St Patrick's Athletic (2)

St Patrick's Athletic 2 - Linfield 0

Mark Quigley and Gary O'Neill got St Patrick's Athletic's Setanta Sports Cup campaign back on track in the presence of Republic of Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli in a cracking encounter at Richmond Park.

Quigley stroked the ball into the bottom right of Alan Mannus' net from just outside the six-yard box on seven minutes after the Linfield netminder had blocked his initial strike.

O'Neill tied up the win on 76 minutes with a low drive past Mannus from right of the box.

World Cup winner Tardelli was in attendance to check up on the international credentials of several St Pat's players, believed to be Quigley, Keith Fahey and Joe O' Cearuill, who was capped under Steve Staunton.

The Italian legend can't but have been impressed with what he saw, as the home side put on a champagne performance for the capacity crowd which included 900 visiting supporters.

Linfield played their part in a pulsating game, but the excellent performances that they displayed in their previous games with Glentoran and Derry City deserted them slightly.

The Belfast Blues, playing their 51st game of the season, looked shaky after that early goal and Pat's kept up the pressure with Mannus coming to the rescue again on 13 to keep out O'Neill.

Quigley broke loose on the left on 20 minutes and had Ryan Guy better placed on the right edge of the box. Quigley chose to go it alone but this proved the wrong option and he soon lost possession. Tardelli looked on with a grin on his face. Maybe he would have done the same.

Pat's keeper Barry Ryan made his first important save on 29 minutes when he kept out a tremendous header from William Murphy who had met a corner from the left.

Mannus pulled off another terrific save on 36 minute. Quigley got the ball inside the Blues half and put Gary Dempsey through, but Mannus dashed off his line and snatched the ball off Dempsey. Damien Lynch then put O'Neill through seconds later but O'Neill failed to trouble Mannus and blasted wide.

Pat's continued the good work and Fahey took his turn in the limelight on 42 minutes with a powerful drive but he shot straight at Mannus, who was having a busy opening half.

Paul McAreavy wasted a glorious chance to get Blues back level on 47 minutes when he somehow blasted wide from five yards out.

Fahey then had a chance for Pat's on 50 but shot into the side netting from a tight angle on the right, while Alan Kirby went close with a low drive on 51.

Fahey tried one of his trademark free kicks on 59 minutes but sent it high into the Inchicore-end stand.

Quigley took a free from the same position on 69 minutes but blasted the ball straight at the Linfield wall. He continued his virtuoso performance with a superb solo run down the right wing on 68 minutes but fired his shot wide of Mannus' right hand post.

O'Neill made sure of the win on 76 with a low drive past Mannus from right of the box through a quite packed goalmouth.

© rté.ie

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St Patrick's Athletic 2 - Linfield 0

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