St Patrick's Athletic 3 - Drogheda United 0A second-half Danny North strike along with a first-half Daryl Kavanagh double ensured victory for St Patrick's Athletic over Drogheda United at Richmond Park. Drogs keeper Stephen Trimble allowed Kavanagh's 25-yarder slip through his fingers for the opener on 27 minutes. North then set Kavanagh up for the second in the 43rd minute of a game in which the home side were always in control. North's shot wrapped up the win on 71 minutes as Pat's continue their climb up the table but the result leaves the Louth side rock bottom. A lively opening saw Pat's Shane McFaul flash the ball across the face of goal after Drogs failed to fully clear a Pat's free on eight minutes. But no Pat's man was quick enough to make the connection and divert the ball into the net. Trimble saved from Kavanagh at his near post on 11 before Drogs threatened just afterwards. Mark O'Brien played in Brian Gannon who got the better of Ian Bermingham but when the Pat's man recovered and chased him down, Gannon was put off enough to fire wide. Pat's soon took control of the game and went ahead on 27 minutes when Kavanagh cracked a low drive from 25 yards. Trimble saw the shot coming in plenty of time and dived well but couldn't get a clean enough catch on the ball and allowed it spill through his fingers and over the line. Trimble was put to work again soon after when North fired a shot in from the left of the area but he saved well this time. At the other end, Darragh Hanaphy turned Evan McMillan in the corner and swung a decent cross into the Pat's box but goalkeeper Gary Rogers beat the inrushing Ronan McEntaggart to the ball. Kavanagh then fired high and wide following an excellent passage of Pat's play involving Derek Doyle, North and Bermingham while Trimble denied Kavanagh after 39 minutes with a fine one-handed save. However, Trimble was beaten again by Kavanagh just before the break. North played him in on the right of the area and he waltzed into the box, scuffed his first attempt but kept going past the poor Drogheda rearguard and tucked the ball into the bottom corner. The Pat's pressure continued into the second half and Trimble pulled off another good save to deny Paul Crowley soon after the restart. North shot wide when well placed on 66 but made no mistake on 71 when he met Doyle's cross and shot past Trimble into the bottom right corner. Kavanagh had the beating of Trimble in the closing stages but was denied by the upright. © rte.ie
