Carroll caps it off in fine style as St Patrick's settle their local affair

Crumlin United 0 St Patrick's A 3: JAKE CARROLL scored a brilliant first goal for the club to cap his man-of-the-match display…

Crumlin United 0 St Patrick's A 3:JAKE CARROLL scored a brilliant first goal for the club to cap his man-of-the-match display as St Patrick's Athletic eased past neighbours Crumlin United into the fourth round of the FAI Ford Cup at Richmond Park last night.

Cruising 2-0 up against 10 men, teenager Carroll sealed it for St Patrick’s on 66 minutes when his direct strike from a free-kick from all of 25 yards gave Crumlin goalkeeper Dave Meehan no chance as it arrowed into his top right corner.

St Patrick’s boss Pete Mahon made five changes to his team, including leaving his in-form strikers Danny North and Daryl Kavanagh on the bench.

But it mattered not as his team dominated from the off, forcing three corners inside six minutes, and trooped off at the interval good value for a comfortable 2-0 lead.

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St Patrick’s craving for an early goal was sated on 16 minutes from their fourth corner of the game.

Jordan Keegan’s deep delivery hit the back post where central defender Brian Shortall arrived to score with a stooping header.

Rattled, Crumlin almost conceded another four minutes later as Ian Daly shot against a post after Derek Pender and captain Dave Mulcahy carved them open with ease.

Pender was again involved as St Patrick’s deservedly doubled their lead on 33 minutes.

The right-back got forward to sweep the ball wide to Anto Murphy, whose precise cross was crashed to the roof of the net by David McMillan with a stunning side-foot volley.

Any lingering hope of Crumlin getting back into the game all but ended on 59 minutes when striker Danny Loughran, nephew of manager Martin, was shown a straight red card for a lunging challenge on St Patrick’s substitute Seán Stewart.

Stewart should have added a fourth goal on 77 minutes but shot wide having been put clean through on goal by David McMillan.

CRUMLIN UNITED: Meehan; Griffin, McCabe, Sherlock (Cooney, 80 mins.), Redmond; Larkin (O‘Connor, 80 mins), Kelly, Doolin, McGreal (Douglas, 67 mins); Griffiths, Loughran.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Bennion; Pender (Stewart, 47 mins.), E McMillan (Bermingham, 78 mins.), Shortall (Crowley, 65 mins.), Carroll; Murphy, McFaul, Mulcahy, Keegan; D. McMillan, Daly

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).