JAMIE LENNON PROVED the hero with a 96th minute winner to break Cork City hearts
Mason Melia had the home side in front at the break but Charlie Lyons and Sean Maguire hit back in the second half before 90th minute equaliser from Zack Elbouzedi.
There was still time for the Saints midfielder to find a 96th minute winner in the season of late goals, with Irish boss Heimir Hallgrimsson among the 4,358 in attendance.
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It took until just before a quarter of an hour to have the first clear chance at goal, and it led to the opener as Tottenham Hotspur bound Melia rose like a salmon to power home a header from Barry Baggley’s outswinging corner.
The visitors had been through a tumultuous week beginning with Tim Clancy leaving his role following the defeat to Derry City, but things were looking up with the exciting announcement of Gerard Nash on Thursday.
Heimir Hallgrimsson and new City manager Gerard Nash in the stand. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
The 38-year-old Leixlip man had just flown into Dublin from Sweden on the day of the game and watched on from the stands as Liam Kearney took charge
Despite missing star-man Chris Forrester through injury, the home side really should have doubled their lead. Mulraney spurned a one-on-one having been released in behind by Kian Leavy, and Aidan Keena went agonisingly close with a powerful strike from outside the area.
Another star in the making Cathal O’Sullivan almost levelled before the break making a clever run from out to in but was eventually crowded out.
It was a case of cometh the hour, cometh the man as Cork’s skipper levelled with a fantastic header of his own. Almost coming away from goal to latch onto Evan McLaughlin’s corner and send the ball looping to the far post.
Both Melia and Kitt Nelson exchanged gilt-edged chances to get in front but on both occasions saw their efforts narrowly miss the near post.
With a quarter of an hour remaining the game flipped on its head when Al-Amin’s poor first touch allowed substitute Milan Mbeng to race clear down the right. The Frenchman shaped to cross before cutting inside, with the recovering Kazeem adjudged to have handled the ball as he slid.
Seani Maguire was calmness personified as showed all his experience he slotted the ball into the bottom corner to complete the turnaround.
With time running out, Simon Power burst down the left before drilling across the box to Elbouzedi who finished from close range to salvage a point and deep into injury time Jamie Lennon smashed home the winner, prompting a pitch invasion as Inchicore erupted and chants of “he’s one of our own” belted around the ground to greet the final whistle.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Carl Axel Sjoberg, Joe Redmond (Tom Grivosti, 71’), Sean Hoare, Al-Amin Kazeem; Kian Leavy (Brandon Kavanagh, 36’), Jamie Lennon, Barry Baggley (Jason McClelland, 77’), Jake Mulraney (Simon Power, 77’); Aidan Keena (Zack Elbouzedi, 71’), Mason Melia
Cork City: Tein Troost; Harry Nevin (Milan Mbeng, 70’), Freddie Anderson, Charlie Lyons, Matthew Kiernan; Joshua Fitzpatrick (Greg Bolger, 57’), Sean Murray, Evan McLoughlin (Sean Maguire, 70’); Cathal O’Sullivan, Kitt Nelson, Djenairo Daniels
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Lennon completes dramatic comeback as St Pat's break Cork City hearts
St Patrick’s Athletic 3
Cork City 2
Darryl Geraghty reports from Richmond Park
JAMIE LENNON PROVED the hero with a 96th minute winner to break Cork City hearts
Mason Melia had the home side in front at the break but Charlie Lyons and Sean Maguire hit back in the second half before 90th minute equaliser from Zack Elbouzedi.
There was still time for the Saints midfielder to find a 96th minute winner in the season of late goals, with Irish boss Heimir Hallgrimsson among the 4,358 in attendance.
It took until just before a quarter of an hour to have the first clear chance at goal, and it led to the opener as Tottenham Hotspur bound Melia rose like a salmon to power home a header from Barry Baggley’s outswinging corner.
The visitors had been through a tumultuous week beginning with Tim Clancy leaving his role following the defeat to Derry City, but things were looking up with the exciting announcement of Gerard Nash on Thursday.
The 38-year-old Leixlip man had just flown into Dublin from Sweden on the day of the game and watched on from the stands as Liam Kearney took charge
Despite missing star-man Chris Forrester through injury, the home side really should have doubled their lead. Mulraney spurned a one-on-one having been released in behind by Kian Leavy, and Aidan Keena went agonisingly close with a powerful strike from outside the area.
Another star in the making Cathal O’Sullivan almost levelled before the break making a clever run from out to in but was eventually crowded out.
It was a case of cometh the hour, cometh the man as Cork’s skipper levelled with a fantastic header of his own. Almost coming away from goal to latch onto Evan McLaughlin’s corner and send the ball looping to the far post.
Both Melia and Kitt Nelson exchanged gilt-edged chances to get in front but on both occasions saw their efforts narrowly miss the near post.
With a quarter of an hour remaining the game flipped on its head when Al-Amin’s poor first touch allowed substitute Milan Mbeng to race clear down the right. The Frenchman shaped to cross before cutting inside, with the recovering Kazeem adjudged to have handled the ball as he slid.
Seani Maguire was calmness personified as showed all his experience he slotted the ball into the bottom corner to complete the turnaround.
With time running out, Simon Power burst down the left before drilling across the box to Elbouzedi who finished from close range to salvage a point and deep into injury time Jamie Lennon smashed home the winner, prompting a pitch invasion as Inchicore erupted and chants of “he’s one of our own” belted around the ground to greet the final whistle.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Carl Axel Sjoberg, Joe Redmond (Tom Grivosti, 71’), Sean Hoare, Al-Amin Kazeem; Kian Leavy (Brandon Kavanagh, 36’), Jamie Lennon, Barry Baggley (Jason McClelland, 77’), Jake Mulraney (Simon Power, 77’); Aidan Keena (Zack Elbouzedi, 71’), Mason Melia
Cork City: Tein Troost; Harry Nevin (Milan Mbeng, 70’), Freddie Anderson, Charlie Lyons, Matthew Kiernan; Joshua Fitzpatrick (Greg Bolger, 57’), Sean Murray, Evan McLoughlin (Sean Maguire, 70’); Cathal O’Sullivan, Kitt Nelson, Djenairo Daniels
Ref: Paul Norton
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