Blues suffer first league defeat to St. Pat's in six games
Waterford FC's Rowan McDonald goes highest to win this aerial duel with St. Pat's Brandon Kavanagh during their SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division clash at Richmond Park. Photos: INPHO/Tom Maher
First-half goals from Zach Elbouzedi and Mason Melia were key for St. Patrick’s Athletic to inflict a first SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division defeat on Waterford FC in their league battle played in front of a healthy 4237 crowd at Richmond Park on Friday evening last.
In Keith Long’s first game back on the touchline after serving a three-match suspension, his side were slow starters and just when they began to get a foothold into the contest, former Blue Elbouzedi and striker Melia had the Blues chasing the game before substitute Aidan Keena settled the game late on.
It was the home side that nearly got off to a dream start with some slick football down the left on three minutes. Anto Breslin played a sweet ball that picked out Chris Forrester, who laid the ball off to Brandon Kavanagh on the top of the penalty area, but his stunning effort struck the bar with the returning Sam Sargeant beaten.
The saints continued to open Waterford open and another good chance came their way on seven minutes when Kavanagh found space out on the right, but his effort was clawed out for a corner that saw Tom Grivosti’ s close-range header go just wide of Sargeant’s far post.
Jamie Lennon was the next player to go close for Stephen Kenny’s side two minutes later when he took a flicked pass from the influential Kavanagh 25-yards from goal, but Sam Sargeant, who missed the previous eight weeks with a fractured wrist, parried away his stinging right-footed strike.
It was the brilliance of Sargeant that kept a rampant hosts at bay on 24 minutes when Brandon Kavanagh turned the static Rowan McDonald on the left-side of the area before arrowing a left-footed 25-yard effort that looked destine for the near top corner, but the netminder superbly turned the ball around the posts.
Waterford skipper Barry Baggley had an ambitious effort on the half-hour mark that was going wide of the far post turned out for a corner before Dean McMenamy went down in the area under a challenge from Tom Grivosti on 32 minutes, but he was cautioned by referee Neil Doyle for simulation.
Ryan Burke went close for the Blues a minute later when he got free out on the left before cracking in a low shot that saved by keeper Joseph Anang before the netminder was also equal to the task seconds later when keeping out a well-struck Dean McMenamy effort.
Just when one thought that the Blues had gotten a foothold into the game, they fell behind on 35 minutes before conceding a second four minutes later. The impressive Brandon Kavanagh was the instigator with a sublime ball that saw Grant Horton slip with the ball running on to former Blue Zach Elbouzedi, and he beat Sam Sargeant at his near post with a left-footed finish for his first league goal.
The second goal was one that Waterford and in particular their captain won’t want to see back. Jake Mulraney danced a jig down the right without been put under any pressure, and when trying to flick the ball clear, Baggley’s interception landed perfectly for Mason Melia, who powered a right-footed shot past a helpless Sargeant.
Waterford had a chance to pull a goal back three minutes into the second-half. McDonald’s long ball out of defence was laid off by Padraig Amond into the path of Ryan Burke, but his first-time shot on his unfavoured right-foot fizzed wide of Anang’s right-hand upright.
McMenamy tested Joseph Anang with a shot from the top of the penalty area on 52 minutes as his side tried to get one back before Burke had a penalty appeal turned down for handball soon afterwards when his goalbound effort did strike a Pat’s hand, it was waved away by referee Doyle.
St. Pat’s put the game to bed with a third goal on 78 minutes when two substitutes combined as Kian Leavy fed the ball to Aidan Keena on the left, and his effort struck the underside of the bar before bouncing down with the flag of assistant referee Darren Carey quickly raised and the goal given. A first win in six games for St. Patrick's Athletic over the Blues as the European hopes for this season evaporated.
Anang; Sjoberg, Redmond, Grivosti, Breslin; Lennon, Forrester; Elbouzedi (Leavy 63), B. Kavanagh (McClelland 84), Mulraney (Turner 63); Melia (Keena 75.
Sargeant; Radkowski, Horton (Flynn 82), Leahy; Power, McDonald, Baggley (McCormack 82), McMenamy (Glenfield 82), Burke; Amond, Bellis (Arubi 87).
Neil Doyle (Dublin).
