The Saint Vol 35 No.7

2023 Premier Division • Vol. 35 • No. 07 • €5.00 Richmond Park, Inchicore, Dublin 8 • KO:7.45PM

MATCHBALL SPONSOR

VERSUS

Mon 01 May 2023

ANTO BRESLIN

Saints v Sligo Rovers St Patrick’s Athletic

Fáilte

Manager: Tim Clancy

Manager:

Assistant: Jon Daly

Head Coach: Ryan Casey

1 Danny Rogers 23 David Odumosu 36 Dean Lyness 2 Noah Lewis 3 Anto Breslin 4 Joe Redmond (C) 5 Tom Grivosti 6 Jamie Lennon 7 Serge Atakayi 8 Chris Forrester 9 Eoin Doyle 10 Tommy Lonergen 11 Jason McClelland 12 Harry Brockbank 14 Mark Doyle 15 Conor Carty 17 Vladislav Kreida 18 Ben McCormack 20 Jake Mulraney 21 Axel Sjöberg 22 Sam Curtis 24 Adam Murphy 25 Thijs Timmermans 26 Jay McGrath 32 Darius Lipsiuc 33 Sean McHale 34 Dan McHale 35 Anto Dodd 38 Jason Oyenuga

GK o GK o GK o D o D o D o D o M o F o M o F o F o M o D o M o F o M o M o M o D o D o M o M o D o M o D o D o M o F o

stpatsfc

39 Luke O’Brien

D

/stpatsfc

Match Officials

/stpatsfctv

Referee Neil Doyle

Assistant 1 Allen Lynch

Half-Time

Full-Time

Tá áthas orainn fáilte a chur roimh an mbainistíocht, imreoirí agus lucht tacaíochta Chlub Pheile Ruagairí Na Shligigh go Phairc Richmond anocht

Welcome We are pleased to welcome the management, players and supporters of Sligo Rovers Football Club to Richmond Park tonight.

/stpatsfc

info@stpatsfc.com stpatsfc.com

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Sligo Rovers John Russell

1 Luke McNicholas 30 Richard Brush 31 Conor Walsh 2 Johan Brannefalk 3 Daniel Lafferty 4 Reece Hutchinson 5 James Finnerty 6 Greg Bolger 7 William Fitzgerald 8 Niall Morahan 10 Frank Liivak 11 Fabrice Hartmann 12 Mark Byrne 14 Karl O'Sullivan 16 Gary Boylan 18 Stefan Radosavljevic 19 Lukas Browning 21 John Mahon 22 David Cawley 25 Cillian Heaney 26 Garry Buckley 27 Max Mata 28 Nando Pijnaker 34 Kailin Barlow 41 Eanna Clancy 59 Bogdan Vastsuk

GK o GK o GK o D o D o D o D o M o M o M o M o F o M o M o M o F o M o D o M M D F F M D M

o o o o o o o o

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Assistant 2 Eoin Harte

4th Official Gavin Colfer

MOTM

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

President’s Welcome Tom O’Mahony

@jimmyedwards41

Good Evening You're very welcome to Richmond Park and that extends particularly to the players, officials and supporters of Sligo Rovers. For those of us who grew up in the era of 3pm kick-offs, it's a very rare throwback these days.

I want to use today's notes to address a very serious topic on which most of us have mixed feelings - the thorny topic of flares. They are a problem - and it's a very real problem. Most importantly is that they are extremely dangerous.

They can burn at up to 2000 degrees Celsius (20 times the boiling point of water) which is literally hot enough to melt flesh from the bone. The dense smoke which they emit can cause real harm to people with breathing difficulties attending the game. And that's before considering the disruption they can cause to the match.

At half-time in our game in Dalymount Park a fortnight ago, we were warned that any further flares thrown by our fans would result in the abandonment of the game. A superb first-half performance which had put us in a very strong position to take three points off the league leaders was in jeopardy because of the actions of our own supporters. Last week, the start of our home game with Shamrock Rovers was delayed by five minutes because of a burning flare on the pitch, thrown by one of our fans. Stewards cannot remove a burning flare because of the high risk of being seriously burned - as indeed happened to a Bohemians steward some years ago.

