ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC registered their seventh league win on the bounce tonight with a 3-1 win over Galway United in Inchicore, but they were made to work for the victory in a game that was packed with chances.
St. Pats' Conan Byrne celebrates scoring a penalty. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Liam Buckley handed Shane McEleney his league debut, and Pat’s were ahead after just eight minutes when Conan Byrne skipped past Colm Horgan before teeing up Chris Forrester who had the simplest of finishes.
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Stephen Walsh’s inclusion as one of two strikers for Galway surprised most of the travelling fans, and it was his brilliant pass on 11 minutes that cut right through the Saints’ backline and allowed Jake Keegan to shoot past Brendan Clarke.
Chances were coming thick and fast in what was an incredibly open half of football, and once Padraic Cunningham had forced Clarke to save at his near post, Conan Byrne tested Conor Winn twice in quick succession, as did Jamie McGrath.
For all the home side’s attacking, Galway still posed a very real threat, however, and Keegan should have doubled his tally with a header that crept inches past the post, while a double save from Winn then denied both Byrne and Killian Brennan at the other end.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
The wide open play continued into the second half, but just before the hour mark Galway’s chances were dealt a major blow when Winn received a straight red card.
His clearance from just outside the box rebounded off Byrne, and as both players chased down the loose ball, the goalkeeper fouled the winger in the penalty area.
Ger Hanley was quickly summoned from the subs bench, and his first job was to pick the ball out of his own net after Byrne had converted the spot-kick.
The game quickly lost its spark after that, and although St Pat’s dominated Galway, they rarely tested Hanley until in injury-time when Conan Byrne smashed in a third goal from close range.
Saints claim the spoils from cavalier clash with Galway
St Patrick’s Athletic 3
Galway United 1
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC registered their seventh league win on the bounce tonight with a 3-1 win over Galway United in Inchicore, but they were made to work for the victory in a game that was packed with chances.
Liam Buckley handed Shane McEleney his league debut, and Pat’s were ahead after just eight minutes when Conan Byrne skipped past Colm Horgan before teeing up Chris Forrester who had the simplest of finishes.
Stephen Walsh’s inclusion as one of two strikers for Galway surprised most of the travelling fans, and it was his brilliant pass on 11 minutes that cut right through the Saints’ backline and allowed Jake Keegan to shoot past Brendan Clarke.
Chances were coming thick and fast in what was an incredibly open half of football, and once Padraic Cunningham had forced Clarke to save at his near post, Conan Byrne tested Conor Winn twice in quick succession, as did Jamie McGrath.
For all the home side’s attacking, Galway still posed a very real threat, however, and Keegan should have doubled his tally with a header that crept inches past the post, while a double save from Winn then denied both Byrne and Killian Brennan at the other end.
The wide open play continued into the second half, but just before the hour mark Galway’s chances were dealt a major blow when Winn received a straight red card.
His clearance from just outside the box rebounded off Byrne, and as both players chased down the loose ball, the goalkeeper fouled the winger in the penalty area.
Ger Hanley was quickly summoned from the subs bench, and his first job was to pick the ball out of his own net after Byrne had converted the spot-kick.
The game quickly lost its spark after that, and although St Pat’s dominated Galway, they rarely tested Hanley until in injury-time when Conan Byrne smashed in a third goal from close range.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Clarke, O’Brien, Desmond, McEleney, Bermingham, Brennan (Morris, 81), Chambers, Forrester (Verdon, 81), Greene (Langley, 87), Byrne, Greene.
GALWAY UNITED: Winn, Horgan, Cantwell, Walsh, Oji, Byrne, Sinnott (O’Leary, 79), Keegan (Melday, 94), Raftery, Shanahan, Cunningham (Hanley, 56).
Man of the Match: Conan Byrne
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