St Patrick's day gets worse

LEAGUE OF IRELAND Galway Utd 2 St Patrick's Ath 1:A PECULIAR day for St Patrick's Athletic concluded with another harrowing loss to Galway United.

Four 2009 fixtures between the teams have yielded 12 points for Galway, who took maximum advantage of Jeff Kenna’s departure after his resignation.

There was a nice pace to the first half as Galway coped with an enthusiastic start from the visitors before asserting themselves.

Decimated by injuries and suspensions, Galway still attempted to play neat football and were rewarded for their inventive approach in the 23rd minute.

Séamus Conneelly was allowed sufficient space to muster a right -footed shot which deflected past St Pat’s’s goalkeeper Gary Rogers.

Galway’s confidence was now high and Ian Foster’s charges might have added another goal on 35 minutes, but Garry Breen headed Alan Murphy’s corner wide.

Galway, though, refused to be perturbed, and scored a second five minutes after the restart when John Russell pounced in the area.

St Patrick’s summoned a rally, Jason Gavin scored a 70th minute goal after converting substitute Alan Cawley’s cross.

Galway had some anxious late moments but held on for the win.

GALWAY UNITED: Ryan; Synott, Breen, Guthrie, OToole; Russell, Conneely, Murphy; OBrien; Faherty, Greene (Walsh, 77).

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Maher, Gavin, Haverty, Stevens; Guy, Byrne, Dempsey, B Ryan; Leech (Cawley, 68), OBrien.

Referee: P Sutton(Clare).