ST PAT’S WERE dethroned from the top of the League of Ireland Premier Division as a brace from Aaron Bolger secured a 2–2 draw for Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night.
The home side were unchanged following last week’s 1-1 draw away to Waterford, while Stephen Kenny made one change to the side that beat Bohemians in their previous league outing, Chris Forrester replacing Aidan Keena who failed to make the matchday squad.
Galway got things underway but it was the away side who started strongest, pressing aggressively and forcing a series of errors from the hosts. The Tribesmen struggled to settle, and inside 10 minutes St. Pat’s thought they had taken the lead – Kian Leavy running onto a through ball and finishing past Evan Watts, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
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Galway immediately tried to play out from the back, but Brouder’s pass was intercepted by Forrester who found Zach Elbouzedi on the left, his cross was met by Ryan Edmondson who headed home to give St. Pat’s an early advantage and bag his seventh goal of the season. The Saints dominated throughout most of the first half, but the Tribesmen held on and will have been relieved to be just a goal down at the break.
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St. Pat’s started the second half brightly and almost struck again early on, as Baggley’s dangerous cross flashed across the face of goal and drifted out of play. Galway pushed to find some early momentum through some good work by Twardek on the right, but it was Pat’s who found the net first again as a ball broke wide to Elbouzedi and his cross found the unmarked Forrester who volleyed home to make it 2-0.
John Caulfield reacted strongly as his side prepared to make a quadruple substitution, and this seemed to give life to his players on the pitch as a loose ball in the box fell to Aaron Bolger who rifled the ball home to make it 2-1 and ignite the Eamonn Deacy Park home crowd.
The home crowd amplified as Caulfield’s changes ensued, Galway pressing relentlessly with Pierrot and Lomboto introducing a fresh threat to the St. Pat’s back line. It was attack upon attack by the Tribesmen and the entire stadium thought they were rewarded when a Bolger header looked goalbound but for a spectacular one-handed stop by Joseph Anang. It was a save worthy of three points but Galway weren’t finished yet.
Halfway through the allotted six minutes of injury time, a blocked shot rebounded into the path of goalscorer Bolger and the Wicklow man drilled home to give Galway a share of the spoils and send St. Pat’s back to the capital with a likely feeling of two points dropped rather than a point gained.
Galway Utd: E Watts, C. Barratt, A. Kazeem (A Piesold 64’), K Brouder, G Facchineri, A Bolger, M Wolfe (F Lomboto 62’), D Hurley (c), K Twardek (W Williams 64’), E McCarthy, S Walsh (F Pierrot 64’).
St. Pat’s: J Anang, J Brown, L Turner, J Redmond (c), T Grivosti, J Lennon, B Crowe Baggley, K Leavy (J McClelland 90’), Z Elbouzedi (A Breslin 70’), C Forrester (D Nugent 69’), R Edmonson (M Mata 75’).
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St Pat's drop from top spot as Bolger brace secures draw for Galway United
Galway United 2
St Patrick’s Athletic 2
Paul Madden reporting from Eamonn Deacy Park.
ST PAT’S WERE dethroned from the top of the League of Ireland Premier Division as a brace from Aaron Bolger secured a 2–2 draw for Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night.
The home side were unchanged following last week’s 1-1 draw away to Waterford, while Stephen Kenny made one change to the side that beat Bohemians in their previous league outing, Chris Forrester replacing Aidan Keena who failed to make the matchday squad.
Galway got things underway but it was the away side who started strongest, pressing aggressively and forcing a series of errors from the hosts. The Tribesmen struggled to settle, and inside 10 minutes St. Pat’s thought they had taken the lead – Kian Leavy running onto a through ball and finishing past Evan Watts, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Galway immediately tried to play out from the back, but Brouder’s pass was intercepted by Forrester who found Zach Elbouzedi on the left, his cross was met by Ryan Edmondson who headed home to give St. Pat’s an early advantage and bag his seventh goal of the season. The Saints dominated throughout most of the first half, but the Tribesmen held on and will have been relieved to be just a goal down at the break.
St. Pat’s started the second half brightly and almost struck again early on, as Baggley’s dangerous cross flashed across the face of goal and drifted out of play. Galway pushed to find some early momentum through some good work by Twardek on the right, but it was Pat’s who found the net first again as a ball broke wide to Elbouzedi and his cross found the unmarked Forrester who volleyed home to make it 2-0.
John Caulfield reacted strongly as his side prepared to make a quadruple substitution, and this seemed to give life to his players on the pitch as a loose ball in the box fell to Aaron Bolger who rifled the ball home to make it 2-1 and ignite the Eamonn Deacy Park home crowd.
The home crowd amplified as Caulfield’s changes ensued, Galway pressing relentlessly with Pierrot and Lomboto introducing a fresh threat to the St. Pat’s back line. It was attack upon attack by the Tribesmen and the entire stadium thought they were rewarded when a Bolger header looked goalbound but for a spectacular one-handed stop by Joseph Anang. It was a save worthy of three points but Galway weren’t finished yet.
Halfway through the allotted six minutes of injury time, a blocked shot rebounded into the path of goalscorer Bolger and the Wicklow man drilled home to give Galway a share of the spoils and send St. Pat’s back to the capital with a likely feeling of two points dropped rather than a point gained.
Galway Utd: E Watts, C. Barratt, A. Kazeem (A Piesold 64’), K Brouder, G Facchineri, A Bolger, M Wolfe (F Lomboto 62’), D Hurley (c), K Twardek (W Williams 64’), E McCarthy, S Walsh (F Pierrot 64’).
St. Pat’s: J Anang, J Brown, L Turner, J Redmond (c), T Grivosti, J Lennon, B Crowe Baggley, K Leavy (J McClelland 90’), Z Elbouzedi (A Breslin 70’), C Forrester (D Nugent 69’), R Edmonson (M Mata 75’).
Referee: Rob Hennessy
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