Sport

True North keeps Devlin's men on course

Bray W 0 St Patrick’s Ath 1: DANNY NORTH scored for the fourth match running as St Patrick’s continued their season’s revival…

PAUL BUTTNER
Sat May 07 2011 - 01:00

Bray W 0 St Patrick's Ath 1:DANNY NORTH scored for the fourth match running as St Patrick's continued their season's revival at the Carlisle Grounds.

A dour match had produced precious few chances until North struck on 78 minutes to win it for the visitors.

Captain Stephen Bradley threaded the ball wide left to the overlapping Ian Bermingham. The full-back cut in behind Bray right-back Dave Webster to cross low to the far post where North arrived to tap home from two yards.

That was harsh on Bray who had had their fair share of the ball without really hurting St Patrick’s.

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Pat Devlin’s men then threw everything forward and almost snatched an equaliser. First substitute Shane O’Neill headed a Gary Dempsey cross straight at Gary Rogers in goal.

Dempsey then cracked a stunning free-kick off the top of Rogers’ right post on 84 minutes.

Bray then had defender Adam Mitchell sent off amid some confusion in stoppage time when shown a straight red card for a clash with Bermingham.

After much experimentation, St Patrick’s manager Pete Mahon has settled on a front two of Daryl Kavanagh and North, and their movement and pace has worked well, particularly in the team accumulating eight goals in their previous two matches.

Kavanagh first troubled the home defence on 12 minutes when he raced onto Bermingham’s ball over the top, only to shoot wide.

But with Dempsey once again superb in the middle of the park, Bray battled their way back into the game and had a big shout for a penalty on 28 minutes.

Midfielder Paul Crowley appeared to touch Danny O’Connor’s low cross with his hand, but Alan Kelly gave a corner instead, amid loud protests.

Bray’s ire was raised again on 44 minutes when North’s lob from near the half-way needed a smart save from Gregg. But the home side felt the ball should have been given back to them as it followed a hop ball after play was restarted following an injury.

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Webster, Mitchell, Prendergast, Massey (McGuinness, 86 mins); J Kelly, Dempsey, O’Connor, Mulroy (O’Neill, 69 mins); Murphy, Shields (G Kelly, 72 mins).

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Pender, E McMillan, Shortall, Bermingham; Murphy (Stewart, 87 mins), Bradley, Crowley, Doyle; North (D McMillan, 90+2), Kavanagh.

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).