ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC’s surge into the European spots continued as they made it four wins on the bounce at home to Finn Harps.
Goals from Chris Forrester and Anto Breslin inside the opening 18 minutes gave Tim Clancy’s side the early platform needed to break the visitors’ resistance.
While they responded with a first-half strike of their own from Barry McNamee to half the deficit, Harps were unable to find any way back into the game, as the Saints moved to within two points of third-placed Dundalk, with a game in hand on the Lilywhites.
With Harps manager Ollie Horgan watching on from the stands as he serves a touchline ban, his mood would hardly have been helped when one of his players was also dismissed, Liam McGing shown a straight red card for a bad foul on Pat’s midfielder Adam O’Reilly in the 87th minute.
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It was a bitter end to an evening which had started sharply, Forrester applying a neat finish at the back post after just 15 minutes when striker Serge Atakayi had sent Breslin down the flank.
Sarge Atakayi and Liam McGing of Finn Harps. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
His cross was converted, and Pat’s were up and running.
Three minutes later they were motoring, Breslin getting in on the act when Harps goalkeeper James McKeown spilled Barry Cotter’s pull back.
Yet more bad defending at the other end allowed the away side a route back into the game, McNamee having all the space in the world to get on the end of Eric McWoods’ cross.
But, other than the red card, there was no late drama.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Danny Rogers; Sam Curtis, Joe Redmond, Harry Brockbank; Adam O’Reilly, Jamie Lennon; Barry Cotter, Serge Atakayi (Mark Doyle 67), Chris Forrester, Ando Breslin; Eoin Doyle (Tunde Owolabi 76).
Finn Harps: James McKeown; Joe Carrillo, Ethan Boyle, Liam McGing, Regan Donelon (Mark Timlin 77); Elie N’Zeyi, Gary Boylan; Filip Mihaljevic (Jamie Siaj 89), Dylan Duncan (Rob Jones 75), Barry McNamee; EricMcWoods.
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St Patrick's Athletic come out of the traps quickly to break Finn Harps resistance
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC’s surge into the European spots continued as they made it four wins on the bounce at home to Finn Harps.
Goals from Chris Forrester and Anto Breslin inside the opening 18 minutes gave Tim Clancy’s side the early platform needed to break the visitors’ resistance.
While they responded with a first-half strike of their own from Barry McNamee to half the deficit, Harps were unable to find any way back into the game, as the Saints moved to within two points of third-placed Dundalk, with a game in hand on the Lilywhites.
With Harps manager Ollie Horgan watching on from the stands as he serves a touchline ban, his mood would hardly have been helped when one of his players was also dismissed, Liam McGing shown a straight red card for a bad foul on Pat’s midfielder Adam O’Reilly in the 87th minute.
It was a bitter end to an evening which had started sharply, Forrester applying a neat finish at the back post after just 15 minutes when striker Serge Atakayi had sent Breslin down the flank.
His cross was converted, and Pat’s were up and running.
Three minutes later they were motoring, Breslin getting in on the act when Harps goalkeeper James McKeown spilled Barry Cotter’s pull back.
Yet more bad defending at the other end allowed the away side a route back into the game, McNamee having all the space in the world to get on the end of Eric McWoods’ cross.
But, other than the red card, there was no late drama.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Danny Rogers; Sam Curtis, Joe Redmond, Harry Brockbank; Adam O’Reilly, Jamie Lennon; Barry Cotter, Serge Atakayi (Mark Doyle 67), Chris Forrester, Ando Breslin; Eoin Doyle (Tunde Owolabi 76).
Finn Harps: James McKeown; Joe Carrillo, Ethan Boyle, Liam McGing, Regan Donelon (Mark Timlin 77); Elie N’Zeyi, Gary Boylan; Filip Mihaljevic (Jamie Siaj 89), Dylan Duncan (Rob Jones 75), Barry McNamee; EricMcWoods.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Midlands).
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comp:SSE Airtricity League Premier Division Finn Harps Flying form St. Patrick's Athletic