Soccer

League of Ireland wrap: St Pat’s overcome Shels in another feisty Dublin derby

Patrick Hoban became Dundalk’s all-time record goalscorer at the home of their fiercest rivals

St Patrick’s Athletic’s Jake Mulraney celebrates scoring a goal with Adam Murphy. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
St Patrick’s Athletic’s Jake Mulraney celebrates scoring a goal with Adam Murphy. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Fri Jun 23 2023 - 22:08

St. Patrick’s Athletic 1 Shelbourne FC 0

St. Patrick’s Athletic made it three 1-0 wins from three against their crosstown rivals in yet another feisty Dublin derby.

But the visitors went close to drawing first blood after just four minutes, when Jack Moylan picked up a loose ball from his strike partner’s hard work, drove at the Saints rearguard but saw his shot go inches wide of the post.

In a breathless encounter in hot and humid conditions the game began to open up. Shels centre-back Andrew Quinn started a sweeping move, playing a one-two with Sean Boyd, and delivering a low cross just out of reach of Moylan before Jamie Lennon hit a thunderous 30-yard drive that stung the palms of Conor Kearns.

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The hosts finished the half much stronger and should have gone in at the break one to the good. Anto Breslin found Jake Mulraney at the back post, whose header came back off the post. Ben McCormack then saw his attempt blocked and cleared off the line by Gavin Molloy.

Ten minutes into the second half the game reached boiling point when Sam Curtis did his best to first stop a break from Mark Coyle, who had a kick back at him, before the young defender flew into a high challenge on Shane Griffin.

With 20 minutes remaining the hosts got themselves in front, and in what proved the winner, with a wonderfully hit Mulraney free kick from 25-yards, just right of the box that sailed into the top corner.

St. Patrick’s Athletic: Dean Lyness, Jake Mulraney (Mark Doyle 81), Noah Lewis, Harry Brockbank (Jay McGrath, 74), Sam Curtis, Anto Breslin, Jamie Lennon, Adam Murphy, Ben McCormack (Jay McClelland, 65), Chris Forrester, Conor Carty (Eoin Doyle, 74)

Subs not used: David Odumosu, Tommy Lonergan, Thijs Timmermans, Darius Lipsiuc, Mason Melia

Shelbourne FC: Conor Kearns, JR Wilson (Jad Hakiki, 75), Andrew Quinn, Shane Griffin, Gavin Molloy, Tyreke Wilson (Shane Farrell, 61), Mark Coyle (Gbemi Arubi, 81), JJ Lunney, Evan Caffrey, Jack Moylan, Sean Boyd

Subs not used: Daithi Folan, Conor Kane, Luke Byrne, David Toure, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge

Derry City 2 Cork City 0

Derry City may have consolidated second spot in the league table following this slender victory over Cork City, but the home side can count themselves fortunate as the ‘Leesiders’ squandered three glorious opportunities to take at least a share of the spoils from this game.

Derry entered the break one goal to the good after Cork squandered two glorious chances following the introduction of early substitute, Cian Murphy.

During what was a particularly disappointing performance by the home side during the early stages, Cork lost the services of striker, Babatunde Owolabi, in the 20th minute due to what appeared to be a hip injury.

However, his replacement Cian Murphy was thrust into action and with his first touch of the ball he really should have punished the home side.

Derry centre-back Mark Connolly failed to direct a header back to keeper, Brian Maher, the ball dropping into the path of Murphy who sent his shot wide of the unguarded net.

And the substitute was back in the thick of the action on the half-hour when his powerful shot from the angle crashed off the upright.

In fact it took 35 minutes before the home side seriously threatened when Brandon Kavanagh’s shot scraped the crossbar, the winger may have been better advised to set-up the unmarked Adam O’Reilly.

Jamie McGonigle then threatened but his rasping shot failed to find the target, the home side having woken up from their early slumber.

As the game entered three minutes of added time, Derry delivered a body blow which stunned Liam Buckley’s side.

Kavanagh did well to outmuscle John O’Donovan after Ryan Graydon’s cross failed to find a head and when Kavanagh’s chip found McGonigle at the back post, the Dungiven man’s glancing header crashed into the net.

Brandon Kavanagh returned the ball into the area and found the head of McGonigle whose glancing header found its way to the net during the three minutes of additional time, his second goal of the season.

Cork spurned another glorious chance at the start of the second half when O’Donovan floated a high ball forward, the Derry defence failed to cut it out and Aaron Bolger found himself racing into a one-on-one situation with the advancing Maher, but the Cork player failed to hit the target when he really should have scored.

Derry threatened to end the game as a contest in the 54th minute.

