Soccer

St Pat’s have their European dreams dashed in Richmond Park defeat

Belarusian outfit Dinamo Minsk progress to the next round of the Europa League

St Patricks’ Billy Dennehy reacts to a missed chance. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/Inpho
St Patricks’ Billy Dennehy reacts to a missed chance. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/Inpho
Thu Jul 21 2016 - 22:23

St Patrick's Athletic 0 Dinamo Minsk 1 (Dinamo Minsk win 2-1 on aggregate)

A clinically executed set-piece strike from Gleb Rassadkin brought an end to St Patrick's Athletic's Europa League hopes on a night of frustration for the Inchicore club at Richmond Park.

St Patrick’s never lacked for honesty and graft against their Belorussian opponents who, while cynical at times, nonetheless, held the edge on technical ability to see themselves into a third round meeting with Serbian side Vojvodina.

Though Dinamo started nervously, with a couple of mistakes by Nikita Kaplemko not capitalised on by St Patrick’s, the skilfully superior visitors settled with Aleksandr Noyok’s stunning 30-yard drive bringing the first save of the night from Brendan Clarke on 16 minutes.

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Clarke was soon worked again when tipping over an Aleksandr Sverchinski header from Yuri Astraukh’s cross.

A minute later Dinamo were in front. Astraukh’ corner was flicked on by Vladimir Korytko with the finish neatly applied off the instep of striker Rassadkin.

Vigilant defending from Darren Dennehy then prevented Libyan international winger Mohammed El Minor getting in on goal as St Pat’s struggled to cope with the Dinamo’s slick passing game.

But the visitors were far from composed at the back as St Pat’s troubled them any time they got forward.

Graham Kelly flashed a shot narrowly wide from distance before Korytko saw his attempted headed clearance from a Keith Treacy corner bounce off his own crossbar.

Dinamo finished the half on the offensive, though, with Clarke making his third save of the game a minute before the break from Mohammed El Monir’s volley.

St Pat’s came close to an equaliser on 62 minutes - Treacy’s deadball found Darren Dennehy whose header bounced agonisingly across the face of the Dinamo goal before being cleared.

The action livened up in the last 10 minutes as Ignatovich fumbled Treacy’s long distance drive with Christy Fagan going in a little late on the keeper to spark a right melee in the Dinamo goalmouth.

Fagan was booked before Dinamo’s unused substitute Vladimir Khvaschinski was subsequently shown a red card and sent from the dugout for his involvement.

Dinamo, though, had done enough to progress.

St Patrick's Athletic: Clarke; O'Brien, Hoare, D. Dennehy, Bermingham; Treacy, Kelly (Cawley, 68); Byrne (Corcoran, 89), Timlin (McGrath, 62), B. Dennehy; Fagan.

Dinamo Minsk: Ignatovich; Gabovda, Noyok, Kaplemko, Sverchinski; Bykov, Korytko; Zhukovski (Shramchenko, 78), El Monir (Premudrov, 90+2), Astraukh; Rassadkin (Rotkovic, 58).

Referee: Alan Mario Sant (Malta).