This problem is endemic in the league, not just in our club, and I believe that the FAI and match officials are getting close to making their point in a more dramatic way by abandoning a fixture (and we probably came very close to that in Dalymount). Bringing flares into grounds is, of course, banned. It's easy to say that clubs should just search fans more thoroughly but the practical reality is that those who are determined to bring flares into the ground can hide them on their person in a way that's almost impossible to detect.

The only real solution is for the fans to come to a common understanding that lighting a flare in a crowded stand or terrace and/or throwing it onto the pitch is unacceptable; that, far from supporting your club, it is damaging it.

As a club we will be intensifying our efforts through our Supporters Liaison Officer, our website and our social media channels to spread that message as widely as we can. We will also deal very seriously with anyone identified as having brought in or handled a flare. If, as some say, flares are part of the culture of football, then we need a culture change and we need all our fans to work with us on bringing it about.

Enjoy the game!

Tom O'Mahony President St Patrick's Athletic FC

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB Richmond Park 125 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8, Ireland Tel: +353 1 454 6332 Fax: +353 1 454 6211 For media enquiries, please email press@stpatsfc.com Opening Hours: 9.30am-5pm (Mon-Fri).

See our facebook page for additional opening hours on match days.

HONOURS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1951/52, 1954/55, 1955/56, 1989/90, 1995/96, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2001/02, 2013 FAI CUP 1958/59, 1960/61, 2014, 2021 LEAGUE CUP 2000/01, 2003, 2015, 2016 PRESIDENT'S CUP 2014 LEINSTER SENIOR CUP 1947/48, 1982/83, 1986/87, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1999/2000, 2011, 2014, 2019 LOI SHIELD 1959/60 FAI SUPER CUP 1999 DUBLIN CITY CUP 1953/54, 1955/56, 1975/76 LFA PRESIDENT'S CUP 1952/53, 1953/54, 1955/56, 1971/72, 1990/91, 1996/97 FAI INTERMEDIATE CUP 1947/48, 1948/49, 1952/53 (Reserves) FAI JUNIOR CUP 1940/41 FAI YOUTH CUP 1944/45

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Ronan O’Flaherty Safety at Richmond Park Stadium Regulations • All persons entering the stadium are admitted only subject to the following ground regulations and to the regulations of the Football Association. Entry to the ground shall be deemed to constitute unqualified acceptance of all these rules and regulations.

• There is a no smoking policy in effect in both stands.

• The climbing of walls, floodlight pylons, stands or any structure inside theg round is strictly forbidden.

• Any persons found damaging or defacing the property of St Patrick’s Athletic FC will be liable to prosecution.

• Firework, smoke canisters, bottles, glasses, cans, flags, banners, poles, flares and any other articles or containers which could or might be used as a weapon or likely to cause a nuisance to other people in the stadium are not permitted within the stadium and any person in possession of such an article or container may be refused entry or ejected from the stadium.

• Any excessive noise, such as that from the use of radio sets megaphones and/or behaviour likely to cause confusion or nuisance i.e.: Laser lights of any kind is not permitted inside the stadium.

• Foul or abusive language is not permitted inside the stadium and will result in ejection from the stadium.

• Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an Adult and that adult must accept respon sibility for those in his/her charge.

• No form of racist abuse will be tolerated inside the stadium and will result in ejection from the stadium and may result in a prosecution by An Garda. St Patrick's Athletic shows the red card to racism.

• Spectators are not permitted to bring alcohol or any banned substances into the stadium.

• Any person who does not comply with instructions from a steward may be ejected from the stadium.

• In general, the right of admission is reserved to the Club Management of St Patrick’s Athletic FC. • St Patrick’s Athletic FC reserves the right to refuse admission or eject any person from the stadium who refuses to be searched by a police officer.

• Any person who blocks, or obstructs a gangway in any way and refuses to move on request may be ejected from the stadium.

• St Patrick’s Athletic FC reserves the right for its servants or agents to remove from the stadium any person who does not comply with the stadium regulations or whose presence inside the stadium could reasonably be construed as a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to any spectator.

Safety Notice • St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club are committed to ensuring the safety of all spectators at Richmond Park.

It is therefore important that the following information is read and strictly adhered to.

• Anyone requiring medical attention during the game should alert their nearest steward or club official and will be directed to the St John’s Ambulance attendant or First Aid Room.