O’Reilly floated a teasing cross into the danger area in the 54th minute, the ball falling perfectly for Jordan McEneff whose close-range volley was blocked by Cork keeper, Jimmy Corcoran.

Kavanagh threatened again in the 63rd minute but his effort was directed straight at Corcoran who saved with ease and Kavanagh then set up McGonigle but the striker drove his shot high over the crossbar.

Derry finally claimed the victory in the 90th minute when Ben Doherty raced down the left flank before squaring the ball into the six yards box where fellow sub and debutante, Tiernan McGinty, was on hand to divert the ball home.

Derry City: Maher; Boyce, S. McEleney, Connolly (Coll, 75), McJannet; Diallo, O’Reilly; Graydon (Doherty, 64), McEneff (Ginty, 85), B. Kavanagh; McGonigle.

Cork City: Corcoran; Honohan, Colman, Gilchrist; Walker, Bolger (Coffey, 73), Healy, O’Donovan; Custovic (Bargary, 85); Owolabi (Murphy, 21), Keating (Krezic, 73).

Referee: D Dunne (Dublin).

Drogheda United 1 Dundalk 2

Patrick Hoban became Dundalk’s all-time record goalscorer at the home of their fiercest rivals as his second half brace downed Drogheda United and etched his name in the annals of the club’s history, were it not there already.

Hoban scored goals number 143 and 144 in a Dundalk shirt at Weavers Park to put him out in front, two ahead of former Republic of Ireland international Joey Donnelly, who had held the record for almost eight decades.

Hoban has seen, and won, it all with Dundalk. While much of the prematch focus was on the league’s Player of the Month, Drogheda’s teenage hotshot Freddie Draper, Hoban underlined his qualities to hand Dundalk a scarcely deserved three points.

Investment from US-based sports investment fund Trivela Group LLC, as reported by The Irish Times, could be a game-changer for Drogheda in the medium to long term but Hoban turned this match in the favour of their fierce, local rivals.

Adam Foley’s early goal put Drogheda in control and they deservedly led for much of the encounter. But Hoban’s header levelled matters and three minutes later, he scored a penalty after Ryan O’Kane was judged to have been fouled. Drogheda’s Draper, meanwhile, was dismissed for dissent.

Drogheda United: Wogan; Ahui, Adegboyega, Keeley, McNally (Davis, 83); Deegan, Brennan; Foley (Grimes, 75), Darragh Markey, Rooney; Draper.

Dundalk: Shepperd; Davies, Boyle, Annesley, Leahy (McCourt, 62); Sloggett, Malley; O’Kane, Kelly (Tulloch, 61), Martin (Elliott, 62); Hoban (Doyle, 90).

Referee: Robert Harvey

UCD 2 Sligo Rovers 1

A freak equaliser from Sam Clarke and a stunning Jake Doyle strike gave UCD an unlikely come from behind win over Sligo Rovers at the UCD Bowl.

Trailing to Jack Keaney’s first-half own goal, UCD plugged away with limited possession in the second half and levelled in unconventional fashion on 74 minutes.

Sligo left-back Danny Lafferty shepherded substitute Daniel Kinsella-Bishop’s header back to goalkeeper Luke McNicholas.

But the alert Clarke, on the pitch just 30 seconds, rushed down the clearance with the ball striking him full in the face to roll past the stranded McNicholas and into the net for a bizarre first senior goal for the 19-year-old.

Doyle, just 18, then won it for College on 85 minutes when getting on the end of Alex Nolan’s inswinging free kick to find the top corner with a sublime header.

Kian Moore secured the three points with a brilliant save on 88 minutes, somehow turning Max Mata’s header over the crossbar.

The victory ends a run of eight straight defeats for UCD who reduce their deficit at the foot of the table to 12 points.

A damaging defeat for Sligo means they have now won just once in eight games and remain two points ahead of Cork City in the relegation play-off place.

Sligo enjoyed plenty of possession from the off and deserved their 22nd-minute lead from the first corner of the game.

Johan Brannefalk’s delivery was nodded down at the back post by John Mahon. Captain David Cawley got to the loose ball to get his shot away with UCD skipper, and former Sligo defender, Keaney deflecting it into his own net.

UCD’s chief threat Doyle worked McNicholas for the first time nine minutes into the second half before the real drama unfolded late on.

UCD: Moore; Babb, Keaney, Wells, Osam; O’Regan (Kinsella-Bishop, 62); Nolan, Barr, Gallagher (Clarke, 73), Norris (O’Brien, 88); Doyle.

Sligo Rovers: McNicholas; Brannefalk, Mahon, Pijnaker, Lafferty; Morahan (Barlow, 75), Browning, Cawley (Bolger, 67); Radosavljevic (Liivak, 60), Mata, Fitzgerald.

Referee: Adriano Reale (Wexford).