Soccer

Alex Nolan’s debut goal helps St Pat’s to victory over Shamrock Rovers

Home side come from behind at Richmond Park to beat champions for first time in eight encounters

St Pats' Alex Nolan is congratulated by teammates after scoring his side's second goal of the match. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
St Pats' Alex Nolan is congratulated by teammates after scoring his side's second goal of the match. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Paul Buttner
Fri Apr 05 2024 - 22:52
League of Ireland Premier Division: St Patrick’s Athletic 2 Shamrock Rovers 1

Alex Nolan’s debut goal for St Patrick’s Athletic proved a very welcome winner to deliver a first victory over Shamrock Rovers in two years at a raucous Richmond Park.

All the sweeter as Jon Daly’s Side had to come from behind to do so against the champions, whom they hadn’t beaten in their previous eight encounters.

St Pat’s had been second best in a first half that saw Rovers troop off reasonable value for Darragh Nugent’s early lead. But they stormed back into the game in the second half, scoring twice inside as many minutes.

Captain Joe Redmond headed them level before Nolan’s winner, which moves Saints up to third place in the table.

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A second defeat of the season ended Rovers’ three-match winning streak as they sit fifth in the table.

With talisman Chris Forrester again starting on the bench, Brandon Kavanagh in for Jake Mulraney was the one change in St Pat’s line-up from Monday’s 3-0 win over Sligo Rovers.

Scorer of their winner off the bench in Waterford the same night, skipper Roberto Lopes came back into Rovers’ back three from the start.

Hoops made three further changes with Nugent and Dylan Watts starting in midfield with Josh Honohan returning at left wingback.

And the visitors started with intent, forcing three successive corners inside the first minute before punishing negligent defending to take the lead three minutes later.

Lopes and Burke worked the ball to Darragh Burns on the right flank. The former Saint’s arced cross picked out midfielder Nugent who outjumped Redmond to find the bottom corner with a well placed header in front of the big travelling support.

It marked Rovers’ first goal in the first half of a match this season.

Their tails up, Rovers worried St Patrick’s again within two minutes. Honohan cut in on the left to feed Burke who got the ball on to his left foot, got his head up before rifling a shot wide across goal.

It was not long before St Pat’s defence was breached a little too easily once more.

The impressive Honohan outfoxed Luke Turner on the left to cross low into the area where Watts’ flick had just too much on it as it shaved the top of the crossbar.

It was the 17th minute before a sluggish St Pat’s threatened. Ruairi Keating and Anto Breslin combined on the left. The latter’s cross forced Rovers’ defender Sean Hoare to inadvertently knock the ball goal-ward under pressure from Kavanagh. A really smart save down at his right-hand post from Leon Pohls prevented an own goal.

Alive now, St Patrick’s wasted another chance to level on 25 minutes. Though Kavanagh cleverly put Keating in over the top, Markus Poom tracked the run to do just enough to put off the striker who shot tamely into the side netting.

A misplaced pass by Dan Cleary soon gifted St Pat’s another sight of goal. But Kavanagh’s hurried shot was deflected off target.

Saints were then dealt a blow on 38 minutes when Keating went over on his ankle, with 16-year-old Mason Melia introduced to replace him.

A second change was made by St Pat’s at half-time with Forrester on for the frustrated Kian Leavy. It certainly energised the home side who turned the game on its head inside 11 minutes.

There were level on 54 minutes when the busy Kavanagh was fouled by Hoare to win a free kick on the right. Kavanagh whipped it into the area where Redmond met it to power a header to the net.

A mistake by Pohls two minutes later led to St Patrick’s taking the lead for what proved the winner.

The goalkeeper’s clearance under no pressure struck Melia to run for Kavanagh. His cross was met by winger Nolan who blasted his shot home from 14 yards.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; Turner, Redmond, Keeley, Breslin; Lennon, Bolger; Nolan (McClelland, 84), Leavy (Forrester, h-t), B. Kavanagh (C. Kavanagh, 74); Keating (Melia, 41).

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Cleary, Lopes, Hoare; Poom (Noonan, 86), Watts (Towell, 86); Burns, Nugent (O’Neill, 86), Burke, Honohan (Clarke, 74); Greene.

Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo).

Attendance: 5,015