Europa Conference League second qualifying round, first leg: St Patrick’s Athletic 3 FC Vaduz 1
St Patrick’s Athletic needed all the usual heroes to put three goals past Liechtenstein’s finest and almost secure safe passage into the next round of the Uefa Conference League qualifiers.
Jake Mulraney had a storming first-half, scoring a trademark free-kick and grabbing a second inside 17 minutes.
But a goal from Danilo De Toro compelled Chris Forrester and Joe Redmond to combine for St Pat’s important third.
It could have been a 4-1 win, even 5-1 for Stephen Kenny’s side but Aaron Bulger and Jamie Lennon left goals out on Richmond Park.
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At least Forrester’s delightful free-kick from the sideline found Redmond’s head to make it 3-1 with 13 minutes remaining.
Both the essential and missing ingredients required to bring Irish football into the 21st century were on show on Thursday night. Only 2,388 were allowed into the outdated Inchicore venue as Uefa blocked another 2,600 (at least) by shutting down the Camac river terrace and standing area behind one goal.
For each of Mulraney’s strikes the main stand and makeshift seating behind the other goal shook so much it seemed like 10,000 had descended upon Dublin 8.
The essential passion and missing facilities were in full view. Someday, perhaps during Kenny’s five-year contract, a revamped Richmond might fill four packed stands.
From now on, and into the near future, they must play European matches at the 10,000 capacity Tallaght Stadium.
There is still a second leg to survive next Thursday at Rheinpark Stadium, next to the Switzerland border, where Vaduz plays their domestic football in the second tier. Even Liechtenstein managed to modernise facilities with their national arena upgraded in 2006 to hold 7,500.
This matters because Vaduz pulled a goal back 20 minutes into the second half. Del Toro’s finish went through Lennon’s legs and caught Tom Grivosti’s foot on the way past Joseph Anang but there is plenty of blame to go around. Denis Simani was given a free header from the corner and Mason Melia could not head clear before the Italian winger pounced.
It started encouragingly for a St Pat’s team that had only won three, and lost five, since Kenny took over.
Perhaps the mostly Swiss-born professionals looked around this old venue and believed showing up would suffice.
Inside 60 seconds Lennon let them know the rules of engagement with a tough tackle on Lorik Emini. The Kosovo international dusted himself down to earn a yellow card for a similar challenge on Mulraney.
St Pat’s had been coasting due to Mulraney’s brace. Vaduz appeared to have researched the Dubliner’s free-kick technique, with Buchel positioning himself near his left post after Romal Palmer’s mazy dribble was cut short by Simani. Mulraney spotted the goalkeeper’s positioning and whipped his shot to the right before sprinting away to celebrate under a section of delirious St Pat’s fans.
Palmer, a journeyman English midfielder who arrived from Turkish club Göztepe, was finding pockets to showcase his skills, and he created the second Mulraney goal.
Emini must shoulder the blame after coughing up possession to Lennon who found Palmer, who skipped away from desperate lunges by Emini and Mats Hammerich before Mulraney beat Buchel at his near post.
Lennon then had a header cleared off the Vaduz goal line, which really should have killed the tie inside 45 minutes.
It proved another educational, and bruising night for Melia. On his European debut, the 16-year-old striker was roughed up by bigger centre halves but after 12 starts this season in the League of Ireland, he can cope. One cheap shot by Lirdon Berisha did force a stoppage so the physio could tend to the teenager, who led the line with vigour without ever getting a chance to claim his fifth goal of the campaign.
If St Pat’s can navigate the second-leg next Thursday, prize money of €900,000 is guaranteed from Uefa.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang; Sjoberg, Redmond, Breslin; Forrester (Nolan 87), Lennon, Mulraney (McClelland 76); Palmer (Bolger 76), Elbouzedi (Leavy 70); Melia (Kavanagh 87).
FC Vaduz: Buchel; Beeli, SImani, Berisha, Krauchi (Stober 86); Hasler (De Donno 82), Hammerich, Emini (Eberhard 46); Del Toro, Cavegn (Navarro 70), Schwizer.
Referee: Tom Owen (Wales).
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