Overstretched Saints fall to Hannover

Some people think it’s all Hannover… it is now.

There might still be a second leg of this Europa League Third Qualifying Round fixture to come next week but, after their heroics in the previous two rounds, St Patrick’s Athletic know that they have only pride left to play for now.

Like Ireland in the Euros, they suffered last night from the concession of an early goal but, despite offering some hints of a recovery, they could have no real complaints in the end as they lost out to a side with almost 250 caps among its starting 11 and which, last year, reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League.