David Sneyd reports from Richmond Park

St Patrick’s Athletic 1

Derry City 0

MOMENTS DON’T DEFINE seasons but there are some that will always be remembered.

Joseph Anang’s sensational save from Michael Duffy in the 65th minute was one that will live long in the memory.

Derry City needed a goal. They trailed 1-0 from Brandon Kavanagh’s opener on the stroke of half time and their season was on the line.

Ruaidhrí Higgins’ side have a FAI Cup final to come next month but this year’s ambition was to be League of Ireland champions.

That won’t happen now but this was not the night the dream died, it’s been death by a thousand cuts.

St Patrick’s Athletic have also overtaken the Candystripes in second going to the final game, yet even European football is still not guaranteed for either of these sides, only that the league winners will be one of Shelbourne or Shamrock Rovers.

That is partly due to the instinct and bravery and athleticism of Anang to block Duffy’s drilled shot from seven yards. Goalkeeping at its most sublime.

Only a few seconds before that he was on the ground diving on a Danny Mullen cross and then reacting to block an Andre Wisdom pull back. That third and final action was breathtaking, and Derry had no second wind thereafter.

Pat’s fans celebrated their eighth victory on the spin by rushing the pitch at full time but things did turn sour with objects – including fireworks – being thrown from some into the away end. That will be dealt with by the FAI.

It was an unsavoury end to a night that filled with tension.

Derry had to match the result of the league leaders to take it to the final night of the season. European qualification was the realistic target for Pat’s and that remains in their grasp.

By the 25 minute the main incidents of note were two yellow cards for the visitors, Duncan Idehen and Ronan Boyce cautioned as fouls became the main currency of the game.

Joey Anang 😳#LOITV | #PATDER pic.twitter.com/YfSwGGY6lR

— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) October 25, 2024

Kavanagh blazed over the bar for Pat’s from the edge of the box after the half-hour mark and Derry came close at the other end when a corner was kept alive and Idehen’s header back into the six-yard box was almost met by Andre Wisdom for a tap in.

Sadou Diallo was next in the box, taking down the lively and dangerous Kian Leavy as he set off from his own half on one of several incisive slaloms with the ball at his feet.

Derry weren’t quite throwing their weight around but Jamie Lennon took the opportunity to get in on the act for Pat’s with a late sliding tackle on Will Patching that sent him crashing into the advertising boards.

Then some sharp thinking and creativity broke out.

A quick free-kick from Danny Mullen in a central area about 40 yards out caught Pat’s totally off guard and sent Adam O’Reilly bursting into the box.

He was running at an angle but rounded Joseph Anang and still had plenty of goal from the right to aim for. The midfielder scuffed his shot and Anto Breslin cleared just before the goal line.

When the opener came at the other end on 44 minutes it also owed to a rushed piece of play from a Derry man.

Brian Maher thought he got his team out of jail with a superb one on one save from Kavanagh only for the goalkeeper to be beaten seconds later as the Saints kept the danger alive.

Zac Elbouzedi’s cross to the front post was tame but Shane McEleney’s clearance landed right at the feet of Kavanagh about 15 yards out.

He took one touch to set himself and with his next he made the kind of sweet connection that led to a moment to savour.

If at first you don't succeed...

Brandon Kavanagh brings Richmond Park to its feet!

PAT 1-0 DER#LOITV | #PATDER pic.twitter.com/RqExB3bRgD

— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) October 25, 2024

Derry didn’t hang around to change things, introducing striker Colm Whelan for right back Boyce at the interval.

But a similar pattern to the first-half emerged with McEleney lunging on the slide to stop Leavy in his tracks seven minutes after the re-start. His foot looked hight and on first view it seemed a certain red but the replay showed a yellow was correct, although moments later he came straight through the back of Kavanagh and was fortunate for the referee’s leniency.

In between the ill-discipline and frustration Whelan almost jolted Derry back into life and the title race with a 30-yard strike that almost saw the ball end up straight back at his feet such was the force it smashed the crossbar.

Patrick McEleney was sprung from the bench with 30 minutes to salvage something and Pat’s responded by bringing on Romal Palmer.

Then came that dramatic moment on 65 minutes, when Anang sprung into life after a scramble in the six-yard box and threw himself at Michael Duff’s shot that seemed destined to find the net.

It would have changed the impetus going into the final quarter.

Derry had to push and they benefited as nervousness crept into the home side’s play. There were a couple of free kicks in dangerous areas that the Candystripes didn’t do enough with while Tom Grivosti had to be sharp to prod the ball away as Whelan took a half second too long to get a shot away.

The Derry bench stood as one for the final 10 minutes but they had nothing to celebrate as their season falls flat and the wait for a league title stretches into its 28th year.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Ryan McLaughlin, Joe Redmond (captain), Tom Grivosti (Luke Turner 88), Anto Breslin; Kian Leavy, Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon, Brandon Kavanagh (Al-Amin Kazeem 73), Zac Elbouzedi (Romal Palmer 61); Aidan Keena.

Derry City: Brian Maher; Ronan Boyce (Colm Whelan HT), Shane McEleney, Duncan Idehen, Andre Wisdom (Jacob Davenport 84); Adam O’Reilly, Sadou Diallo (Patrick McEleney 60); Paul McMullan, Will Patching (Sean Robertson 72), Michael Duffy; Danny Mullan.

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).