St Pat's 0-0 Shelbourne
There were no goals scored, yet plenty of intensity and excitement filled the air on Friday night.
In Inchicore, St Patrick’s Athletic and Shelbourne ended their match with a nil-nil tie, resulting in the Saints losing their position at the summit of the Premier Division to Drogheda United.
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Each goalkeeper produced vital stops, several significant interceptions took place along with a few missed opportunities, as both teams fought fiercely for the pride associated with winning a derby match.
Stephen Kenny referred to this match as the significant rivalry between Pat's and Shelbourne, and indeed there was a keen competitive spirit among the 5,374 spectators who filled the sold-out Richmond Park stadium.
In the first hectic half-hour, there wasn’t much respite, as both teams pushed hard with their offensive strategies.
So far this season, Brandon Kavanagh has been exceptional, and this performance was no different. He created opportunities not only for himself but also for his teammates, executing mesmerizing twists with ease.
The ex-player from Shamrock Rovers and Derry City found himself in the central position within the attacking trident positioned just behind center-forward Mason Melia.
Among all the offensive talents in Stephen Kenny’s possession, it was Kavanagh who appeared most capable of breaching the Shelbourne defence, especially during the first half when he was at his peak performance.
His cross came in during the fourth minute, putting Melia in position to attack near the far post. However, James Norris, Shelbourne’s young full-back loaned from Liverpool, managed to deflect the ball away and out of bounds for a corner kick.
Norris's individual struggle against Melia subsequently led to him diving in to stop the 17-year-old's shot destined for the net from Zach Elbouzedi’s corner at the far post.
However, Kavanagh posed the main threat to the hosts during the first-half interactions.
In the 13th minute, Lewis Temple executed an important tackle as Kavanagh took control of a pass from Jake Mulraney and moved laterally alongside the penalty area to create room for his attempt at scoring.
In the 23rd minute, his corner kick demanded a more precise conclusion than what Sean Hoare managed. The header soared well above the crossbar, just like his second-half free-kick which Jamie Lennon also directed over the top.
And then, four minutes later, Pat's top player showed clear signs of frustration when he fired a shot just wide after yet another setup by Mulraney.
The flow of play was not entirely one-sided, as when Ellis Chapman took a shot from about 20 yards out, it seemed to curve. This made it challenging for Saints' goalkeeper Joseph Anang, who had to make multiple efforts to secure the ball, attempting it twice.
Harry Wood also put Anang to the test initially, whereas the ex-West Ham prospect needed to stay alert to deflect Chapman’s shot away from the near post in the 26th minute.
It wouldn't be a match at Richmond Park without Chris Forrester keeping his supporters on tenterhooks, and he elicited the most dramatic collective intake of breath from the crowd just prior to halftime.
As he moved the ball to his right foot from 25 yards out, with Conor Kearns’ goal ahead, all he could think about was scoring. His curved shot zipped narrowly past the post, leaving the Shels goalkeeper fully extended.
In the early stages of the second half, Mark Coyle, who was playing as a makeshift center-back for Shels, managed to deflect the ball away from Melia. This occurred right when the Ireland Under-21 player appeared to be gaining an advantage over him after winning Anang’s long clearance far upfield into the opposition's territory.
Chapman's attempts to outdo Anang were once more unsuccessful when he took a shot from 20 yards out at the hour mark.
Sean Hoare courageously stopped a Harry Wood shot using his head, then Shelbourne’s best opportunity of the evening came when substitute Mipo Odubeko replaced the injured John Martin shortly before halftime.
He performed admirably by outmaneuvering Axel Sjoberg and received the ball from Kerr McInroy’s forward pass. He moved closer to the goal and firmly struck the ball low and powerfully toward the bottom-left corner.
Anang displayed remarkable agility to quickly respond and manage to drop down swiftly for the save.
When Pat's boss, Kenny, gave Kian Leavy his debut for the season, he brought him onto the field as a substitute for Paddy Kavanagh at the 72-minute mark. This substitution was made because Kavanagh's impact had lessened during the second half.
The enthusiastic crowd of 5,374 fans roared with excitement as they welcomed back their injured hero, who was making his comeback after picking up an ailment during preseason training.
It wasn’t long before Leavy made his presence known. He collected a throw-in on the right, cut across the pitch and passed to Melia, who slipped the ball inside to Jay McClelland.
Leavy continued his run, McClelland flicked the ball perfectly into his path, and but for the alertness of Kearns, who was quick off his line to narrow the angle, he would have marked his comeback with a goal.
They still had enough time for another significant opportunity – a cross from Norris which Shells player Ali Coote misjudged and sent over the goal with his header.
St Pat’s: Joseph Anang scored 8 points; Axel Sjoberg earned 7, Joe Redmond got 7, Sean Hoare also received 7, and Anto Breslin was at 7 as well. Chris Forrester managed 7 points, Jamie Lennon secured another 7 (with Barry Bagley coming in for him with 90 minutes played). Zach Elbouzedi had 6 points, Brandon Kavanagh added 8 but was substituted out for Kian Leavy after 72 minutes, and Jake Mulraney contributed 6 before being replaced by Jay McClelland who came into play at the 61st minute mark adding his own tally of 7. Mason Melia held steady at 6 until he was substituted out favoring Conor Carty right near the end with 90 minutes played under his belt.
Shels: Conor Kearns scored 7 points; Mark Coyle got 7, Lewis Temple also earned 7, Kameron Ledwidge received 7 as well; Evan Caffrey accumulated 7, JJ Lunney was credited with 7, Kerr McInroy added another 7, Ellis Chapman managed to get 7 (replaced by John O'Sullivan at minute 90 who did not receive a score); James Norris secured his 7 points too; Harry Wood had 6 but he was substituted for Ali Coote around minute 72, meanwhile, John Martin started off with 6 before being replaced first by Mipo Odubeko during the game and then again scoring 6 after coming back into play.
Referee: Rob Hennessy
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