IT WAS an unhappy start in defence of their National League title for champions St Patrick's Athletic at Oriel Park last night. They clinched the title on this ground in their penultimate game of last season, but, as Brian Kerr commented before the start of the game, on both previous occasions his side won the League after they had lost their first match. As they aid last night.

But the manner of this defeat will give Kerr sleepless nights. St Patrick's completely dominated but failed to score, and then lost the game courtesy of an own goal, from the unfortunate Packie Lynch.

The match ended in controversy as St Patrick's midfielder Trevor Crolly was sent-off seven minutes from time, supposedly for dissent towards a linesman.

Dundalk's fortuitous goal came on 26 minutes when their player/manager John Hewitt played a ball forward to Brian Byrne. Byrne turned and played a one-two with fellow striker Joe Hanrahan, but over hit the ball with his first touch on receiving it back. He pressurised Lynch who shot the ball back along the ground with some pace towards goalkeeper Gareth Byrne. But Byrne allowed it to roll under his foot and into the net for a calamitous own goal.

It was tough luck on St Patrick's, who utterly dominated the first-half, as emphasised by a corner count of 6-0 in their favour. Kerr's champions played it neat and tidy and got forward well.

Ricky O'Flaherty volleyed into the arms of Dundalk goalkeeper Les Fridge after just five minutes. Fridge then made a superb save when tipping an inswinging free-kick from Eddie Gormley around a post a minute after St Patrick's had gone behind.

St Patrick's should have been level on 58 minutes. Crolly did exceptionally well to play O'Flaherty in behind the Dundalk defence, and when his shot came back off a post, Dundalk left-back David Crawley just did enough to prevent St Patrick's substitute Martin Reilly from tapping the ball into an unguarded goal.

O'Flaherty remained a big threat to the Dundalk goal and a trademark powerful run and shot brought a good save from Fridge after 73 minutes. Six minutes later Fridge made the save of the game when tipping O'Flaherty's header over the bar from Paul Osam's cross.

St. Patrick's pressed until the end, and Paul Campbell wasted a glorious chance to equalise in the final minute. It was that sort of night for St Patrick's.