Jack Byrne strikes early as Shamrock Rovers knock St Pats off top spot

FEEL THE BYRNE: Shamrock Rovers’ Jack Byrne celebrates scoring his side’s winner. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Shamrock Rovers 1

St Patrick’s Athletic may care to reassess any early season title pretensions as they were second-best for large spells at Richmond Park, Jack Byrne’s early goal enough for champions Shamrock Rovers to end the hosts’ unbeaten home record and depose them at the top of the Premier Division table.

Oninously for the pretenders, bang in form Rovers thus stretch their unbeaten run to eight games. A second successive loss in five days for Stephen Kenny’s Inchicore side since going top just a week ago sees them slip two points off in second place.

Starting with intent, Rovers were rewarded for what would prove the only goal of the game after just nine minutes.

St Patrick’s simply allowed Byrne far too much time and space to run in off the left flank and get the ball onto his right foot.

Though the shot took a deflection off the head of defender Sean Hoare, it had the power and pace to leave Joseph Anang flatfooted as it flew past him to the net.

The home side soon lifted the noise level amongst their support for the first time on 13 minutes when they might have been level.

Luke Turner and Chris Forrester worked the opening for Ryan Edmondson who cleverly turned Roberto Lopes to bring a terrific point-blank save from Ed McGinty.

Looking a little disjointed, St Patrick’s had to substitute Hoare after just 18 minutes and were then grateful for a referee assistant’s flag in ruling a Matt Healy finish from Byrne’s free kick offside.

Sloppy play in their midfield saw St Patrick’s survive another let-off on 40 minutes.

Barry Baggley lost the ball to allow Graham Burke a run on goal, the home faithful happy to see the shot trickle wide of a post.

St Pat’s were a little better from the resumption but it was Rovers who stretched them on the break four minutes in.

Ex-Saint Jake Mulraney charged away onto Victor Ozhianvuna’s punt, the home crowd mocking the attempt on goal which ballooned well off target.

Try as they might to get back into the game, St Patrick’s laboured to hurt Rovers until the 68 minute when they should have been level.

Substitute Tom Grivosti surged forward to play Edmondson in one-on-one with McGinty. And though the striker’s shot beat the goalkeeper, Cory O’Sullivan got back superbly to clear.

A good save at the other end then prevented Rovers from extending their winning margin, Anang parrying away Azhianvuna’s shot after substitute Aaron Greene threaded the ball through to the 17-year-old.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang; Redmond, Hoare (Grivosti, 18), Turner; Brown, Lennon, Baggley (Mata, 69), Breslin (Nugent, 79); Leavy, Forrester (McClelland, 79); Edmondson.

Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Sobowale, Lopes, C. O’Sullivan; Mulraney (Brennan, 72), Healy, Byrne (J. O’Sullivan, 72), Grant; Burke (Greene, 72), Ozhianvuna (Razi, 81); M. Noonan (McGovern, 81).

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).