St Patrick’s Athletic 2
UCD 0
St Patrick’s Athletic went clear at the top of the Premier Division as they ran out easy 2-0 winners over UCD at Richmond Park.
Goals in either half from Eoin Doyle and Mark Doyle saw the Saints to victory and a one-point lead from Derry City and Sligo Rovers at the summit.
The Athletic came into the game level on points with Shamrock Rovers, who were held to a scoreless draw with Dundalk at Oriel Park, and got the job done against a dogged UCD side.
Pats were comfortably the better side over 90 minutes but they found it difficult to break down a well-organised Students side for the first half-hour.
UCD created a number of half-chances in the early stages, with a ball in from Collie Whelan and an Adam Verdon shot well picked off by Tom Grivosti at centre-half.
The Athletic were also in a creative mood and Darragh Burns’ cross produced the first header on target from Mark Doyle before Chris Forrester shot over.
Saints produced the first clear chance at the midway point in the first half as Billy King found space in the box. The crowd thought it was in but his shot hit the wrong side of the net.
Whelan and Burns exchanged shots at either end, and the latter was close to connecting to a King cross at the back post.
The home side led 11 minutes before the break as Burns’ initial shot was blocked and the second ball in was brilliantly chested home by Eoin Doyle.
Pats captain Ian Bermingham was forced off in the aftermath with a knock to the shoulder but they continued to attack with Eoin Doyle steering a shot just over.
And John Ryan was forced into a brilliant goalline clearance when the same player got his head to a King corner on the stroke of half time.
Dylan Duffy was almost in for an equaliser early in the second half as he picked off a loose Breslin pass but Joseph Anang was out quick to see off the danger.
And the excellent Liam Kerrigan brought a save from the on-loan West Ham United keeper moments later on the break.
Pats doubled their lead moments later, however, as Ryan’s poor headed clearance found Mark Doyle and the former Drogheda man controlled and rifled home low.
Whelan shimmied past Adam O’Reilly and shot just wide but the tide had turned in Pats’ favour and they pressed to kill the game off.
Jack Scott blasted over from distance before Mark Doyle twice saw shots from inside the box blocked by stand-in captain Todd.
Sub Tunde Owolabi was denied three times in injury time, the first time seeing his goalbound effort blocked by Eric Yoro after rounding Lorcan Healy, but it was immaterial to the result.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Jack Scott, Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti, Ian Bermingham (Anto Breslin 36); Adam O’Reilly, Chris Forrester, Billy King (Tunde Owolabi 65); Darragh Burns (Rónán Coughlan 84), Mark Doyle, Eoin Doyle (Jay McClelland 84).
UCD: Lorcan Healy; Evan Osam, Eric Yoro, Sam Todd, John Ryan (Alex Dunne 75); Jack Keaney (Evan Caffrey 62), Sean Brennan (Donal Higgins 75), Dylan Duffy (Danny Norris 84); Liam Kerrigan (Lennon Gill 84), Adam Vernon, Colm Whelan.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath).
