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St Pat's end their recent slump in emphatic fashion

St Patrick’s Ath 4 Drogheda U 0: IF THEY were to get their season back on track, St Patrick’s were going to do it against Drogheda…

Sat Aug 20 2011 - 01:00

St Patrick's Ath 4 Drogheda U 0:IF THEY were to get their season back on track, St Patrick's were going to do it against Drogheda – a side they had comfortably beaten twice earlier in the season.

And goals from Derek Doyle, Daryl Kavanagh, Danny North and Anto Murphy delivered the morale-boosting win as Pete Mahon’s side looked to have firmly put their recent troubles behind them.

Without a win in five games, St Patrick’s turned recent form on its head as they tore into Drogheda (who arrived on the back their best run of the season) from the start and they were in front on three minutes.

Evan McMillan won a header from Murphy’s long throw and Derek Doyle pounced on the loose ball to shoot home on the turn from 16 yards for his sixth league goal of the season.

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Both visiting central defenders, Alan McNally and captain Dave Rogers received yellow cards as Drogheda struggled to contain the rampant home side.

Republic of Ireland under-21 manager Noel King was in attendance, presumably to run the rule of Drogheda midfielder Lee Lynch. But the 19-year-old was generally starved of possession as St Pat’s continued to impress. Murphy curled a shot over the bar before McMillan headed just wide.

But St Pat’s struck again after 50 minutes when Kavanagh bravely met Bradley’s perfectly-weighted delivery to the near post with a powerful header.

The game was over as a contest on 65 minutes when Rogers receive his second yellow, and was sent off, in tripping North to concede a penalty. North’s spot-kick was parried by Trimble but the striker fired home the rebound.

Murphy’s industry got its reward with the fourth goal on 81 minutes, the winger sweeping home with aplomb from substitute David McMillan’s low cross.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Pender, E McMillan, Shortall, Bermingham; Murphy, Mulcahy, Bradley (Daly, 83 mins), Doyle (D McMillan, 66 mins); Kavanagh, North (McFaul, 78 mins).

DROGHEDA UNITED: Trimble; Quigley (Gaul, 83 mins), McNally, Rogers, Hand; M O’Brien, Lynch, Gannon, Brennan; Mulvenna (White, 57 mins), Corcoran (Dolan, 70 mins).

Referee: Pádraig Sutton (Clare).