Rovers hit Saints for four to put one hand back on the title

Serge Atakayi gave the hosts an early scare before they roared back to all but extinguish the title race

Fri, 21 Oct, 2022 - 22:01

Johnny Ward

Shamrock Rovers 4 St Patrick's Athletic 1

Shamrock Rovers showed why they are champions by overcoming a terrible start to destroy St Patrick's on what will likely prove the deciding night in the title race – such as it was.

Serge Atakayi had the visiting fans in dreamland but that was as good as it got, Graham Burke scoring a penalty either side of defenders Dan Cleary and Sean Hoare putting Pat's to the sword – even if they missed a penalty to potentially make a game of it in the second half.

Derry's failure to beat Shelbourne leaves them with little hope of overcoming Rovers, even if they come to Tallaght and win, and that looks unlikely against a Hoops team who put their European struggles behind them in front of nearly 7,500 raucous fans.

Before anyone could get their breath, Saints were ahead. Atakayi, who has made such an imprint since he joined Pat's, stole in at the back post after Hoare made a mess of clearing a hopeful Sam Curtis cross.

Rovers got a hold of the ball but Atakayi's pace was troubling them and Pico Lopes, getting back into his grove post-injury, made a crucial block on 15 minutes as the Congo native sensed a second.

Rovers were soon in total command of the ball and the pressure paid off ten minutes before the break. A beautiful Lopes pass fed Andy Lyons and he played in Burke; Joe Redmond need not have made a rash challenge but he did – and there was little doubt that the technician Burke would score.

Gaffney then dragged a shot wide as Rovers fans sensed Saints were on the ropes, which they were, Richie Towell's shot from the corner meeting a body of worried legs.

The Hoops led just before half-time – and it was due. Cleary will go down as a massive player in this title win, scoring twice in the 3-2 win over Shelbourne lately, and hooking home from a corner here.

Burke had clearly pushed Chris Forrester but referee Rob Hennessy missed it and all Pat's had to show for their protests was a scatter of yellow cards.

Jack Byrne went off injured five minutes into the second half and that would have given some hope to the visitors, who started the second half well. His replacement Dylan Watts is no mug and had his shot cleared for a corner as Rovers pressed for a third.

From the corner, Chris McCann's shot wasn't cleared, and Hoare blasted home in front of the home fans to put Pat's to the sword.

As the hour mark approached, Gaffney twisted and turned, Danny Rogers batting away as the Saints struggled for breath.

The short-lived drama of this title race was beautifully summed up midway through the half as the home fans celebrated Shels taking the lead at the Brandywell seconds before Saints were awarded a penalty for a handball. However, substitute Tunde Owolabi's effort was the sort of strike the keeper saves as long as he guesses right. Alan Mannus duly did.

Whatever doubt remained dissipated with 16 minutes to go as Anto Breslin was red-carded for handling on the line, Burke doing the needful. Towell and Watts both came close to making it five as Saints prayed for the end.

The title race will soon be there.

Shamrock Rovers: A Mannus; D Cleary, R Lopes, S Hoare; R Finn (N Farrugia 62), R Towell, C McCann (S Kavanagh 76), A Lyons (S Gannon 77); G Burke (S Power 77), J Byrne (D Watts 50); R Gaffney.

St Patrick's: D Rogers; S Curtis, J Redmond, P Barrett, A Breslin; T Timmermans (B King 64), C Forrester, A O'Reilly; M Doyle (H Brockbank 78), E Doyle (Owolabi 60), S Atakayi (D Lipsiuc 78).

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Dublin).