St Pat's keep pressure on Shamrock Rovers with victory over Drogs
St Patrick's Anthony Olusanya scored his side's opening goal against Drogheda United. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
St Patrick’s Athletic kept the pressure on league leaders Shamrock Rovers with victory at Sullivan & Lambe Park, stretching an already formidable run of form against Drogheda United.
Stephen Kenny’s team had won all three of the sides’ previous meetings this season, by an aggregate score of 9-2. Their winning streak against Drogheda stood at four matches and they were unbeaten against Kevin Doherty’s side in 11 matches, dating back just shy of three years. It’s five and 12 now.
The performance mustered by Drogheda United in the first half meant that particular sequence did not look in threat of ending. The opening 45 minutes were summed by not just by Anthony Olusanya’s goal – his second since arriving from Kalmar – but Doherty’s fury at his own team’s display.
A break in play – United goalkeeper Luke Dennison required treatment – allowed the manager to hold an impromptu team-talk in front of his technical area. There were expletives aplenty, and his feelings required no further explanation.
Olusanya had handed Pat's a 17th minute lead and it came with the help of his strike partner Keena, whose reverse pass bamboozled James Bolger and allowed the summer arrival to ran into the penalty area and shoot across goal, into the bottom corner.
Luke Dennison had earlier denied Chris Forrester from range and he was also well placed to stop deny Anto Breslin squeezing past him when the wing back and been allowed in behind. James Brown, once a Drogs hero himself, headed over too with the goal gaping.
While Doherty was unhappy, his team had at least managed to keep the deficit at one goal when the half-time whistle sounded. Things could surely only get better from there.
His team did improve. They were harder in the tackle and more urgent in their running on the resumption but creating a meaningful opportunity to equalise proved beyond them. Warren Davis and Conor Keeley bookended the halves with headers that were well wide of their target.
Pat’s managed the game reasonably well, while withstanding some late pressure from the home side. The quality was severely lacking from their perspective.
The Saints made few inroads into finding a second goal to seal victory until Barry Baggley ended the contest in injury time.
Dennison; Agbaje, Keeley, Bolger, Kane; Brennan (Kavanagh, 74), Bates (Godden, 78); Bucknor (Quinn, 46), Farrell, Davis (Doyle, 68); Oluwa (Ancelin, 68).
Anang; Redmond, Hoare, Turner; Brown (Elbouzedi, 61), Lennon, Forrester (Baggley, 74), Nugent, Breslin; Olusanya (Sheridan,88), Keena (Edmondson, 74).
Marc Lynch
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