• Parents, Guardians or any adult responsible for children inside the stadium should ensure that children are supervised at all times.

• Cigarettes should be properly extinguished as they can be a major cause of fire.

• The use of flares inside the stadium is strictly forbidden.

Emergency Procedure WC

CAMAC TERRACE

WEST STAND

SHED END

E1

E2

G

F

E D C B MAIN STAND

A E4

WC

In the event of an emergency at Richmond Park requiring evacuation of the ground in part or whole, spectators are requested to remain where they are and listen for announcements over the public address system. The announcements may direct spectators in a specific area of the ground, or the stadium as a whole, to evacuate the through exit gates to the outside of the stadium, or through perimeter gates onto the pitch. Club stewards and members of the Garda Siochana will assist in directing spectators. If requested to vacate a specified area of the ground, spectators should do so as calmly and quickly as possible to assist in a safe and speedy evacuation. Do not, under any circumstances, re-enter an evacuated area. Please take note of your nearest exit.

EMMET ROAD

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2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Editorial

Ronan O’Flaherty

Ruairi Kavanagh

@stpatsprogramme

Good Evening Welcome to your Bank Holiday Monday at Richmond Park, still a relatively new holiday, but with a blissfully old-school kick-off time of 3PM. Thanks for picking up your second copy of the Saint in less than ten days.

Our last game against Rovers brought plenty of hope in advance, but the reality of the challenge of creating a consistent team of stability and quality was evident against a very settled team, despite the Saints showing plenty of energy and never giving up.

The challenge of bank holiday games for programme teams is that they need to go to press on the same day (Wednesday) as for a Friday game, so thanks to all for helping to turn around the issue as quickly as we have managed to do.

Sometimes, when you're getting issue after issue out, you forget the quality of the material that our contributors create for each edition. For

example, although I lightheartedly berate him for occasionally late submissions, Ronan O'Flaherty's 'Oh My Word' column has evolved into an ever more thoughtful and nuanced commentary on the Saints and the game in general. Alongside the design of Joe O'Rourke, the contributions of Jimmy Edwards, Ian Templeman, Sean Creedon, Eoghan Gardiner, Sarah Tynan, Tom O' Mahony, Pat O'Callaghan and John Owens make each edition a truly unique product. Thanks to them all. Also, particular thanks must go to our Technical Director, Alan Mathews, who supplies excellent notes from the management side, we really appreciate his time and willing assistance.

Until the next issue!

Come on the Saints.

Ruairi Kavanagh Editor The Saint

Contents 9

Q&A - Ben McCormack

16 On This Day

10 Oh my Word!

20 Sporting Nicknames

12 Opposition Watch

26 Eurozone

15 Dodge’s Data!

28 Saints Womens U17

Programme Production Editor Ruairi Kavanagh

Design Joe O’Rourke

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Photography Sportsfile & Inpho 5

OUR GAME IS ON THE BALL

NEO SWERVE THE OFFICIAL MATCH BALL OF THE SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE AVAILABLE AT UMBRO.IE

The Dugout

Ronan O’Flaherty

Alan Mathews A very good afternoon to everyone and a very warm welcome to the management, players, officials and fans of today’s opponents Sligo Rovers.

We were here last Friday week against Shamrock Rovers and came up short in a two nil loss. Despite working hard form start to finish we got nothing from the game and had that little bit of luck gone our way we may well have scored the first goal or equalised. The game can change on very small margins however on reflection we have to say that Rovers deserved the three points and were worthy winners in the end.

These notes are penned prior to our game away to Derry and as such we don’t know the result. Despite being one of the most difficult places to go to we will have gone up to Derry with a very positive attitude as we have seen they have dropped points at home recently and really feel we can get a positive result up there, hopefully this proves to be the case.

To play Rovers last week in front of an another full house was absolutely fantastic, and it certainly shows that the game in this country is on the up with more people coming to games week after week. Once again I will say all clubs deserve great credit for showing the initiative and willingness to market the League of Ireland in a positive manner, hopefully we will continue to see a new generation of supporters coming out to support our League.

We will have had a really tough assignment last Friday and will have come back down the road knowing we will need to immediately focus on Sligo Rovers.

