Soccer

St Patrick’s Athletic on record equalling run

Shamrock Rovers come unstuck after mistakes by the unfortunate Craig Hyland

Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Craig Hyland after conceding a second goal against St Patrick’s Athletic. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho.
Fri Aug 07 2015 - 23:12

Shamrock Rovers 0

St patrick’s Athletic 2

A couple of goalkeeping mistakes by Craig Hyland gifted St Patrick’s a record equalling eighth successive league win to ignite their title challenge at Tallaght Stadium last night.

Rovers finished with 10 men as a first home defeat in the league in over a year means their Dublin rivals edge three points ahead of them in third place and are now nine points behind leaders Dundalk, whom they travel to meet on Monday week.

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Both sides had chances in a fitful, if nonetheless entertaining, first half with St Patrick’s the more disappointed not to have gone off ahead at the interval.

It was Rovers, though, who produced the first incisive move of the game on 12 minutes, Gavin Brennan and Patrick Cregg combining for overlapping full-back Simon Madden to volley over the bar.

Gary McCabe was fortunate just minutes later when his back pass fell short to put St Patrick’s striker Jamie McGrath in on goal. Hyland saved well with his feet.

The 18-year-old McGrath was then guilty of perhaps a worse miss on 27 minutes, somehow planting his downward header wide from Ger O’Brien’s cross.

All St Patrick’s now, three minutes later Killian Brennan crashed a 35-yard drive off a post.

Goalkeeper Craig Hyland when he gifted St Patrick’s the lead out of nothing three minutes into the second half.

Chris Forrester’s low drive from distance looked a simple gather for the Rovers goalkeeper, but the ball squirmed through his hands and over the line.

It got a little hectic in stoppage time with Rovers’ substitute Marty Waters sent off on 94 minutes for getting involved with Aaron Greene.

A minute later, St Patrick’s broke for their second goal. Hyland committed himself out on the touchline and didn’t make the ball.

St Patrick’s substitute Morgan Langley round him to run in and slide the ball to the unguarded net.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Hyland; Madden, Webster, Kenna, Byrne; McCabe, Cregg (Drennan, 51); Miele, R. Brennan, G.Brennan (Waters, 81); North (McCaffrey, 74).

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; O'Brien, Browne (McGuinness, 90+2), Desmond, Bermingham; Chambers; Forrester, Brennan; Byrne (Bayly, 90+4, McGrath (Langley, 81), Greene.

Referee: Rob Rogers (Dublin).