Sport

St Patrick's put the pressure on

A rather tempermental affair at Richmond Park last night saw second place, St Patricks Athletic keep the pressure on leaders …

Sat Apr 07 2001 - 01:00

A rather tempermental affair at Richmond Park last night saw second place, St Patricks Athletic keep the pressure on leaders Shelbourne with goals in each half securing three valuable points for Pat Dolan's side.

Five players were booked with Dublin referee, Eddie Barr, having his hands full at times as tempers flared. Which is not to detract from what was a fine display from the home team with Mbabazi Livingstone capping off an excellent display with a cracking second half goal.

The home side nearly got off to an explosive start with nippy Ger McCarthy played through from the kick-off to poke the ball beyond Stephen O'Brien only to see his effort come back off the post.

St Patrick's, however, took the lead on eight minutes when Robbie Griffin played Liam Kelly through for the striker to put the ball into the bottom corner.

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With Longford looking less than settled at the back, St Patrick's continued to press for the second. Livingstone was again involved when he sent in a testing cross from the left with Longford defender, Wesley Byrne well placed to divert the ball away to safety with Liam Kelly about to pounce on the left. And more defending was required from the visitors just on half time when Alan Murphy cleared off the line from Mc Carthy.

However, Longford who knocked out St Patrick's in the FAI Cup quarter-final earlier this month had their chances with centre half Eric Smith heading just over from Sean Prunty corner on the right.

The second half saw St Patrick's continued their assault on the Longford goal and on 59 minutes, Livingstone volleyed left footed into the roof of the net after the Longford defence had only half cleared Robbie McGuinness's corner.

But a Stuart Holt strike eight minutes before the end put St Patrick's back under pressure and Longford might have drawn level with both Keith O Connor and Stephen Gavin coming close before the end.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: S Kelly; Croly, Maguire, S McGuinness, Burke; R McGuinness, Livingstone, Griffin, Russell; Mc Carthy, L Kelly Subs: Osam for R McGuinnes (85 mins), Holt for Livingstone (90 mins).

LONGFORD TOWN: O Brien; W Byrne, Smith, Riordan, Murphy; Prunty, S Byrne, Perth, Gavin; O Connor, Kelly. Subs: Zellor for Kelly (65 mins), Holt for Riordan (65 mins)

Referee: E Barr (Dublin)