Kazeem wins five-goal humdinger for St Pat's against Shels
HERO: Winning goalscorer Al-Amin Kazeem of St.Patrick's Athletic is held up on the shoulders of Joseph Anang after the game against Shelbourne. Picture: ©INPHO/Tom Maher
Shelbourne remain four points clear at the Premier Division summit but title fever wasn’t engulfing Tolka Park after St Patrick’s Athletic won their fifth game in a row.
A humdinger of Dublin Derby was settled by Al-Amin Kazeem’s winner two minutes from time after the hosts’ comeback from two goals down was in vain.
Matty Smith – having seemingly nicked a point with an equaliser – was then sent off for a mindless charge in stoppage time.
Eight points from nine games, including just one win, will give chasers Derry City, Shamrock Rovers and even Galway United confidence of pinching the tightest title race for years.
After losing twice in their opening 19 matches of the season, this was a fourth defeat in the last 13 for Damien Duff’s Reds.
Now they have four games, concluding at Derry on November 1, to recover from this slump and finish what they started.
It was late victories like the 3-2 win over St Pat’s in May which were supposed to mark Shels out as champions-elect.
Duff took it as a compliment that his side were compared to Arsenal for their 1-0 victories, highlighting the organisation and discipline derived from their training ground regime. That they’ve only accrued one, against doomed Dundalk, in the last nine games is a source of alarm when the business end is the only show in town.
For all the benefits of defensive solidity, goals are the currency usually attached to champions and Shels simply hadn’t scored enough of them. Friday’s stalemate reduced their average to a goal per game, the third lowest in the top tier behind Galway and Dundalk.
Not that they didn’t start here with attacking intent.
Damien McGraith, whose decision to award Derry City a late penalty against Shamrock Rovers 10 days ago, could have an influence on the title waved away claims of a foul on Zack Elbouzedi on six minutes.
His dispossessor, Mark Coyle, took full advantage by advancing and cracking a 25-yarder that cleared the crossbar by a yard.
Former Ireland international Aidan O’Brien was next to have a pop, forcing Joseph Anang to stretch high to gather his rising shot.
When Tulloch won a corner, Harry Wood found Paddy Barrett at the far post unmarked but he couldn’t keep his header down.
High pressing was the primary tactic employed by the Saints and it almost brought joy in the 17th minute. A slack pass by goalkeeper Conor Kearns enabled Elbouzedi to pounce but Brandon Kavanagh failed to capitalise by smashing his shot over.
Kavanagh would play his part in the opener with a splendid delivery. When Elbouzedi was fouled by Kameron Ledwidge, his curling free-kick was perfect for captain Joe Redmond to glance his close-range header home - repeating the feat from Friday's win at Shamrock Rovers.
That intervention swayed the momentum and Pat’s were unlucky not to be further ahead when Aidan Keena spotted Kearns off his line. From just inside his own half, his first-time shot floated high over the custodian’s head, only to rebound off the underside of the crossbar.
Protecting the lead was routine for Stephen Kenny’s side, flinging bodies at shots from distance and they posed the next threat, with Jake Mulraney’s shot smacking off the post within five minutes of the restart.
They weren’t long awaiting the second, Barrett inexplicably clearing a cross straight back to Elbouzedi. He had the simple task of squaring for Kavanagh to bundle the ball home.
That was the cue for a Duffer huddle, prompted by Kearns slumping to the ground, and it paid immediate dividends.
Tulloch offered hope with 14 minutes left by completing a sweeping move down the left by cutting in and bending a delicious right-footer into the top corner.
Four minutes later and another long-range peach made it 2-2. A hopeful Kearns punt was cleared by Redmond only to Smith and the substitute unleashed a rocket from 20 yards that flew high above Anang.
Tulloch could have won it for Shels when clattering a shot at the goalkeeper but the next chance, at the other end, wouldn’t be spurned.
Two subs were involved, with teenager Mason Melia sweeping his shot on the turn off the post. There to rattle the net with the rebound was Kazeem.
There was still time for Smith to be red-carded for an off-the-ball incident with Aaron Bolger and John Martin was fortunate not to follow him for a lunge on Kian Leavy. Pat's leave with their heads high and up to fifth in the table.
C Kearns; S Gannon, P Barrett, S Griffin (T Wilson 41), K Ledwidge; M Coyle, E Caffrey (J Martin 68); L Burt (A Coote 56), H Wood (M Smith 68), R Tulloch; A O’Brien (S Boyd 56).
J Anang; A Sjoberg, T Grivosti, J Redmond, A Breslin; J Lennon, C Forrester (A Bolger 62); Z Elbouzedi, B Kavanagh (A Kazeem 87), J Mulraney (K Leavy 77); A Keena (M Melia 77)..
Damien McGraith (Mayo).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
