CHRIS FORRESTER IS obviously a man that doesn’t take kindly to being left out of the conversation for Goal of the Month. If his previous three strikes this season haven’t quite been worthy of his YouTube showreel, his fourth is the surely the pick of his now considerable bunch.
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Just six weeks into the season, the 21-year-old St Patrick’s Athletic winger can reasonably hope to have the accolade for the year’s best goal wrapped up nice and early. That was the case too with the points at United Park, with Liam Buckley’s Pats coming away with a comfortable 4-0 victory thanks to two from Forrester and one each from Lee Lynch and Conan Byrne.
Forrester’s first half strike, meeting a Ciaran McGuigan clearance with an exquisite volley from 45 yards which flew over the helpless Drogheda ‘keeper, extended the Saints lead after Lynch had put them in front three minutes earlier.
In truth the goals, the latter especially, lit up a fairly uninspired first half on the whole. The home side hardly troubled visiting keeper Clarke after a reasonably bright start.
For Pats, Killian Brennan was back on the bench after suspension, as was Greg Bolger, to boost Liam Buckley’s options and although they never looked like needing to dip into the reserve, the travelling fans from Inchicore were buoyed to see both players enter the game late on.
On 71 minutes, the third goal arrived. Substitute Brennan was involved but it was a superb touch and pass by Forester that played in Byrne to put the ball past Ryan from close range. As the clocked ticked towards injury time, Forrester decided to take the ball for a spin, dancing past what seemed like the entire Drogheda defence before rounding Ryan and tapping in for the fourth.
Cutting edge
Robbie Horgan started with his ten goal striker partnership Declan O’Brien and Gary O’Neill – both former Pats players themselves –on the bench. Both have been virtual ever-presents so far this year and with a Bank Holiday weekend double header to contend with, it’s little surprise neither started after Friday night’s excursions in Cork. The Drogs only half chances of note came via headers from Brennan and Doyle.
Without their main strikers, the cutting edge that has underpinned their strong start to the campaign was in short supply. Post early season, these are two teams going in very different directions. It’s four league wins on the spin now for the champions, while Drogheda have lost three in ten days.
DROGHEDA UNITED: David Ryan, Michael Daly, Shane Grimes, Alan McNally, Cathal Brady (Declan O’Brien, 78), Philly Hughes, Gavin Brennan, Carl Walshe (Gary O’Neill, 57), Ciaran McGuigan, Stephen Maher, Eric Foley (Daire Doyle, 32).
Substitutes: Dylan Connolly, Paul Andrews, Paul Crowley, Daire Doyle, Gavan Holohan, Gary O’Neill, Declan O’Brien.
ST. PATRICKS ATHLETIC: Brendan Clarke, Ian Bermingham, Ger O’Brien (Conor McCormack, 82), Sean Hoare, Derek Foran, Christy Fagan, Chris Forrester, James Chambers (Killian Brennan, 69), Keith Fahey (Greg Bolger, 74), Conan Byrne, Lee Lynch.
Substitutes: Pat Jennings, Killian Brennan, Greg Bolger, Peter Durrad, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Daryl Kavanagh, Conor McCormack.
VIDEO: 45-yard Forrester wondergoal helps Saints power past Drogheda
Drogheda United 0
St Patrick’s Athletic 4
CHRIS FORRESTER IS obviously a man that doesn’t take kindly to being left out of the conversation for Goal of the Month. If his previous three strikes this season haven’t quite been worthy of his YouTube showreel, his fourth is the surely the pick of his now considerable bunch.
Just six weeks into the season, the 21-year-old St Patrick’s Athletic winger can reasonably hope to have the accolade for the year’s best goal wrapped up nice and early. That was the case too with the points at United Park, with Liam Buckley’s Pats coming away with a comfortable 4-0 victory thanks to two from Forrester and one each from Lee Lynch and Conan Byrne.
Forrester’s first half strike, meeting a Ciaran McGuigan clearance with an exquisite volley from 45 yards which flew over the helpless Drogheda ‘keeper, extended the Saints lead after Lynch had put them in front three minutes earlier.
In truth the goals, the latter especially, lit up a fairly uninspired first half on the whole. The home side hardly troubled visiting keeper Clarke after a reasonably bright start.
For Pats, Killian Brennan was back on the bench after suspension, as was Greg Bolger, to boost Liam Buckley’s options and although they never looked like needing to dip into the reserve, the travelling fans from Inchicore were buoyed to see both players enter the game late on.
On 71 minutes, the third goal arrived. Substitute Brennan was involved but it was a superb touch and pass by Forester that played in Byrne to put the ball past Ryan from close range. As the clocked ticked towards injury time, Forrester decided to take the ball for a spin, dancing past what seemed like the entire Drogheda defence before rounding Ryan and tapping in for the fourth.
Cutting edge
Robbie Horgan started with his ten goal striker partnership Declan O’Brien and Gary O’Neill – both former Pats players themselves –on the bench. Both have been virtual ever-presents so far this year and with a Bank Holiday weekend double header to contend with, it’s little surprise neither started after Friday night’s excursions in Cork. The Drogs only half chances of note came via headers from Brennan and Doyle.
Without their main strikers, the cutting edge that has underpinned their strong start to the campaign was in short supply. Post early season, these are two teams going in very different directions. It’s four league wins on the spin now for the champions, while Drogheda have lost three in ten days.
REFEREE: Rob Rogers.
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Airtricity League Chris Forrester Drogheda Golazo! Match Report St. Patrick's Athletic