St Pat’s ease past Crumlin

An early own-goal by Derek Griffin along with strikes from Jake Carroll and Jake Kelly put St Pat’s into the third round of the FAI Cup at Richmond Park.

Leinster Senior League side Crumlin, who were drawn to play at home but opted to hold the game at Pat’s ground, were behind on three minutes. Griffin stuck his leg out to intercept a Pat’s attack and inadvertently looped the ball over goalkeeper David Meehan and into the net.

Pat’s Christy Fagan went close before Carroll scored their second on 12 minutes with a low shot under Meehan. Fagan made it a hat-trick of missed first half chances when he headed over from Ger O’Brien’s cross on 44 minutes.

Carroll went very close to netting a second on 57 minutes with a curling free-kick but his effort was inches over.

Carroll turned provider on 71 minutes with an inch-perfect pass to substitute Dean Kelly but Kelly’s shot was too tame and Meehan saved with ease.

Crumlin had an opportunity to get back into the game when Ger Rowe struck a free-kick form 25 yards out but his strike flashed wide, before Jake Kelly netted Pat’s third with a wonderful shot past Meehan from the left of the area on 87 minutes.

CRUMLIN UNITED: Meehan; Cooney, Griffin, McCabe (Cramer, 63), Connaughton; C Forsyth, Ciaran Kenna, Rowe, Lee (Redmond, 81), Loughran (McGreal, 63); D Forsyth.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Clarke; Bermingham, Conor Kenna, Browne, O’Brien; Bolger, Russell, Carroll (J Kelly, 75); Meenan (O’Connor, 66), Fagan (D Kelly, 59), Forrester.

Referee: T Connolly (Dublin).