Sport

Drogheda take advantage of St Pat's Euro exertions

St Patrick’s Ath 0 Drogheda Utd 2 : GOALS FROM Gavin Brennan and Peter Hynes sent 10-man Drogheda United above St Patrick’s …

Mon Jul 16 2012 - 01:00

St Patrick's Ath 0 Drogheda Utd 2: GOALS FROM Gavin Brennan and Peter Hynes sent 10-man Drogheda United above St Patrick's Athletic and into second place in the table as the hosts suffered a Euro hangover at Richmond Park yesterday afternoon.

Brennan put Drogheda ahead after capitalising on a mistake by St Pat’s goalkeeper Barry Murphy on 10 minutes. The visitors then had Ryan Brennan sent off on 48 minutes for a rash challenge on James Chambers before Hynes sealed the win on 76 minutes.

With St Pat’s facing a trip to Bosnia to face Široki Brijeg on Thursday night in the second qualifying round of the Europa League, boss Liam Buckley made six changes to the side that started against IBV Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland last Thursday.

However, the new-look side always looked out of sorts and were behind after 10 minutes when Gavin Brennan intercepted a clearance by Murphy, controlled the ball and tucked it under the advancing home goalkeeper low into the net.

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Stephen O’Flynn nearly had Pat’s back in the game on 33 minutes when he unleashed a fierce shot from about 30 yards out that cannoned back off the crossbar. A late flurry of first half activity from Drogheda then saw Murphy save well at his right hand post from Declan O’Brien before Cathal Brady fired wide.

Brendan Clarke replaced the injured Murphy in goal for St Pat’s for the second half but at the other end O’Flynn was just wide with a rasping drive from the left on 47 minutes. Drogheda were reduced to 10 man a minute later when Ryan Brennan was shown a straight red card by referee Graham Kelly for a full-blooded tackle on Chambers.

However, they powered on and went further ahead on 76 minutes when woeful defending allowed substitute Hynes to follow up on Derek Prendergast’s initial effort and poke the ball beyond Clarke at the near post to seal a vital win.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Murphy (Clarke, half-time); O'Brien, Flynn (Browne, 45+1 mins), Price, Bermingham; Forrester, Bolger, Chambers, Carroll, J Kelly (Flood, 65 mins); O'Flynn.

DROGHEDA UNITED:Sava; McMahon, McNally, Prendergast, Hand; Brady (Hynes, 53 mins), Byrne, R Brennan, Crowley, G Brennan (Marks, 70 mins); O'Brien.

Referee:G Kelly (Cork)