Blues left stunned after late double whammy at the RSC
Padraig Amond celebrates his goal.
Brandon Kavanagh scored a stunning free-kick for St. Patrick’s Athletic in an incredible ending to the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division clash with Waterford FC at the RSC as Stephen Kenny’s side snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with two goals in the dying minutes.
For long periods, it looked as if Padraig Amond’s exquisite header was going to settle the tie in favour of the hosts, but when defender Darragh Leahy put through his own net two minutes from time, it was the Pat’s number 14 that beat Stephen McMullan in front of the travelling fans that won the tie.
The hosts broke the deadlock with a goal of beauty on 14 minutes when Burke found space for himself out on the left before putting the ball on the head of captain Padraig Amond, and he beat Anang with a stunning header from 12 yards.
Pat’s boss Stephen Kenny had his hands on his head for much of that first-half with the Tottenham Hotspur bound Mason Melia having a goalbound effort brilliantly blocked by Grant Horton on 28 minutes as the Blues defended resolutely in that opening 45 minutes.
The two minutes of madness was still to come as the Inchicore side levelled on 88 minutes when Blues defender Darragh Leahy put a header through his own net when trying to clear a Brandon Kavanagh ball into the penalty area, but there was more drama.
Zach Elbouzedi was the man that looked to be foul right of centre on the edge of the penalty area as the game entered four minutes added time after a Leahy foul, and Kavanagh applied the finish to give his side a most unlikely victory on the road.
McMullan; Coyle (Lonergan 70), Radkowski, Horton, Leahy, Burke (Pouwels 90); McDonald (Glenfield 70), McMenamy, Olayinka; Noonan (Bakboord 78), Amond.
Anang; Sjoberg (Carty 82), Grivosti (Hoare 90), Redmond, Breslin (McClelland 65); Mulraney (Power 65), Kavanagh, Baggley (Lennon 65), Forrester, Elbouzedi; Melia.
Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).
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