Sport

Brave St Patrick's beat heat, odds and Valletta

Valletta 0 St Patrick’s Ath 1 : ADMIRABLY BOLD and brave, St Patrick’s Athletic celebrated a stirring success in Malta last …

Fri Jul 24 2009 - 01:00

Valletta 0 St Patrick's Ath 1: ADMIRABLY BOLD and brave, St Patrick's Athletic celebrated a stirring success in Malta last night. It was always likely to be a testing trip to Malta for the club, who delivered under real duress.

So many factors were conspiring against the Dubliners: Valletta’s away goal, the early rise on Tuesday, the scorching temperature, and an artificial surface meant a display coated in character was necessary at the Centenary Stadium.

St Patrick’s were superb, exhibiting the necessary willingness to work, passing adequately, and even overcoming the red card brandished to substitute Darragh Ryan with 11 minutes remaining. That Declan O’Brien’s match-winning header arrived seconds later merely added to the satisfaction.

Unsurprisingly, a smile was etched across manager Jeff Kenna’s face outside the away dressingroom. “It is by far the biggest result of my career to date. To do it with 10 men in the searing heat! I couldn’t be more proud of the players.

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“The game plan was to pass the ball because of the heat. Irish teams are more renowned for the blood and thunder, up and at ’em- type football, and playing with fantastic tempo and passion in the tackle.”

Valletta had offered glimpses of their ability early on, but the Dubliners were solid. Goalkeeper Gary Rogers gathered Valletta’s three efforts on target, and while St Patrick’s weren’t peppering the locals’ goal, they were a threat.

In the centre of the park Stuart Byrne and Gareth O’Connor were using the ball smartly and when the interval rolled around, St Patrick’s were happy with the gritty manner in which they were competing.

And by the time Kenna introduced Alan Cawley an hour in, to bring further subtlety to his team, it was apparent this was a tie they could win.

O’Connor and Bobby Ryan were both thwarted by Andrew Hogg, while a furious Cawley free-kick was cleared to safety.

Then came the late drama as Darragh Ryan saw red on 79 minutes. St Patrick’s remained cool and Jason Gavin ran down the right and launched a cross into the area for O’Brien to expertly nod St Patrick’s into the third qualifying round.

VALLETTA: Hogg; Briffa, Dimech, Cruyff, Scicluna, Bezzina; Grioli (Agius, 70), Pace, Agius, Fallon (Zammit, 83); Den Ouden.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Gavin, Harris, Partridge, Stevens; Maher (Lynch, 82), Byrne (Cawley, 60), O’Connor, Ryan (Ryan, 74); Guy, O’Brien.

Referee: M Jug (Slovenia).