St Pat's survive Siroki fightback

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND, SECOND LEG St Patrick's Athletic 2 NK Široki Brijeg 1:ST PATRICK's Athletic overcame the very tough challenge of Siroki Brijeg at Richmond Park and set up a Europa League Third Qualifying Round tie with German side Hannover 96.

Having claimed a vital away goal in last week’s 1-1 first leg draw, John Russell put them ahead on 39 minutes before Ivica Dzidic levelled, but Christy Fagan scored on 105 minutes to send Pat’s through.

Having conceded that away goal to Pat’s in the first leg, Široki Brijeg knew they had to score and understandably started the game in a strong fashion. Front man Krešimir Kordic enjoyed a plentiful supply of ball to chase down in the opening stages although it was Ricardo Baiano who had the first shot on four minutes.

This came following a good move down the middle that also involved Kordic, Dino Coric and Dalibor Šilic. The ball was delivered into Baiano, who was well-placed to the left of the goal, but he put too much power and not enough direction into his shot and the ball sailed high and wide.

Pat’s initially found it hard to break down the tough defence of their visitors, but when they did they discovered that goalkeeper Luka Bilobrk wasn’t having the best of nights. He looked very suspect on 27 minutes when James Chambers floated in a free, although he and defender Mateo Bertoša managed to prevent Greg Bolger opening the scoring.

Then, on 33 minutes, another Chambers free-kick caused havoc in the Brijeg defence but neither Chris Forrester nor Kenny Browne could punish the poor defending.

Pat’s were coming in to the game now and Forrester fired over on 37, before the home side took the lead on two minutes later. Bilbrk flapped at a Sean O’Connor cross from the left, Forrester put the ball back in the mix for the inrushing Russell and Fagan, and it was Russell who pounced to fire home inside the six-yard box.

O’Connor was arguably Pat’s best player and he went close to putting them further ahead on 43 minutes with a thunderous free-kick from the right, but Bilbrk was well-placed to save.

Pat’s goalkeeper Brendan Clarke had very little to do in the opening period but was called into action early in the second half to block a dangerous shot from the left wing by Šilic on 48 minutes.

Ten minutes later, captain Conor Kenna raced across the goalmouth to stick a leg out and block a low drive from Sandro Bloudek as Brijeg piled on the pressure. That chance had come at the end of a period of strong pressure by the Bosnians but Pat’s quickly sprayed the ball back downfield on the counter attack and O’Connor tested Bilobrk with a low strike to the left, but again O’Connor was denied.

Brijeg pushed on and were deservedly level on the night, and in the tie, on 65 minutes when Dzidic rose highest in the packed Pat’s penalty area to meet Šilic’s corner and head powerfully past Clarke.

Pat’s pushed deeper and deeper for the closing minutes and Greg Bolger nearly scored on 90 minutes with a low header, but Bilobrk got down at his right-hand post to save and extra-time loomed.

Bilobrk, who had improved a lot for the visitors in the second half, continued that form into extra-time and made an excellent save from Fagan on 98 minutes, jumping high to stop his header sneaking in at his top-left corner.

But Fagan got his third goal of this Euro campaign when he connected with Kenna’s header and slammed the ball past Bilobrk on 105 minutes.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; O'Brien, Kenna, Browne, Bermingham; Forrester (J Kelly 105 mins), Russell, Chambers, Bolger, O'Connor (Meenan 89 mins); Fagan (Flood 111 mins).

ŠIROKI BRIJEG:Bilobrk; Coric, I Dzidic (D Dzidic 84 mins), Ješe, Bertoša; Bloudek (Roskam 63 mins), Wagner, Zlomislic, Šilic, Baiano (Ivankovic 84 mins); Kordic.

Referee: D Aytekin(Ger)