St. Patrick’s Athletic 1
AS Jeunesse Esch 0
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC secured a narrow win over Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg in the opening leg of their Europa League first round qualifier at Richmond Park tonight.
A 10th-minute goal from Christy Fagan was the difference as he became St Pat’s all-time leading scorer in Europe with five goals.
Despite plenty of Pat’s pressure, they couldn’t find a second goal but still take a narrow advantage into the return leg next week.
The Saints abandoned their league form and started brightly with Fagan and Billy Dennehy looking sharp.
Inside the first minute Ricardo Delgado fouled Conan Byrne on the right allowing Dennehy to send a couple of early warnings as the resulting free-kick ricocheted back to the Kerry man, his low cross-shot dealt with by goalkeeper Marc Oberweise who got down well to gather.
Fagan was showing well in the final third and after a one-two with Graham Kelly he powered into the area before trying to find Kelly again with a cross with the outside of his right foot but the Pat’s winger just couldn’t apply the finish.
The signs were there and Pat’s took the lead in the 10th minute. Darren Dennehy rose highest to head Byrne’s corner on target but after the initial effort was cleared off the line, the defender was first to the rebound and found Fagan who turned his header in from point blank range to give the Saints the lead.
Jeunesse Esch got their first shot on target just past the quarter hour mark as Ken Corral launched a speculative effort from 25 yards to sting the hands of Brendan Clarke.
But it was the home side who nearly doubled their lead eight minutes before half-time as a searching Ger O’Brien cross from the right found Fagan who directed another header just wide of the post.
After the interval Pat’s continued to control possession with Keith Tracey given the space to probe with incisive passing before he had a powerful effort from 25 yards which went just over.
The Luxembourgian side had a great chance to level 10 minutes into the second period though as Giancarlo Pianna whipped in a cross from the left allowing Robin Mertinitz to glance a header to the back post where Patrick Stumpf was waiting but he just couldn’t direct his effort into the net.
The visitors took belief from that chance and looked intent on securing an away goal in the final quarter with Pianna shooting over from long range before he crossed to Stumpf whose looping header lacked power and was cleared off the line by Darren Dennehy.
Pat’s had the ball in the net for a second time on 73 minutes as Dennehy headed to defensive partner Sean Hoare to finish but he was adjudged to have been offside.
As Jeunesse pushed for an equaliser Kelly broke at pace to find Fagan on the right and he cut into the box to shoot across Oberweis who saved well with his feet as Pat’s couldn’t find the second they craved to create daylight between the sides heading into next week’s second leg.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Brendan Clarke; Ger O’Brien (c), Sean Hoare, Darren Dennehy, Ian Bermingham; Conan Byrne (Mark Timlin 60), David Cawley, Keith Tracey, Graham Kelly, Billy Dennehy; Christy Fagan.
JEUNESSE ESCH: Marc Oberweis (c); Milos Todorovic, Adrien Portier, Ricardo Delgado, Herve Emmanuel; Ken Corral (Ashot Sardaryan, 24), Martin Ontiveros (Andrea Deidda, 80) Robin Mertinitz, Rene Peters, Giancarlo Pinna; Patrick Stumpf.
Referee: Pavel Orel (Czech Rep).