Regardless of the result in Derry we have no time to dwell on the result and need to be ready immediately for today’s game.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

We will need to improve on our last home performance today against a side that has already beaten us and look to be in a strong position to mount a challenge for all honours this season.

Our opponents today have had a squad full of really good players and have been very consistent since John Russell has been in charge they have a squad full of quality and experience.

We go into tonight’s game without the services of Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti, Harry Brockbank and Danny Rogers who thankfully has returned to light training and gym work.

We have prepared for today’s game with a real focus knowing that we will have to be on our game from the off and will need to produce a hardworking performance that will give us the platform to get a positive result.

We know we will have terrific home support behind us and from the start we will need to be professional and fully focused.

Friday nights at Inchicore to date have been sell out’s and it has been a real lift to play in such a wonderful atmosphere… let’s make a bank Holiday Monday the very same !

We really want to deliver the right results for all our fans every week, home and away, and with your help and support here tonight we will do everything we can to get the desired result tonight.

Thanks for getting behind the team and I hope you enjoy the game.

Thanks, Alan Mathews, Technical Director, St Patrick's Athletic FC.

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2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.2 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Shelbourne

Ronan O’Flaherty Q&A - Mark Doyle Darren Conn

@darrenconn75

BIRTHPLACE: Dublin.

BEST PLAYER PLAYED WITH: Chris Forrester.

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Drogheda United.

BEST PLAYER PLAYED AGAINST: Chris Forrester!

TEAM SUPPORTED AS A BOY: Manchester United.

TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Luke McNally.

FIRST FOOTBALL MEMORY: Out playing football with my mates.

BOYHOOD HERO: Wayne Rooney.

BEST GOAL SCORED: Volley versus Drogheda.

BEST GOAL I’VE SEEN SCORED: Ronaldo free kick v Portsmouth.

BEST MOMENT IN FOOTBALL TO DATE: European debut before the red card.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION: New York.

FAVOURITE SPORT OUTSIDE FOOTBALL: Darts.

BEST FRIEND AT CLUB: Thijs Timmermans.

BEST DRESSED AT CLUB: Ben McCormack.

WORST DRESSED AT CLUB: Sam Curtis.

WHO ARE YOU NOMINATING FOR OUR NEXT Q&A? Thijs Timmermans.

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Oh My Word!

Ronan O’Flaherty The magnitude of the occasion was reinforced by the sight of the Ireland manager manoeuvring his car into a spot 15 minutes before kickoff. He did well to get one; parking spaces are like hens’ teeth at that stage of the evening.

The sold-out signs had been on display for the best part of a week. On the approach to the ground, it was easy to separate the match-goers from the evening strollers. Many wore red, others green, with the odd speckle of white on show here and there.

The roads, streets and alleyways within shouting distance of Richmond Park weren't planned with spectator events in mind. Rows of houses flew up in the age of black-andwhite when car ownership was out of reach for the majority. It was never a consideration that grey paths would be mounted with vehicles of varying colours as far as the eye could see.

Yet that is the reality. On Southern Cross Avenue and Connolly Avenue, the narrow roads are squeezed thinner as each motorist with a match ticket shimmies into a space. It’s the same on Bulfin Road and Anner Road, just as it is on Goldenbridge Avenue and further back to Devoy Road.

"He’s here to watch Jack Byrne," said a member of our group, acknowledging the sighting of Stephen Kenny. His tone was non-committal; it

10

wasn't clear if he was asking a question or announcing a statement of fact. So we humoured him before quickly humouring ourselves.

"You could be right; maybe he's here to watch Jack Byrne.

But he'll also be curious to see how Sam Curtis gets on. Even Pep is aware of young Curtis.

And if Joe Redmond was playing, Kenny would probably watch out for him too."

Some sights and sounds are visible on every match night, no matter the opponent. The five red flags dance in the wind from their position on the forehead of Richmond House.

Stewards in high-visibility jackets instruct spectators where to go. On occasion, they slip into autopilot, barking out an instruction when no-one appears to be listening. Their spiel is well worn. It exits the larynx swiftly, without need for a breath: “Away-fans-throughthe-archway-and-home-fansdown-the-ramp-TANG-Q!” A local stands in the porch of the public house with a half-full pint in his hand, gazing out on to Emmet Road as if it were his own front garden. He’s in his early sixties, sporting a bushy grey mane and a couple of days’ stubble growth that you could strike a match against.

