First-half goals from Jay McClelland and Aidan Keena delivered St Patrick’s Athletic a telling victory over champions Shamrock Rovers in a pulsating Dublin derby at Richmond Park to blow the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division title race wide open.
Having knocked holders Rovers out of the Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup last month, Stephen Kenny’s Saints duly avenged their three league defeats to them earlier this year.
Pat’s can now go top of the table on goal difference should they beat Dundalk at Oriel Park on Monday night, although Rovers, 10 points clear at the summit five weeks ago, will have a game in hand.
That, though, is against arch-rivals Bohemians, who are also now just three points behind after recovering from 2-0 down to beat Galway United 3-2 at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Starting with intent, St Pat’s were in front from their first attack of the game after just four minutes.
Anchor midfielder Jamie Lennon was the architect, working a long-range one-two with Ryan Sheridan, the 17-year-old making his full league debut, to arc a superb cross to the far post. McClelland arrived to find the net off the underside of the crossbar with a side-foot volley for a stunning first league goal of the season.
Rovers played their way into the game to enjoy a good deal of the ball, patiently probing for openings as Saints, with the best rearguard record in the league, defended tenaciously, pinned deep in their own half.
It was 24 minutes before Joseph Anang was worked between the St Pat’s post, the Ghanaian springing down to his left to bat away one-handed from Hoops’ skipper Roberto Lopes’ flick after Jack Byrne had recycled a corner.
Jason McClelland broke the deadlock early on to provide a platform for Pat’s
Despite having been on the back foot for a sustained period, St Pat’s struck to double their lead on the counterattack on 33 minutes.
Zach Elbouzedi was given time and space on the right to cross. Aidan Keena spun adroitly to get his shot away off his right foot to beat Ed McGinty.
Remarkably, it might have been 3-0 a minute later. A slip by Lopes, just yellow-carded for a foul on Ryan Edmondson, gifted Sheridan a run in behind. McGinty stood up well to make the save.
Befuddled to find themselves two goals down, Rovers kept passing the ball, St Pat’s captain Joe Redmond making a telling block on Michael Noonan just yards from goal.
A fifth Byrne corner to nil then presented Dylan Watts with a chance he shot straight at Anang as the visitors went to their dressing room for the interval nonplussed at the scoreline.
With Adam Brennan on for Tunmise Sobowale, the one-way traffic from Rovers resumed from the restart, though Watts again not worrying Anang from a free kick.
It was McGinty who soon had work to do at the other end with saves from Keena and Lennon as St Pat’s remained a major threat in transition.
Rovers continued to press to get back into the game, substitute Jake Mulraney and Dan Cleary narrowly off target with shots from distance.
But St Patrick’s defence, as it has done for much of the season, held firm to secure a rousing win.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Sean Hoare, Joe Redmond, Luke Turner; Jamie Lennon, Barry Baggley; Zach Elbouzedi (Romal Palmer 67), Ryan Sheridan (Chris Forrester 72), Jay McClelland (Anto Breslin 79); Aidan Keena (Anthony Olusanya 67), Ryan Edmondson (James Brown 67).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Dan Cleary (Jonathan Afolabi 68), Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Tunmise Sobowale (Adam Brennan h-t), Dylan Watts, Matt Healy, Jack Byrne (Jake Mulraney 56), Will Fitzgerald; Graham Burke (Cory O’Sullivan 73); Michael Noonan (John McGovern 68).
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).