Improved performance from St Pat's fails to deliver

Hannover 96 2 St. Patrick’s Athletic 0

(Hannover 96 won 5-0 on aggregate)

St. Patrick’s Athletic produced an improved performance from the first leg in Tallaght Stadium last week, but it mattered not as they duly bowed out of the Europa League at the AWD-Arena in Hannover.

Liam Buckley’s side kept the ball better from the start and pressed Hannover early on, almost taking an eleventh minute lead.

Sean O’Connor’s delivery was only half-cleared. The ball was put back across by John Russell for captain Conor Kenna who controlled it superbly on his chest only to see his volley shave the top of the home crossbar.

But indiscipline by Ger O’Brien, in given away a free kick in a dangerous position, cost St. Pat’s dearly as Hannover punished bad defending to take the lead on the night in the 32nd minute.

Hungarian international Szabolcs Huszti’s free kick picked out the run of central defender Karim Haggui who got to it ahead of Kenny Browne to score with a glancing header.

Further poor marking resulted in St. Pat’s conceding again two minutes into the second half.

Hannover worked a short corner with Konstantin Rausch providing the killer ball into the area where substitute Mario Heggimann’s rising header enter the net off the under side of the crossbar.