Drogheda United 0
St Patrick’s Athletic 4
Barry Landy reports from Head In The Game Park
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC took advantage of Dundalk’s slip-up to move into third in the Premier Division with a four-goal thrashing of a hapless Drogheda United at Head In The Game Park.
The hosts, who welcomed ex-boss Tim Clancy and a host of former players back to the Windmill Road venue, had no answer to a Pats performance that was the perfect riposte after their own four-goal defeat to the league leaders a week ago.
It was a match that will be remembered for the impact of some of The Saints’ younger squad members. Clancy handed a shock start to 16-year-old Sam Curtis at right back and just four minutes had been played when 19-year-old Darragh Burns struck the opener.
Eoin Doyle and Billy King struck either side of half-time, and Kyle Robinson had the final say. At 19, he was introduced with five minutes to play for a Saints debut. 30 seconds later, he wheeled away in delight having scored his first St Pat’s goal.
The visitors were full value for their victory, delivering a comprehensive performance that only the appearance of a drone flying overheard early in the second half could briefly halt. It didn’t disrupt their game much upon the restart, however. They hit two more goals to see off their hosts.
Burns headed in early on when King stood up a cross from the left touchline early on. United stopper Sam Long was left stranded.
Pats were full value for their lead, with Drogheda offering virtually nothing in as one-sided a game as there has been at the same venue all season long. King saw a shot saved by Long as they pressed.
Doyle notched his fifth of the season when latching onto the excellent Ben McCormack’s pass. He beat the offside flag and the Drogheda backline and coolly slotted a shot past Long.
Early in the second half, the drone stopped play for over five minutes – appearing above the pitch on three separate occasions. Upon the resumption, King fired in at the end of a brilliant move with Chris Forrester the playmaker in chief.
Teen Robinson was on the pitch for 30 seconds when he turned in Burns’ cross. It capped a perfect night for The Saints, with youth – and no small sprinkling of experience via Forrester and Doyle – at the forefront of everything good they produced.
United have now shipped four goals in back-to-back matches which will be a huge concern to Kevin Doherty.
Drogheda United: Sam Long; Georgie Poynton (Evan Weir, 46), Andrew Quinn, Sean Roughan, Dane Massey; Gary Deegan, Luke Heeney (James Clarke, 46), Ryan Brennan (Darragh Nugent, 76); Dylan Grimes (Victor Arong, 85), Dayle Rooney; Chris Lyons (Dean Williams, 26).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Sam Curtis, Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti (Ian Bermingham, 70), Anto Breslin; Chris Forrester (Jamie McClelland, 76), Adam O’Reilly; Darragh Burns, Ben McCormack (Kyle Robinson, 85), Billy King (Mark Doyle, 70); Eoin Doyle (Tunde Owolabi, 76)
Referee: John McLoughlin