St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Derry City 1
David Sneyd reports from Richmond Park
REDEMPTION, SALVATION AND jubilation on this opening night.
And that was just for Joe Redmond.
The St Patrick’s Athletic skipper prodded home an 89th-minute equaliser from a Vladislav Kreida corner to deny Derry City all three points.
It was a goal with added significance, the relief etched on his face in celebration as he raced towards the packed Camac side, given it was the centre back’s first-half mistake which had allowed the visitors take the lead through Jordan McEneff.
“Fucking get in,” manager Tim Clancy roared.
The relief was palpable, the result deserved for their endeavour until the very end.
It looked as if McEneff’s opener would be enough for the Candystripes to take their first, tentative steps towards the Premier Division title.
Such a claim seems only fair this early given their owner, billionaire Philip O’Doherty, declared after last season’s FAI Cup triumph that they were “coming for” the crown which Shamrock Rovers have won for three successive seasons.
There was the added spice of former Pat’s midfielder Adam O’Reilly lining out against the club he left in the winter, but until the 89th minute Ruaidhrí Higgins’ side took much of the sting out of the occasion.
Richmond Park was a sell out, 4,789 crammed in, and there was a joyous burst of emotion with the late leveller.
Especially so given the goal the conceded was a desperate one to give away, and while it did not materialise through intricate play or sharp movement, it did owe a lot to the tactical tweak of the visitors’ manager.
When goalkeeper Brian Maher sat on the floor and asked for treatment in the 16th minute, the Derry players were quickly called over to the touchline where Higgins set about reconfiguring his midfield and attack.
This rile the home fans behind the dugout and opposite number Tim Clancy saw the funny side of the ploy by attempting to eavesdrop on the new instructions.
Ollie O’Neill, the Ireland U-21 international who signed on loan from Fulham this week, was a late introduction to the starting XI after Michael Duffy had to withdraw through injury. He looked lost wide on the left and had far more of a say when he was utilised more centrally in a box midfield that also had McEneff further up the pitch.
That allowed the latter to have the licence to even be close to Redmond when the Pat’s skipper’s attempted pass out from the back was dispossessed.
The 22-year-old raced clear, held off the attempts of the retreating Kreida to throw him off balance, and stubbed a finish beyond David Odumosu.
The Saints goalkeeper, favoured to Danny Rogers who ended the last campaign as No.1, was a key figure in the opening 45 minutes. He stood tall to deny Ryan Graydon’s attempts at a dink when the attacker was sent through one-on-on by a neat O’Neill pass. Again, the threat came centrally.
Odumosu almost gifted O’Neill the opener in the 28th minute when he swept up a ball over the top only to pass straight to the feet of O’Neill, whose lob from 30 yards was goalbound before Redmond’s header clear in the six-yard box.
Derry did eventually make their superiority tell and Clancy’s attempt to rediscover some of the early signs of life in the performance came when Jake Mulraney replaced Mark Doyle eight minutes into the second half.
The big winter signing from Orlando City in the MLS brought energy down the right and, cutting in on his favoured left foot, he also helped create a chance for Jamie Lennon, the midfielder curling a shot from 25 yards just over the bar.
Pat’s continued to rally and while chances from free play were scarce, they got their reward from the corner just as the clock ticketed towards injury time.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Odumosu; Curtis, Lewis, Redmond (c), Grivosti (Atakayi 66), Breslin; Lennon, Kreida, Forrester (Carty 74); M Doyle (Mulraney 53), Lonergan (E Doyle 74).
DERRY CITY: Maher; Graydon, Coll, Connolly, S McEleney, McJannet (c) (Boyce 44); O’Reilly, McEneff (C Kavanagh 70), Patching, O’Neill (P McEleney 59); McGonigle (B Kavanagh 70).
Referee: Robert Harvey