People shuffle past, keen to get into the ground before the teams emerge. He’s watched these scenes of bustle 100 times before. Perhaps he’ll join

them some day and watch a game. But not this day.

He takes a long pull of his fag before dabbing it out against the wall, like an artist caressing his brush onto the canvas. The second half of the cigarette goes back in the box.

Some sights on match night are less common. We happened upon one such rarity the last time we were here, ten days ago.

It was a perfect evening to watch a game of ball. The late sun pierced through the railings of St Michael's Church, sending shards of light into our line of vision. We turned the corner and there it was. Or, more accurately, there they were: five equine gardaí carrying their human colleagues. The sight of mounted police will always be greeted with a double-take.

They are out of place on Emmet Road.

These stunning beasts are deployed to send a firm message. On most occasions, it is received loud and clear, in the process reducing their workload to the simple act of looking magnificent.

We take a moment to appreciate their majesty. They could be waiting at the start line in Prestbury Park, anticipating a signal to bolt. God help us if they have to bolt at any stage on this night; it will mean something has taken a turn for the worse.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

@ronanoflaherty Two are a rich-brown shade with chalky white markings running down their long regal faces. The pair of white horses are almost mythical in appearance, like Tír na nÓg from Into The West. Onehundred years after the whitehorse final at Wembley, this is our white-horse match, without the chaos and overcrowding.

The quintet is completed by a black mare. She stands tall and strong, intensity in her eyes but calmness in her aura. A warhorse on a peace-keeping assignment.

They stand in line, facing Richmond Park, attracting

glances that evolve into stares from many who walk by. A child, no older than eight, tilts his head and fixes his gaze on them in amazement. He continues to walk forward with his eyes locked on them.

Unprepared for the drop in the path, he nearly takes a tumble.

"What have I told you about watching where you're going," says the man with him, presumably his dad.

We take up a position on the Camac. Before the action begins, all in attendance receive a lesson in exactly how long it takes for a flare to burn out. We didn’t time it, but it was long enough for kickoff to be

delayed by four minutes.

Two hours slowly melt away.

The men in red struggle to raise a gallop, even briefly. Seven days earlier we ran the gauntlet of emotions. This time, there is no gauntlet; just a slow, laboured trot toward disappointment.

We manage the disappointment by filing it away. But it’s a faulty filing cabinet that springs back open at the slightest reminder. The only true remedy must be administered by the players on the pitch. Over to them.

Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

Quiz Time Kieran Coughlan 1

Which club did Eoin Doyle join after leaving Sligo Rovers in 2012?

6

Who were the 3 Spanish born coaches at the World Cup in Qatar?

2

Max Mata is an international for which country?

7

Who was the last player from Glasgow Rangers to score a hat trick in an old firm game?

3

Former Saint and Sligo Rovers player Rhys McCabe is currently player/manager at which Scottish club?

8

Who is Arsenal's record signing?

9

Who were the highest placed English club that had no representation at the World Cup in Qatar?

10

Which club won the inaugural Europa Conference league in 2022?

4

Who was the 2022 PFAI player of the season?

5

Who are the 4 players from Leicester City that have been included in England World Cup squads?

1 Hibs. 2 New Zealand. 3 Airdrieonians. 4 Rory Gaffney. 5 Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Harry Maguire, Gordon Banks. 6 Luis Enrique, Roberto Martinez, Felix Sanchez. 7 Ally McCoist. 8 Nicolas Pepe.

9 Blackburn Rovers. 10 AS Roma.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

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Opposition Watch Eoghan Gardiner

12 minutes after going a man down, Rovers managed to take the lead through a strike from Reece Hutchinson in the box, with the Saints defence having been too static and giving the attackers too much space. It was a well-worked, give-and-go sort of goal, but Sligo didn’t face much resistance from the Pat’s backline.

John Russell

Sligo Rovers come to Richmond Park tonight looking to repeat the result of the last meeting between our two sides. However, the Saints, who have found good form since that fixture, will be hoping to make up for the 21 loss endured to tonight’s opponents back in March.

Anybody who watched that game could tell you that Pat’s weren’t up to scratch that night and that the Bit O’Red deservedly came out on top.

