Leavy and Elbouzedi strike to get Pat's title challenge back on track

St Pat's trail league leaders Shamrock Rovers by five points. 

Zack Elbouzedi created St Pat's second goal against Drogheda all on his own. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: St Patrick’s Athletic 2 Drogheda United 0 

Kian Leavy capped his Ireland debut last week with the goal that got St Patrick’s Athletic’s title challenge back on track at Richmond Park.

Ardee native Leavy became the first St Pat’s player to be capped by Ireland since 1971 when coming on in the 1-1 draw with Canada in Montreal.

And the attacking midfielder found added glory back at club level with the lead strike here in another fine display in a Saints’ shirt.

Stephen Kenny’s side had failed to score in their previous three games.

But Zack Elbouzedi would add the gloss with a fine solo goal as they rediscovered their goal touch to make it a hat-trick of victories over Drogheda this season.

The win lifted St Pat’s back up to second in the table behind champions Shamrock Rovers, though with a game in hand.

Without a win now in five games, Drogheda remain third bottom.

St Pat’s enjoyed plenty of possession from the off as they probed for openings, Elbouzedi shooting off target early on.

Stout Drogheda defending then ensured that despite three successive corners Saints were denied an effort on goal.

A fifth corner from James Brown did find the head of Jamie Lennon, but the midfielder’s header bounced wide.

St Pat’s were then incensed when Luke Turner was sent sprawling by Edwin Agbaje inside the area with no penalty forthcoming.

But the home side’s pressure finally told on 34 minutes.

Lively ex-Drogheda right wingback Brown was instrumental, working a one-two with Aidan Keena to race in behind to cross.

Agbaje’s attempted clearance ran straight to Leavy who drilled a left-footer to the net for his sixth goal of the season, his fourth against Drogheda.

Keena fired wide before Edmondson should have doubled dominate Saints’ lead in first half stoppage time instead of shooting straight at goalkeeper Fynn Talley.

Leavy worked Talley again with a drive from distance early second half as St Pat’s mined for more goals.

And their second duly arrived on 61 minutes, though Drogheda were angered at being left down to 10 men as Conor Keeley waited well over two minutes to return following his having received treatment for an injury.

The goal was all his own work by Elbouzedi. Cutting in from the left, he ghosted past several defenders before rifling a shot to the corner of the net from outside the area.

Saints’ keeper Danny Rogers, making his first league appearance in almost two years, had had precious little to do before making the save of the game on 67 minutes to tip over a Leo Burney header.

Rogers was there again in stoppage time to push a Brandon Kavanagh free kick round a post.

Prior to that, substitute Chris Forrester should have added a third goal for St Pat’s on 85 minutes but his audacious chip lacked the pace to cross the line as Conor Kane got back to clear.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; Redmond, Hoare, Turner; Lennon (Forrester, 84); Brown, Leavy, Palmer (Nugent, 79), Elbouzedi (Breslin, 69); Keena (Baggley, 79), Edmondson (Mata, 84).

Drogheda United: Talley; Agbaje, Keeley, Burney; Farrell, Brennan, O’Brien (Bucknor, 66), Kavanagh, Cruise (Kane, 37); Godden (Oluwa, 66), Doyle (Kareem, 88).

Referee: Lucas Keating (Cork).

Attendance: 4,166.