Conan Byrne grabs two as Saints march all over Galway

Galway United 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 4

St Patrick's Athletic continued their impressive form as Conan Byrne starred in their win at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Byrne struck twice while Killian Brennan and Ciaran Kilduff both scored for the Saints while David O'Leary got the consolation with Alex Byrne's late red card besides the fact.

Liam Buckley’s men backed up a notable shut out of Sligo last weekend with a defeat of another western outfit and led 2-0 at the break after controlling play in a first-half.

Brennan was a thorn in the Galway midfield and it was inevitable that he would strike the first of the night for the Saints.

Aaron Greene hit a shot that looked goal-bound and the unfortunate Stephen Walsh was pinged when it hit against his hand – Brennan made no mistake from the spot.

Byrne and Greene were constant threats down the wings and Byrne got the visitors’ second when Brennan and Chris Forrester linked before the latter played an inch-perfect pass that Byrne hammered into the corner of Ger Hanley’s net.

They tried to put the game beyond Galway at the end of the half with James Chambers and Greene going close but to no avail.

Galway manager Tommy Dunne changed it up at half-time and with the hosts looking to attack more it only took two minutes before they got one back.

And it was a sensational strike from O’Leary who sent a shot in from 30 yards that gave Conor O’Malley no chance.

Galway had their chances after that but Kilduff’s wondrous finish, where he calmly lobbed Hanley, put his side 3-1 up in the 67th minute.

But there was still plenty of time for the Inchicore side to add another and they did 11 minutes from time, Forrester was involved again, he set up Byrne who curled home his second.

Alex Byrne saw red for a wild lunge on Chambers in the 87th minute.

GALWAY UNITED: Hanley; Byrne, Oji, Walsh, Horgan; Shanahan, Sinnott (O'Laoi h-t), O'Leary (Cunningham 72), Keegan; Connolly; Curran.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: O'Malley; O'Brien (Chambers 34), Browne, Desmond, Bermingham; Bolger (McCormack 75); Byrne, Forrester (Langley 82), Brennan, Greene; Kilduff.

Referee: Jim McKell (Tipperary)