They managed this while playing with 10 men for 70 minutes of the game, after John Mahon was sent off in curious circumstances after committing what the referee deemed to be a foul on Tommy Lonergan.

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The Saints did manage to break Sligo down defensively shortly after, with a pass from Ben McCormack finding its way through Nando Pijnaker’s legs to the feet of Eoin Doyle.

Doyle then put the ball towards the back post for young Lonergan to finish, only for the teenager to put the ball wide of the mark at point blank range. The frustration was visible from his reaction.

Pat’s did manage to get an equaliser in the 62nd minute, with Chris Forrester doing Chris Forrester things. A pass from Jamie Lennon found Forrester in space, before the midfielder shot from distance, beating goalkeeper Luke McNicholas to make it 1-1. It seemed as if this was the only sort of goal that Pat’s were going to get in the

fixture as the game went on, as Sligo dug deep when they found themselves on the back foot, likely due to the fact they were playing with just ten men. This did not bode well with the Saints’ tactic of putting crosses into the box from the wings.

Forrester had a similar chance two minutes later, beating three men to get a shot off from similar distance.

McNicholas had his number this time, pushing the ball away from the bottom righthand corner and out for a corner.

In the 66th minute, Sligo scored what would end up being the deciding goal in the game: After the Saints conceded a free-kick in their own half, Johan Brannefalk cleverly took the set-piece quickly, passing to teammate Fabrice Hartmann who ran into the box unchallenged and put the ball past David Odomosu. All but three Pat’s players (including our goalkeeper) were facing away from the ball when it was kicked. This schoolboy error stopped the Saints from salvaging as little as a point from the game.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Ronan O’Flaherty @EoghanGardiner

Max Mata

Though the above reads fairly dour, it is worth remembering that the Saints have turned their form around since our trip to The Showgrounds. There is, of course, still room for improvement, and tonight’s fixture offers the Saints a great opportunity to prove themselves as a team that can be expected to secure European football this season. You have to be winning these games if that is to be achieved.

Meanwhile, it has been a mixed bag in terms of results for Sligo Rovers. At the time of writing, Sligo have won two, drew three and lost two since we last played them.

Their most recent result (again, from the time of writing) was a 3-1 win at home to UCD, while their other win came away to Dundalk. Securing a draw against Derry City must also be considered a good result for the Bit O’Red. By the time that you’re reading this issue of The Saint, Sligo will have played Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght on Friday night, the result of which should be somewhat telling of how our fixture tonight might go.

Sligo’s Max Mata is currently the top scorer in the league with eight goals to his name, and is likely to cause problems for the Saints backline tonight. This could prove to be a particularly troubling prospect given the injuries that Tim Clancy’s men have in defence. Pat’s and Sligo are similar enough in the sense that they both tend to concede their fair share of goals, but they also score enough to keep their goal difference positive.

Although goal difference does not usually decide league positioning, logic would dictate that if you score goals more than you

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Greg Bolger

concede, you won’t go far wrong on the league table.

Both teams will see themselves as having what it takes to get the better of their opponents tonight.

Taking this, as well as current form, into account, we could be in for a scrappy, hardfought game. As ever, here’s hoping that the Saints can get a win tonight and really kick on in our bid to secure European football for the 2024 season.

Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

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Dodge’s Data!Ronan O’Flaherty John Owens

@seidodge

LEAGUE RECORD V SLIGO ROVERS HOME GAMES

AWAY GAMES

16 45 149

77

27

80

16

GOALS

81

TOTAL GAMES

28

157

72

41

25 106

GOALS

44

117

255

GOALS

198

LAST 10 GAMES BETWEEN THE CLUBS 06 Mar 2023

Showgrounds

LOI

1-2

28 Oct 2022

Showgrounds

LOI

0-1

14 Aug 2022

Richmond Park

LOI

1-0

S Atakayi

14 May 2022

Showgrounds

LOI

1-1

D Burns

25 Feb 2022

Richmond Park

LOI

1-2

T Owolabi

05 Nov 2021

Richmond Park

LOI

0-3

10 Sep 2021

Showgrounds

LOI

0-2

18 Jun 2021

Richmond Park

LOI

2-0

M Smith, R Coughlan (p)

