Red Star Belgrade 2
St Patrick’s Athletic 0
(Red Star win 4-1 on aggregate)
DESPITE A POSITIVE first-half display in today’s second leg, St Patrick’s Athletic came up short in their bid to progress beyond the first round of the Uefa Youth League.
The Saints travelled to Serbia with the intention of overturning a 2-1 deficit against Red Star Belgrade, only for the hosts to record a 2-0 win on home ground.
Tommy Lonergan and Adam Murphy both threatened for the visitors during the opening stages, but Red Star extended their aggregate lead on 12 minutes when Mihajlo Milosavić’s corner was headed home by Stefan Leković.
Pat’s persevered in spite of the early setback, with Murphy, Jack O’Reilly and Darragh Reilly all having attempts at goal.
The Inchicore side also had claims for a penalty waved away by Lithuanian referee Manfredas Lukjancukas following contact with Lonergan in the box.
With hopes of a Pat’s comeback fading, Red Star put the contest to bed with 10 minutes remaining courtesy of a close-range Milosavić strike.
Red Star Belgrade: Bogdan Marinković, Ognjen Mimović (Nikola Pantić, 70), Stefan Leković, Luka Lečić, Viktor Radojević; Pavle Ognjenović (Uroš Branković, 77), Marko Ćurić (Bratislav Marić, 21), Marko Stojanović; Mihajlo Milosavić; Stefan Pirgić (Davor Rakić, 77), Aleksandar Kahvić.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joshua Keeley; Ben Curtis, Darragh Reilly (Ugochukwu Anny-Nzekwue, 82), Sam Curtis; Adam Murphy (Rhys Bartley, 89), Darius Lipsiuc (Sami Clarke, 67), Ross Fay, Kian Corbally (Ian Byrne 89), Luke O’Brien; Jack O’Reilly (Belguy Simbi Manzambi, 89), Thomas Lonergan.
Referee: Manfredas Lukjancukas (Lithuania).
