Early blitz proves decisive as St Pat’s demolish Wexford Youths
Liam Buckley’s side were ahead on six minutes from their first incisive attack. The marking was negligent as Mark Timlin rose at the back post to head home Byrne’s floated cross .
Youths were unfortunate not to be level three minutes later, when Paul Murphy released fellow striker Danny Furlong and his shot came back off Brendan Clarke’s right-hand post.
A minute after that, further dubious defending cost Wexford a second goal. Timlin cross found Christy Fagan, again unattended in the area and the newly-crowned player of the month volleying his sixth strike of the season.
Wexford remained at sixes-and-sevens defensively as a mistake by Ryan Delaney presented Byrne with an opening which saw the winger arc a shot over the top.
Wexford defender Gary Delaney relieved the pressure when heading off target from Eric Molloy’s diagonal ball minutes later. But the pressure on the visitors’ goal soon resumed. Fagan had a shot bravely blocked by Stephen Last before St Patrick’s extended their lead on 32 minutes.
Billy Dennehy’s shot deflected off a defender to fall invitingly for Byrne who found the top corner of Graham Doyle’s net with a stunning volley.
Byrne scored his second of the night on 57 minutes when finishing off the move of the match. Fagan sent Dennehy away on the left to cross low to the far post where Byrne arrived to sweep the ball past Doyle.
Bizarrely, before Youths could restart, striker Furlong ran straight off the field and down to the dressing rooms having been sent off, apparently for dissent.
Clarke; Barker, Hoare, Desmond, Bermingham; Kelly, Cawley; Byrne, Timlin (Verdon, 77), B. Dennehy (McGrath, 67); Fagan (Corcoran, 73).
Doyle; McCabe, G. Delaney (Friel, 85), Last, R. Delaney; Molloy, Kenny, Grace (Bonner, 69), Mulligan; Furlong, Murphy (English, 84).
Rob Harvey (Dublin).
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