03 May 2021

Showgrounds

LOI

1-1

I Bermingham

12 Sep 2020

Richmond Park

LOI

0-0

C Forrester

MAY

01

ON THIS DAY - ONLY 4 GAMES 2017 Turners Cross

LOI

Cork City

0-2

2015 Eamon Deacy Park

LOI

Galway Utd

4-1

K Brennan (p), C Byrne 2, C Kilduff

2009 Terryland Park

LOI

Galway Utd

1-2

M Quigley (p)

1998 Buckley Park

LOI

Kilkenny C1ty

2-1

C Hawkins, E Gormley

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

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Irish Independent Saturday 02 May 1998 FAI HARP LAGER NATIONAL LEAGUE • PREMIER DIVISION • BUCKLEY PARK

MAY

01 1998

KILKENNY CITY 1 ST PATRICK'S ATH 2

THE soothsayer got it spot on as St Patrick's Athletic won their sixth League title on a night of drama as thc Premier Division title race went to the wire.

A month ago Pat Dolan received a letter from a woman telling him that his side would be celebrating on Saturday. May 2 after winning the League Championship.

And she correctly predicted the outcome of all the matches in the title run-in, including last night's sensational twist when Shels were shocked by Dundalk and Pais beat Kilkenny to take full advantage and the title.

"At first we didn't take the letter too seriously but as the predictions came true it lifted everyone's spirits and ensured we kept fighting to the end." said manager Pat Dolan.

MENTAL TURMOIL However, no soothsayer could have predicted the mental turmoil Pats supporters went through at Buckley Park in Kilkenny last night before Eddie Gormley finally decided the title

16

race 11 minutes from time.

Like Dundalk, Kilkenny showed that they were not prepared lo be bit players and made sure that the new champions were tested fully.

Pat's got off to a flyer and opened thc scoring after five minutes after Raj Carolan pulled down Leon Braithwaite on the right.

Gormley swung in the free-kick which Kilkenny goalkeeper John Connolly dropped. And from the ensuing goalmouth scramble Colin Hawkins steered home from six yards.

The urgency which Pat's displayed in those opening five minutes disappeared and they seemed quite content to adopt a patient approach which in the next halfhour only provided one good chance when Gormley went close to turning in Braithwaite's low cross.

Then came a flurry of chances in the space of two minutes with Connolly saving Osam's 30 yard pile-driver. Gilzean having a penally appeal turned down and Braithwaite heading tamely wide from six yards with the goals at his mercy.

A goal seemed inevitable and it did come after 38 minutes, but not at the end it was expected.

Ray Carolan on the left cut inside Braithwaite and found Trevor Vaughan on the edge of the penalty area. Me struggled to clear the ball but Mick Moody's clearance cannoned off Martin Reid and thc burly midfielder, playing his last game before retirement, took full advantage by calmly drilling the ball past Trevor Wood from 18 yards.

A huge roar five minutes into the second half left the Pat's players in no doubt that Dundalk had taken the lead in Oriel Park, but it seemed to inspire lethargy and Kilkenny striker Michael Reddy had three one-on-one chances within seven minutes and il needed all the brilliance of Wood to keep Pat's in the game.

The introduction of Martin Reilly settled the Saints and he almost made it an inspired substitution when he shot across the face of goal six minutes after his arrival.

The news that Dundalk had made it 2-0 was again greeted by a deafening cheer and the entire Pats bench was on its feet as the

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

pressure became unbearable.

The goal Pat's and their huge band of supporters were praying for finally arrived 11 minutes from time and like the first came from a goalmouth scramble.

Braithwaite won possession inside the box with his back to goal and the ball hobbled about the area until it arrived at the feet of Eddie Gormley whose shot took a deflection off Michael Keddy on its way to the net.

PITCH INVASION It prompted a massive pitch invasion and when order was restored Pat's played down the clock to claim the title in the most dramatic fashion. John Feighrey's final whistle prompted amazing scenes as the champagne corks popped and it was fitting that matehwinner Gormley should accept the League trophy. "I am delighted to have the goal that won the League for the best team in the League." said Gormley. "You can't dispute it because it's over 33 games. "The League isn't won over 32 and Shelbourne's luck ran out at the end of the day. Good luck to them in the Cup final, but we’re the best team in Ireland and that's all that counts."

