St Patrick’s Athletic 2
Galway United 1
Paul Buttner reports from Richmond Park
AS HE DID against champions Shamrock Rovers in early April, Alex Nolan scored a big winner to give Stephen Kenny his first victory as St Patrick’s Athletic manager.
Only their second win in 11 games since beating Rovers, St Pat’s remain seventh in the table while a first defeat in 10 sees Galway drop a place to fifth.
It was a night when old rivalries from the last decade were revived, when Kenny’s Dundalk and Cork City, under John Caulfield, who has since revitalised Galway in his time out west, went neck and neck at the top of the domestic game.
With three changes from their 2-2 draw at Bohemians last week, St Pat’s found themselves on the back foot early on as Galway started meaningfully.
But though they troubled St Pat’s whenever they got forward, Galway were undone from a set-piece against the run of play on 34 minutes when Brandon Kavanagh’s free kick into the area wasn’t dealt with.
Conor Keeley won the initial header before Cian Kavanagh out-jumped Clarke to knock the ball back across goal for Mason Melia to force it home for the 16-year-old’s third goal of the season.
The lively teenager then twice worried Galway again before the break with shots that were deflected out for corners as St Pat’s finished the half in the ascendancy.
In a repeat of the first half, Galway started the second positively and might have been level on 62 minutes.
Karl O’Sullivan picked out substitute Fracley Lomboto, on just two minutes earlier, but the striker scuffed his effort.
Lomboto redeemed himself, however, as Galway’s endeavour would be rewarded with a deserved equaliser on 69 minutes.
McCormack’s quick free kick to Al-Amin Kazeem saw the fullback whip over a superb cross.
Fellow substitute Pat Hickey bounced his header goal-ward with Lomboto applying the final touch.
Galway pressed for a good spell with St Pat’s having goalkeeper Danny Rogers to thank with the save of the night to deprive Rob Slevin.
St Pat’s then struck for the winner on 88 minutes.
Kian Leavy did well on the right to get to the end line to pull the ball back for fellow substitute Nolan to rifle home.
Galway rallied with Hickey heading a McCormack cross against the crossbar as St Pat’s held out.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; McLaughlin, Redmond, Keeley, Turner; Lennon, Forrester; Melia, Palmer (Leavy, 68), B. Kavanagh (Mulraney, 72); C. Kavanagh (Nolan, 82).
Galway United: Clarke; Esua, Slevin, Brouder, Kazeem (O’Keeffe, 86); McCormack, Nugent (Hickey, 66); O’Sullivan, Hurley (Buckley, 66), McCarthy (Lomboto, 60); Walsh (Aouachria, 86).
Referee: Gavin Colfer (Wicklow).
Attendance: 4,077.