Soccer

Clinical Dundalk too strong for St Patrick’s Athletic

Champions move back to the top of the table with impressive victory at Richmond Park

St Patrick’s Atletic Keith Tracey with Ronan Finn of Dundalk. Photograph: Gary Carr/Inpho
Thu Mar 24 2016 - 22:00

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Dundalk 4

If the pretenders to their title drew confidence from Cork City’s win at Oriel Park last Friday, Dundalk responded in the fashion of champions with this compelling victory at Richmond Park.

Clinically taken goals from captain Stephen O’Donnell, substitute David McMillan, Daryl Horgan and Brian Gartland put Stephen Kenny’s side emphatically back at the top of the Premier Division table.

Boosted by three straight wins, St Patrick’s started purposefully with Mark Timlin’s footwork and running a threat on the right.

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But having kept three clean sheets in those games, and manager Liam Buckley praising his side’s defensive solidity, it was ironic that a blunder at the back gifted Dundalk a ninth minute lead.

Shane McEleney’s attempted pass to Keith Treacy fell way short with O’Donnell alive to capitalise on the opportunity to nip in, run on and slip the ball almost casually past Brendan Clarke.

Unsettled by that, St Pat’s almost conceded again two minutes later, Ciaran Kilduff’s overhead kick from Chris Shields’ lobbed cross deflected for a corner.

John Mountney then cut in from the right flank to shoot narrowly wide as the home side struggled to regain its early composure.

It briefly returned as the Dubliners created three openings in quick succession either side of the 20 minute mark.

Treacy’s powerful effort from distance wasn’t far wide before Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers did well to get his fingertips to Christy Fagan’s shot on the turn. Fagan was then off target with a left foot drive from the edge of the area in a vibrant game.

But it was Dundalk who looked far more menacing in the final third as Horgan’s quick feet made room for the winger to drill a shot wide on 33 minutes.

Seven minutes later Kilduff should have done better than shoot tamely at Clarke after Sean Gannon nicked the ball off Billy Dennehy.

The big striker did do better a minute before the interval, his downward header from Mountney’s corner saved on the line by Clarke.

A surprise change for St Pat’s ahead of the second half saw topscorer Fagan withdrawn as Dinny Corcoran came in up top.

It provided some initial impetus as Darren Dennehy headed the wrong side of the far post from a corner while Timlin’s elusive running brought another corner from a deflected shot.

But it was a Dundalk substitute who tightened their grip on the game with a second goal for the visitors on 64 minutes.

On the pitch just over a minute, McMillan collected Horgan’s pass just inside the box to turn and leave Clarke rooted to the spot with a right foot shot.

Horgan then capped a fine display with the third goal six minutes later, his shot from some 20 yards finding the bottom corner of the net.

Left unmarked, central defender Gartland added Dundalk's fourth goal in added time from Robbie Benson's free kick.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; O'Brien, McEleney, D. Dennehy, Bermingham; Treacy (Verdon 68); Cawley, Kelly (Byrne 68); Timlin, Fagan (Corcoran, h-t), B. Dennehy.
DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; O'Donnell, Shields; Mountney, Finn (Benson 76), Horgan (Meenan 83); Kilduff (McMillan 62).
Referee: Dave McKeon (Dublin).