Teenage stars Burns & Robinson to the fore as Pats heap misery on Drogheda
Eoin Doyle was among the scorers for St Pat's. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
St Patrick’s Athletic’s teenager tyros ensured a memorable night for Tim Clancy’s side as they hit four against a hopeless Drogheda United at Head In The Game Park.
Darragh Burns, 19, opened the scoring after just four minutes to set Pat’s - who handed 16-year-old Sam Curtis a first start for the club at right back, on their way. Veteran Eoin Doyle and Billy King added further strikes either side of half-time.
19-year-old substitute Kyle Robinson scored the visitors’ fourth goal – with his first touch for the club he joined from Wexford last year. A four-goal victory was the perfect response to their defeat by the same scoreline to league leaders Derry a week earlier.
The return of Clancy to Boyneside, where he enjoyed a promotion to the Premier Division before keeping United in the top-flight last year, added extra intrigue to the encounter. He brought three players to Richmond Park in the offseason so there were familiar faces aplenty.
Burns’ goal arrived inside four minutes. He headed in King’s dinked delivery from the left. Doyle raced onto Ben McCormack’s through ball and doubled the lead.
Drogheda have now shipped four goals in consecutive games. Three straight defeats means their run of six unbeaten is now a distant memory and some semblance of form desperately needs to be recaptured.
King found the net after superb work from Chris Forrester in midfield. Robinson was on the pitch only seconds when he converted Burns’ cross at the back post.
Long; Poynton (Weir, 46), Quinn, Roughan, Massey; Deegan, Heeney (Clarke, 46), Brennan (Nugent, 76); Grimes (Arong, 85), Rooney; Lyons (Williams, 26).
Anang; Curtis, Redmond, Grivosti (Bermingham, 70), Breslin; Forrester (McClelland, 76), O’Reilly; Burns, McCormack (Robinson, 85), King (M Doyle, 70); E Doyle (Owolabi, 76).
: John McLoughlin
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
