Dundalk (5) - St Patrick's Athletic (0)

Dundalk 5 - St Patrick's Athletic 0

Quick-fire goals at the start of either half saw Dundalk get their season up-and-running in style with a crushing victory over St Patrick's Athletic at Oriel Park.

Close-range finishes from Patrick Hoban and Louie Annesley had Stephen O'Donnell's side 2-0 up after just 15 minutes and they put the game to bed with two goals in as many minutes within eight minutes of the second half resuming from Rayhaan Tulloch and Daniel Kelly. Connor Malley added a fifth six minutes from the end.

The Lilywhites had made a stuttering start with a 1-1 draw at home to UCD on the opening day followed up by a disappointing 2-1 defeat away to Bohemians a week ago but four changes from then breathed new life into the side, as full debutant Tulloch gave a man of the match display.

For Tim Clancy's side, little went right on the night as they were second-best for long periods and they must now regroup ahead of their trip to face Sligo Rovers on Monday.

The home side got off to a dream start when they hit the front after just five minutes as Hoban stooped to head past David Odumosu from Malley's inswinging free-kick for what was his 170th career goal.

After Mark Doyle had an effort blocked down by Andy Boyle, the Louth men then doubled their advantage on the quarter hour mark when Annesley turned in from close range from Hayden Muller's cross after the visitors failed to property clear another Malley free-kick.

It was the Gibraltar international's first goal at club level, with his only previous goal at senior level coming in his country's 2-1 UEFA Nations League C defeat at home to Georgia in Victoria Stadium last September.

The Lilywhites then almost made it three on 19 minutes when Greg Sloggett's cross from the right picked out the inrushing Kelly, whose effort deflected wide off Joe Redmond.

St Pat's did grow into the game as the half wore on and passed up a good chance to half the deficit three minutes later when Anto Breslin's cross was poorly dealt with by Annesley, whose attempted clearance fell straight to Mark Doyle but the former Drogheda Utd man failed to hit the target from 10 yards out.

The hosts had another let-off on 35 minutes when Eoin Doyle's cross from the left was almost turned into his own net by Darragh Leahy, who was relieved to see his miscued clearance creep out for a corner.

Dundalk then threatened again a minute later with loan signing from West Brom Tulloch breaking up the left and into the box past several opposition defenders only to be denied a potential goal of the season contender by the legs of Odumosu.

The Saints then went desperately close to an equaliser five minutes before the break, with Jake Mulraney's free wide on the right beating Nathan Shepperd and coming back off the post. Two follow-up efforts then came in, with Malley blocking the first before Redmond's went for a corner.

Dundalk then made it 3-0 within six minutes of the restart, with Tulloch marking his full debut with a goal as he tapped in from close range after Odumosu failed to deal with Muller's long-range effort.

Kelly then marked his 125th league appearance with his third goal in a row against Pat's as he raced onto Sloggett's through ball on 53 minutes to make it 4-0.

Mark Doyle had Pat's best chance to respond midway through the half when his effort deflected just wide from Tom Grivosti's cross but it was mainly the hosts pushing after that, with Keith Ward pulling a good chance just across the face of goal after breaking in on the right with 10 minutes to go.

The fifth did arrive on 84 minutes, with Malley squeezing a shot to the bottom right hand corner for his first goal for the club.

It ensured O'Donnell's biggest win as Dundalk boss against his old club, but most importantly for him, it gets their season up and running in some style.

© rte.ie

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Dundalk 5 - St Patrick's Athletic 0

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