Wexford Youths 0
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC moved up to sixth place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division despite making hard work of a 1-0 win against Wexford Youths at Ferrycarrig Park tonight.
The only goal of the game came midway through the first half after a great run and finish from left-back Ian Bermingham. Despite being outplayed for the large parts of the game, Wexford Youths had chances late on but failed to find the back of Brendan Clarke’s net.
The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges as Gary Delaney’s fine block prevented Graham Kelly from testing Youths keeper Graham Doyle in the opening five minutes. Kelly’s header from Ger O’Brien’s cross then forced Doyle into a smart save.
St Pat’s continued to press and Doyle was forced into an even better save as he clawed Mark Timlin’s header from Conan Byrne’s right-wing cross wide of his goal.
But the visitors weren’t to be denied as they made their pressure count after 27 minutes with a goal of real quality. Bermingham picked up a loose clearance from the home side and played a one-two with Christy Fagan on the edge of the area, before firing low into the bottom corner of Doyle’s goal.
The Youths had two chances of their own as they as they looked to level. First, Jonny Bonner looked to catch Clarke out with a free-kick from the halfway line but the Pat’s keeper was alert and saved, before Bonner set up Danny Furlong through the middle but, under pressure from Hoare, he could only fire at Clarke.
The visitors almost double their lead on the hour mark when O’Brien fed Byrne down the right, but Billy Dennehy’s header drifted just wide of the back post.
The home side nearly levelled with 12 minutes to go. Substitutes Aidan Keenan and Conor O’Keefe combined down the right to set up Furlong, but his spectacular overhead kick was just over Clarke’s crossbar.
Furlong went closer again with five minutes remaining. Shane Dempsey’s ball from the back wasn’t cleared by the St Pat’s defence which saw Furlong shoot past Clarke, but Darren Dennehy got back on the goal-line to hook the effort clear.
The Youths continued to press as Andy Mulligan went close but his header from Furlong’s left-wing cross couldn’t find the target as the Youths succumbed to a 14th defeat of the season.
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Craig McCabe, Gary Delaney, Stephen Last, Lee Grace; Aidan Friel (Aidan Keenan, 61), Jonny Bonner, Chris Kenny (Shane Dempsey, 83), Shane Dunne (Conor O’Keefe, 77); Andy Mulligan; Danny Furlong.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Brendan Clarke; Ger O’Brien, Darren Dennehy, Sean Hoare, Ian Bermingham; Conan Byrne, Keith Treacy, Graham Kelly (Sam Verdon, 87), Mark Timlin (Steven Kinsella, 83); Billy Dennehy, Christy Fagan.
Referee: Graham Kelly.
