Long spells of dominance were not enough for St. Patrick's Athletic as Sligo Rovers left Richmond Park with a comprehensive 3-0 victory on Friday evening. A bright start for Saints was brought to an abrupt end on 11 minutes when Sligo took a surpris
Long spells of dominance were not enough for St. Patrick's Athletic as Sligo Rovers left Richmond Park with a comprehensive 3-0 victory on Friday evening.
A bright start for Saints was brought to an abrupt end on 11 minutes when Sligo took a surprise lead, and from then the whole flow of the game changed.
Liam Buckley’s men had bossed the opening exchanges but fell behind through a well-worked short corner from Rovers. Initially played short, the ball soon arrived in the six-yard box where Patrick McClean did well to stretch out his leg and turn the ball into the net with Barry Murphy having no chance.
Sligo then took over and it was only after another Pat’s attack and penalty appeal that they doubled their lead. Ryan Brennan went down in the area and with the hosts aggrieved, Alastair Roy raced down the other end and fired an emphatic shot beyond Murphy from inside the box.
The second half began much like the first and the margin could well have closed but two chances fell to Jake Keegan that were not converted. Confusion arose when Keegan prodded another effort at goal and after being blocked it appeared as though a penalty was awarded, only for it to then become clear that a goal kick was the decision reached by the officials.
Frustrated, Saints continued to push forward in search of a goal. The pressure only continued to mount on Sligo as Brennan and Darragh Markey passed up more chances to make the dominance count, with a host of corners being their only reward.
It was then three as a Raffaele Cretaro throw-in somehow got beyond the last line of defence and found Jack Keaney in acres of space to slot beyond Murphy, who was forced out of his goal in an attempt to close the angle of the shot.
