Soccer

Mason Melia earns St Pat’s a point against Shamrock Rovers

The 16-year-old got a rough treatment in Tallaght but rose above it to score crucial goal

Rovers’ Dan Cleary and Mason Melia of St Patrick's Athletic. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Gavin Cummiskey
Fri May 10 2024 - 22:18

League of Ireland Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers 2 St Patrick’s Athletic 2

[Greene 4, Cleary 60; Turner 23, Melia 64]

Honours even in a Dublin derby when Mason Melia proved two things can be true at once.

The 16-year-old took his licks and kept coming back for more; his neat finish earning St Patrick’s Athletic a valuable and rare point in Tallaght.

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Shamrock Rovers drop to third in the Premier Division after Michael Duffy’s winner for Derry City against Bohemians.

But St Pat’s are the story after the week they just had. No sooner was Jon Daly relieved of his duties that Stephen Kenny was being reported as the primary target to fill the managerial vacancy at Richmond Park.

There was some symmetry around former Rovers and St Pat’s winger Seán O’Connor stepping into the interim head coach’s role, until Kenny or whoever is appointed.

The 1,500 away fans were encouraged by an early chance for Ruairí Keating, when the striker arrived a fraction late at the back post after Chris Forrester and Anto Breslin combined effectively.

But Rovers led inside four minutes thanks to Aaron Greene’s eighth goal of the season from just 11 starts.

It was a clinical gift. Brandon Kavanagh, facing his own goal, passed straight to Greene who finished off the butt of the post.

It should have been 2-0 when Markus Poom’s dink caught St Pat’s skipper Joe Redmond out of position, which allowed Greene to square for Johnny Kenny, only for Daniel Rogers to rush off his line and save with a trailing foot.

It could have been 3-0 soon after but, again, Rogers was superb to deny Greene and Neil Farrugia in quick succession.

St Pat’s drew level mainly because Kavanagh refused to be defined by his earlier error, as he curved a free-kick on to the unmarked Luke Turner’s forehead at the back post, 1-1.

Rovers should have reclaimed the lead before half-time but Rogers was proving equal to whatever Kenny threw at him.

O’Connor made changes to the St Pat’s line-up by starting Keating and Melia up front together. The 16-year-old had a quiet first half, with the physicality of Daniel Cleary and Pico Lopes giving him an uncompromising introduction to men’s football.

Melia kept working down blind alleys and was rewarded by pickpocketing Lopes before a low delivery was intercepted by Neil Farrugia.

Youth against experience came to an inevitable head five minutes before the interval when Lopes cut Melia in half. The Cape Verde international swallowed a yellow card.

Skirmish over, or so it seemed. Referee Paul McLaughlin made a snap decision four minutes into the second-half, by simply waving play on, when Lopes flipped Melia head over heels in another heavy challenge.

Later, Cleary also stuck the boot in, to leave the Ireland under-17 international writhing in pain. McLaughlin: play on.

“Mason can take it,” said Kenny Cunningham up in the television gantry. “He’s not going to be intimidated.”

On the hour mark Rovers reclaimed the lead when the unmarked Cleary connected with Conan Noonan’s high arcing outswinger. It was a replica of the Turner goal.

The mini-crisis at St Pat’s was set to continue until a speculative delivery over the top by Jamie Lennon saw Melia beat Lopes for pace to finish but, inexplicably, Leon Pohls slipped when all the German goalkeeper needed to do was meet and claim the dropping ball.

Melia did his job. It keeps St Pat’s midtable and leaves Roves chasing Shels and Derry.

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Honohan, Lopes, Cleary, Kavanagh (Burns 61); Poom, Noonan (Byrne 61); Farrugia, Kenny (Burke 76), Greene, Nugent.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; Turner, Redmond, Keely, Breslin; Forester, Lennon, Bolger; Melia (Nolan 90), Keating (Mulraney 61), Kavanagh (Leavy 72).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent

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