St Patrick’s Athletic 2
Shamrock Rovers 1
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC came from behind to topple 10-man Shamrock Rovers and secured their first win of the SSE Airtricty Premier Division season after an enthralling encounter at Richmond Park.
An early Gary Shaw strike was cancelled out by a thunderous Kurtis Byrne volley before Josh O’Hanlon’s glancing header gave Liam Buckley’s side a deserved three points.
The Hoops dominated the opening stages and grabbed the lead after 13 minutes. A cracking effort from distance by Sean Heaney was parried by Conor O’Malley into the path of James Doona. The youngster then threaded the ball across the six-yard box for Shaw, who easily knocked home his third goal of the season.
Rovers were handed a hammer blow 10 minutes before the break when Heaney was dismissed after he picked up a second yellow card in the short space of five minutes following a reckless lunge on Conan Byrne.
The Saints began to pick up the pace and on 42 minutes almost tied up proceedings when Conan Byrne’s free-kick from range was remarkably pushed around the post by Tomer Chencinski in what was an excellent stop.
Buckley’s men mounted the pressure on their visitors from the restart and found their equaliser on 58 minutes. JJ Lunney clipped a delightful ball into the area, which substitute Kurtis Byrne met with a stunning volley that rifled into the top of the net.
On 76 minutes, Pat’s went in front, when Conan Byrne’s whipped corner was met by the head of O’Hanlon, who had remarkably only entered the field 30 seconds prior.
Athletic looked in control for the remainder of the closing stages and saw out the victory to the delight of the raucous home support.
The win lifts St Pat’s off the foot of the table and up to 10th on four points, while Shamrock Rovers drop to seventh on six points, as they have now lost four of their opening six games.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Conor O’Malley; Michael Barker, Gavin Peers, Lee Desmond, Ian Bermingham (c); Patrick Cregg, Graham Kelly (Kurtis Byrne, 56), J.J Lunney (Darragh Markey, 71); Conan Byrne, Christy Fagan(Josh O’Hanlon, 75), Alex O’Hanlon
Shamrock Rovers: Tomer Chencinski, Simon Madden, Daniel Devine, David Webster, Sean Heaney; Roberto Lopes, Ronan Finn (c), James Doona (David McAllister, 38), Darren Meenan (Sam Bone, 46), Graham Burke; Gary Shaw (Sean Boyd, 67)
Referee: Paul McLaughlin
Hopefully the trio make it! They are an integral part of our Six Nations squad. Keep it up lads!!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: lowe and Dan are part of the 6 nations squad but connors is nowhere near that squad. Hodnet, timoney, pendergast are all way ahead of him. Not to mention with conan going to 8 we have doris who can play 7 as can POM. Infact I’d rather see Scott penny get time for leinster than will.
@chris mcdonnell: I completely agree. I’d ate my own underpants if Connors is named tomorrow
@Niall Boyle: hopefully those pants are in better condition than the pair I wore on Sunday
@Niall Boyle: I’ll hold you to that
@chris mcdonnell: with the best will in the world POM cannot play 7 in the 6 Nations.
Hope they don’t rush Sheehan back this Saturday. 50 mins against the Stormers on the 25th of Jan and then into the 6 nations squad. Connors now needs to stay fit for the rest of the season if he wants to ever make an Ireland squad, at nearly 29 time is running out
Lowe is too slow. Osborne a better long term bet.
@conor carroll: Osbourne isn’t a wing, he can do the job but he’s a 12 or 15. Lowe being “slow” didn’t stop him being named in the world XV this year or being one of our best performing players.
@conor carroll: not on the wing he isnt,hes not a winger and it showed on sunday,great 12 and 15,lowe though offers far more on the left wing,breaks tackles,carries,big left boot and has vastly improved his defence,also always goes hunting for the ball and gets stuck in to mauls and excellent under the high ball,pace is not everything.
@conor carroll: Interesting statement. If you actually watched rugby you’d see that Lowe is probably quicker than Osborne in a foot race. Osborne has many, many strengths. Pace isn’t one of them.
@conor carroll: Nash is the pace merchant played all the 6 nations last year
Honestly, is Lowe still a starter for Leinster? I just really can’t see how you leave out Jamie Osborne even if he was rusty on the wing at the weekend, like his skill level for that try was ridiculous. He also has just a big left boot as Lowe.
@Eoin H: lowe is the left winger for both ireland and leinster.
@Eoin H: Osborne isn’t a winger and should only be playing there in a pinch. Lowe is also the better player generally right now
@Gary D: He definitely isn’t the better all round player generally, no way
@Eoin H: Well he has been a starter for the last 7.5 years. And he was a starter right up until his injury. Osborne is far far better utilised at 12 or 15. Let’s just play lads in their correct positions.
@Eoin H: I partially agree with you. Osbourne has an ability to hold on to passes that others would knock on and is too good to leave out of the team. Lowe is a try scoring machine as well though so not sure I’d leave him out either. I’d probably play Osbourne at 12 and leave Henshaw on the bench for impact