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).
Micheál Schlingermann grew up in County Mayo and represented his County in the 2009 All Ireland minor football final at Croke Park against Armagh.
And your point is ….
heineken ….
Poor performance from City.
Alan Bennett was a big loss in defence but credit to Sligo came to Cork and got a unexpected win.
Huge game against Bohs on Friday night.
Grimes deserves a chance in goal now for City!
Schlingermann and cretaro are both Irish with Irish accents but they are not Irish names. Anyone know where those two families are originally from?
Cretaro’s father is from Italy
Cretaro is from Tubbercurry Co. Sligo and Schlingerman is from kiltimagh Co. Mayo
Would have been huge game if City had won. League gone now, need to concentrate on trying to finish 2nd and have a good cup run.Dundalk way ahead of City in class.Maybe 3 or 4 years time might start catching them but not at the moment. Hope there won,t be any “european hangover” excuses.Sligo better team tonight, 2 chances 2 goals. City 4 or 5 chances no goals. Bad sign when City fans begging for penalties; if you can;t score from open play its not saying much.Negative rant i know but its hard to be positve leaving the Cross tonight.
Jesus they’re only 6 points behind. They also have a game in hand. With Dundalk having European football to concentrate on possibly they’ll slip up in the league and maybe cork might seize their chance. But my point is…..the league is far from over.
I know Sean,but why should we have to wait for someone to “slip up” or be tired from european games? I,d like to see City win it on merit, fair scrap from start to finish.A bit old school maybe but thats my opinion. Even if they win it now, people will say its only because Dundalk had so many european games.
Srfc
That spoofer Caulfield is the one holding Cork back. He’s a non league manager. They have the players, but City will win nothing as long as he’s in charge.
What would any other manager do any differently?