from 12 yards from the resultant penalty kick. A mistake by Murphy gifted Rovers an opening six minutes later, but Barry Ryan got down well to hold Jason McCartney’s low shot from 20 yards. The impressive Chris Turner then brought an awkward save from Ryan on 36 minutes when his wind-assisted cross looked to be dipping in at the back post. St. Patrick’s should have punished sloppy defending to double their lead on 38 minutes. Keith Fahey won possession, passed to Mark Quigley who found Mulcahy in the clear only for the midfielder to contrive to shoot wide of an open goal. In a lively game, Sligo almost equalised in the 43rd minute when Chris Turner's stinging 25-yard shot shaved the outside of the post. But disaster struck for Rovers in stoppage time at the end of the first half when Saints increased their lead. With key midfielder O’Grady hobbling having suffered a heavy knee knock, Murphy got free down the right to cross and Rovers skipper Jamie McKenzie, under pressure from Quigley, headed into his own net. Left-back Sean Kelly did precisely the same as his captain six minutes into the second half to end the game as a contest when his back-header from Murphy’s long throw looped over brush and into the net. Man-of-the-match Mulcahy got his just reward when adding a fourth goal on the hour mark; waltzing through the Rovers defence to drill the ball past Brush. Sligo Rovers: Brush; Coleman, McKenzie, Kelly; Cretaro, Hughes, O‘Grady (Judge, h/t), Turner (O‘Boyle, 84), McCartney; Manson (Bajdziak, 55), Kuduzovic. St. Patrick’s Athletic: Ryan; Maguire, Brennan, Paisley; Murphy (O‘Connor, 68), M. Foley, Mulcahy, Fahey, Kirby (Frost, 79); M. Quigley, O’Neill (Lynch, 73). Referee: Dave McKeon (Dublin). |
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