STEPHEN KENNY HAILED the perseverance and resilience of Mason Melia as the St Patrick’s Athletic manager opened up on his belief that the 17-year-old has become a marked man in the League of Ireland.

The young forward will join Tottenham Hotspur once he turns 18 at the end of this season, and he missed two golden opportunities to score in last night’s Uefa Conference League qualifier with FC Hegelemann.

However, it was Melia’s quick feet, sharp movement and determination in the box that led to the award of an 81st-minute penalty that was converted by Aidan Keena to give the Saints a slender lead in Lithuania for the second leg next week.

Praising the way in which Melia dealt with a physical approach from the visitors to Dublin last night, Kenny also expanded on some of the harsh treatment the teenager has come in for since his record-breaking €2 million move to the Premier League club was confirmed before the start of the Premier Division campaign.

“Mason’s a terrific talent, he leads the line really well, his mobility and speed across the line, he has different attributes and different skillsets, not everything worked for him [last night] but he will know himself, he should have scored,” Kenny said.

“As a striker you can never be afraid to miss and that’s very important, if you miss you go again. He keeps coming back. I asked the fourth official, the centre half fouled him four times and didn’t get a yellow card. He came through the back of him, he said they weren’t leading to goal scoring opportunities and things like that.

“I was ‘persistent fouling’ so I think he shipped a bit of treatment alright. He comes back for more, He doesn’t hide, he knows he missed the chances, he was frustrated in at half-time, but he’s coming back and he’s getting in the box again and he missed a couple more, and ultimately he gets taken down for the penalty.

“Mason has been getting a lot of treatment, even in the domestic games, I feel,” Kenny added.

“You know, he’s been getting extra… sometimes in some games some players [are] actually taking turns of having a go at him, you know, rather than one player. I felt that a couple of times. So, we do have to protect him at times. We haven’t played him in all the games. We didn’t play him in the Bohs game last week. We took him out. You know, he’s young and we can’t just play him relentlessly.

“So we’ve had to manage him a bit.”

Kenny did not want to get drawn too much more into Melia being singled out by opponents in the League of Ireland, insisting “I don’t want to get hung up on that”. He was keen to stress the positivity of the teenager’s play

“It’s probably more so now, obviously, this year. You know, he was a young player obviously coming in [last season]. But listen, he has a very good attitude.

“He showed perseverance and, you know, he was frustrated, but he never stopped running. And that’s his natural athleticism, [it] is important. He showed good control in tight areas, I felt, at times. He’ll come good again in terms of in front of goal. It’s not just him, it’s, you know, all our forwards.”

Pat’s have struggled for goals since the end of May and Keena’s strike last night was only their second in the last seven games.

Melia could have netted at least a brace with two glorious chances inside the box either side of half time, and a couple of other opportunities also went abegging from teammates.

Kenny rued not being able to put the tie to bed with the chances that were spurned. “We would have liked a second goal for sure, it wouldn’t have flattered us, three wouldn’t have flattered us, it will be difficult out there, we know the game is in the balance, one goal is a slender lead, we are going to have to fight over there to get the result that we need.

“We more than deserved it, our performances at home over the last few weeks have been very good, against Derry and Bohemians, and the second half against Shelbourne, the players are giving everything, they are playing some terrific football.

“We are snatching at chances, which runs through the team and that’s something you don’t want. But the players have given everything and they were very good overall.”