Relegation battlers Drogheda United were simply no match for St Patrick’s Athletic at Sullivan & Lambe Park, as despite the eventual victors being far from their best, they emerged comfortably from a largely one-sided affair to edge closer to Shamrock Rovers at the Premier Division summit.
The Saints extended their unbeaten stretch to eight games in all competitions as they defeated United once again in the fourth and likely final meeting of the campaign.
While an FAI Cup renewal remains a possibility, Pat’s have completed a clean sweep of victories over Drogheda United in the Premier Division. Their sequence against them now reads 12 matches unbeaten, a run stretching back almost three years now.
Finland international Anthony Olusanya and midfielder Barry Baggley, in injury time, scored the goals that earned three points on a routine night in the end for the men from Inchicore. Leading by just one goal two minutes into injury time may not appear the most comfortable scoreline, this was in actuality a very one-sided encounter.
Anthony Olusanya opens the scoring for the Saints
Olusanya had handed Pat a 17th-minute lead and it came with the help of his strike partner Keena, whose reverse pass bamboozled James Bolger and allowed the summer arrival to run into the penalty area and shoot across goal, into the bottom corner.
Luke Dennison had earlier denied Chris Forrester from range and he was also well placed to stop deny Anto Breslin squeezing past him when the wing back and been allowed in behind. James Brown, once a Drogs hero himself, headed over too with the goal gaping.
Kevin Doherty was furious with his team, and they improved after the break but not enough to cause Pat’s sufficient problems or to warrant a leveller. Substitute Baggley calmly found the net in the 92nd minute to seal the win. Drogheda had no chances of real note, with Joseph Anang untested.
Pat’s did not look particularly likely to score a second to that point – a fact that gave an increasingly restless and despairing home support some hope – but Stephen Kenny could call upon Zach Elbouzedi and Ryan Edmondsen from the bench too.
St Pat’s Darragh Nugent in action
Having accounted for Rovers in the cup last week and with the Hoops still with European aspirations to balance alongside their domestic affairs, Pat’s are well positioned to launch their assault on top spot. Kenny has been in this position before.
By the end of the game, the atmosphere at Sullivan & Lambe Park was a palpably sour one. With United now sitting in the relegation play-off place, their 2024 FAI Cup win and sixth place finish of last season seem a distant memory.
The Louth derby is up next for them, before bottom side Sligo Rovers visit in the league. Friday night was the first of four consecutive home matches. Doherty will hope the mood will have shifted and the needle moved on United’s tough season by the end of that sequence.
Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Edwin Agbaje, Conor Keeley, James Bolger, Conor Kane; Ryan Brennan (Brandon Kavanagh, 74), Alfie Bates (Jago Godden, 78); Jason Bucknor (Andrew Quinn, 46), Shane Farrell, Warren Davis (Mark Doyle, 68); Thomas Oluwa (Keegan Ancelin, 68).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Joe Redmond, Sean Hoare, Luke Turner; James Brown (Zach Elbouzedi, 61), Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester (Barry Baggley, 74), Darragh Nugent; Anthony Olusanya (Ryan Sheridan, 88), Aidan Keena (Ryan Edmondson, 74).
Referee: Marc Lynch