St Patrick's Athletic (3) - Drogheda United (0)

St Patrick's Athletic 3 - Drogheda United 0

Goals from Billy King, Eoin and Mark Doyle got St Patrick's Athletic back on track with a first win in three games in the Richmond Park drizzle.

For Drogheda it ended a five-match unbeaten run as St Patrick's added this to a 4-0 win at Head in The Game Park in early May.

Ben McCormack was the only change in the St Pat's line up from Monday's home defeat to champions Shamrock Rovers, replacing Darragh Burns who is set for a move to English League One side MK Dons.

Starting with purpose, St Pat's pressed Drogheda from the off, Luke Heeney having to defend well to force a shot from Mark Doyle out for a corner following a promising move on four minutes.

Drogheda threatened seven minutes later, Adam Foley working a one-two from a throw-in to get into the box and work Joseph Anang.

The action promptly resumed at the other end with St Pat's left confounded that they hadn't taken the lead.

Finding space one the right, King's cross picked out McCormack whose header cannoned back off a post.

Foley had got back brilliantly to block Jack Scott's follow-up out for Saints' third corner of the game.

King continued to trouble Drogheda down the right, whipping over another dangerous cross which Mark Doyle just couldn't direct on target.

Drogheda escaped not conceding a penalty on 25 minutes, their skipper Dane Massey's arm was high in the air as the ball clearly made contact with it from Eoin Doyle's header with referee Ray Matthews not impressed.

The home side continued to dominate, King turning well to shoot wide after another break down the left by Mark Doyle.

Colin McCabe stood his ground well at his near post to force a shot from Eoin Doyle out for another corner after livewire King yet again got down the right flank to cross into the near post.

The Drogheda keeper did well again just past the half hour to push Adam O'Reilly's shot round a post after King's quick feet had carved the opening.

But St Pat's lead duly arrived on 41 minutes as they cut Drogheda open all too easily once again.

Scott's deep cross from the right looked to be going out of play. But skipper Chris Forrester got there to brilliantly pull the ball back across for King who arrived to find the net with a first time volley for his fourth goal of the season.

Drogheda were better from the restart, forcing three early corners as they chased the game.

But it was St Pat's who had the first real sight of goal, King slicing wide when well-positioned from Eoin Doyle's lay off.

For all their endeavour, Drogheda struggled to break down the home defence as St Pat's played their way back into the game.

Tunde Owolabi was sprung from the bench and couldn't make decent contact with Joe Redmond's ball over the top. Scott then planted a diving header from Forrester's corner into the side netting.

Drogheda came again, though, with James Clarke heading just wide from fellow substitute Dayle Rooney's cross.

Anang made his only real save of the game on 82 minus, getting down to his left to push away Evan Weir's header from a Rooney free kick.

St Pat's then sealed their win on 86 minutes.

The marauding Owolbai dispossessed Massey to cross to give Eoin Doyle a tap-in for the easiest of his nine goals this season.

Mark Doyle added the gloss a minute into added time with a sublime back post volley from Kyle Robinson's deep cross.

© rte.ie

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St Patrick's Athletic 3 - Drogheda United 0

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