LAST UPDATE | 1 Sep

St Patrick’s Athletic 4

Drogheda United 1

Darryl Geraghty reports from Richmond Park

STEPHEN KENNY’S MEN showed no signs of a European hangover as they ran out comfortable winners at home to 10-man Drogheda United in a drama-filled clash to keep their faint hopes of a top four spot alive.

Chris Forrester saw his first-half penalty cancelled out by the in-form Douglas James-Taylor, who converted a spot kick of his own, before a Jake Mulraney brace ensured the points stayed in Dublin 8, with young star Mason Melia adding a late fourth.
This was the first game in Inchicore for four weeks, and the hosts almost got the dream start with a couple of minutes played.
Mulraney was released down the left and saw his whipped cross spilled by ex-Bohemians stopper Luke Dennison right into the danger zone.

Brandon Kavanagh came roaring in on the follow up but his effort was bravely cleared off the line by the recovering James Bolger.

The pressure was on Drogheda to follow up their spectacular 7-0 win over Sligo Rovers, with Louth rivals Dundalk just a point behind prior to kick-off in the battle to beat the drop.

Darragh Markey showed great pace to burst down the left before clipping in a dangerous cross to Frantz Pierrot who had just gotten slightly ahead of the play.

With a quarter of an hour gone there were huge calls for a penalty when Anto Breslin looked to have caught Andrew Quinn on the endline as the big centre half tried to keep the ball alive.

The hosts took control thereafter, with their wide man Mulraney and Zach Elbouzedi doing all sorts of damage, as expected in a Kenny side.
Midway through the first half they got the goal their play deserved.

Following another chaotic set-piece, Dennison could only punch the ball up in the air in a crowded area, eventually falling to Breslin who guided his header goalwards. In a moment of madness Luke Heeney handled the ball away to safety.

What a finish from Mason Melia 👏 pic.twitter.com/r58jqdPqAy

— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) September 1, 2024

After the Drogheda midfielder eventually received his marching orders, responsibility fell to Forrester who made no mistake from 12-yards for his third goal of the season.

In a dramatic few minutes before the break, referee Rob Hennessy brought a temporary halt to proceedings with Drogheda front man James-Talyor pointing to the crowd regarding an alleged racist comment.

His boss, Kevin Doherty, who locked visibly upset post-game explained: “Dougie (Douglas James-Taylor) said there was a racist remark made to him. Obviously it’s absolutely horrendous. It was a situation, if I’m honest, I haven’t dealt with before. You obviously hear there’s no place in football for this, but there is no place for this anywhere.

“He is obviously very upset. I asked him was he OK to play on and he said he was. It is very disappointing and I’m sure it will be investigated.”

“As far as I’m concerned, with Dougie, I trust him 100% on and off the pitch, and I’m very disappointed in the whole thing altogether.”

Upon the restart, Doherty’s men earned a penalty of their own when Tom Grivosti bundled Pierrot over in the area. Undeterred by what may have happened minutes previously, James-Talyor kept his composure to level from the spot, his sixth goal in his last four outings.

But their joy was short lived as the dynamic duo of Elbouzedi and Mulraney combined immediately to restore the lead with the latter latching on to a low cross from the right to finish from close range.

Five minutes after the restart the free flowing duo were at it again. Former Irish under-21 international Elbouzedi, who was giving Conor Kane a torrid time, whipped in another devilish ball finding the head of Mulraney who powered home.

To their credit, the visitors continued to carry somewhat of a threat from set pieces, with league debutant Aaron Harper Bailey launching an aerial assault with his long throws to keep the Saints on their toes.
As the game drew to a close there was a sense that a bit more care in the final third with the last pass from Kenney’s end could have seen them add to their tally.

And with just seconds remaining supersub Melia did just that to put the icing on the cake with a beautifully struck effort from outside the area.

St. Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Carl Axel Sjoberg (Ryan McLoughlin, 71’), Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti, Anto Breslin; Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon; Jake Muraney (Alex Nolan, 75), Brandon Kavanagh (Jason McClelland, 71’), Zach Elbouzedi (Al-Amin Kazeem, 81); Aidan Keena (Mason Melia, 75’)

Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; David Webster, James Bolger (Jack Keaney, 78’), Andrew Quinn (Adam Foley, 54’); Elicha Ahui (Aaron Harper Bailey, 62’), Luke Heeney, Darragh Markey (Warren Davis, 78’), Ryan Brennan, Conor Kane (Aaron McNally, 54’); Frantz Pierrot, Douglas James-Taylor.

Referee: Rob Hennessy