It was an emotional occasion for manager Dolan who took over from Brian Kerr and has delivered the League title in his first full season in charge.

"My heart goes out lo Shelbourne, they don't deserve to lose it." said Dolan.

"But nobody can deny that we were the best team.

We proved that over the games with Shelbourne and everybody else and this is the happiest day of my life."

"What can I say about my players, my squad and what we've done. It's been a team effort and people like Dave Mahedy, Noel O'Reilly, Cyril Walsh and our chairman Tim O'Flaherty deserve thc credit, not me." said Dolan.

The Pat's boss said that not being prepared to accept second best had driven his team to victory.

"If it had slipped away from us people would have said 'next year". But it's all about this year and I knew we would end up with something." lie also paid tribute to his club's large travelling

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Eddie Gormley hoists the Harp Lager National League trophy aloft after St Pat’s last gasp success at Buckley Park.

army who invaded Kilkenny in iheir thousands for the game. "This is a family club. We have a different atmosphere that you wouldn't get anywhere else.

These are the best supporters in the world and I love every one of them."

Forty minutes after thc full-time whistle had blown, when the Pat's supporters had headed home to begin a weekend of celebrations, Pat Dolan walked into the centre of a deserted Buckley Park pitch, paused and punched the air in his own private celebration.

Sometimes, success does go to those who deserve it.

KILKENNY CITY Connolly; Kelly (Power 74), Rea, Breen, Carolan; D Walsh (Hale 56), P.Walsh, Reid (Maher 74), Cooney; Vaughan, Reddy.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC Wood; Burke, Moody, Hawkins, Doyle; Morgan, Osam, Gormley; Bralthwaite, Gilzean, Molloy (Rellly 54).

REFEREE: P McKeon (Dublin).

17

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2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Pensive PointsRonan O’Flaherty Jimmy Edwards

@jimmyedwards41

Good afternoon all, Welcome to John Russell and all from Sligo Rovers for today’s game. It’s not every week we play on a Monday and certainly not at 3.00pm!

Sligo come into this game on the back of playing a home game against Shamrock Rovers last Friday while we were away to Derry at the same time. I can’t comment on those results as this article was written prior to Friday due to printing deadlines but here’s hoping that we have beaten Derry and Sligo have beaten Shamrock Rovers.

Sligo always play a good brand of football and in Max Mata they probably have the form player in the division so far. He will need to be closely marshalled by our defence along with everyone else. Our last home game was against Shamrock Rovers, and while we were all disappointed to come out on the wrong side of a 2-0 defeat I felt on another night we could have come away with a point but then again Rovers had a couple of other chances to score where Dean Lyness made some really excellent saves.

I thought we started both halves well but without really getting behind the Rovers defence to trouble Alan Mannus. The first goal came in the 20th minute when Johnny Kenny fired home from the edge of the box after Lee Grace played a long ball into what seemed like a huge gap in our defence for Kenny to run into unopposed and he made no mistake with his powerful shot beating Lyness on his near post which woke up the Rovers fans who had been quiet up to this point. It was a disappointing goal to give away as it wasn’t like they had carved us open from a number of passes. We

came close to an equaliser when Chris Forrester’s glancing header from a corner was inches away from dropping in at the back post but unfortunately for us it went the wrong side of the upright.

The second goal came in the 69th minute and that was an even more frustrating goal to concede, I’m taking nothing away from Trevor Clarkes brilliant strike into the top corner that two keepers wouldn’t have stopped but it was again very frustrating to see Clarke pick up the ball on the half way line and run straight at our goal between what looked like four Pats players and not one trip him and give a foul away.

Hopefully we will learn from these incidents because the better teams are cuter in these situations and will take a yellow card rather than give up chances like that. We had a couple of half chances from shot’s outside the box as the game progressed, one in particular when Jake Mulraney forced Mannus into a diving save from his stinging shot.

I felt we played well in patches but in truth we didn’t do enough to feel too aggrieved with the final score. It was great to see Jake back available because he is a real threat in the final third and I must give mention to Adam Murphy who gets better and better the more I see him and it’s clear to see just why he is so highly rated and thought of. Happy May Day Bank Holiday everyone, here's hoping for a Pat’s win.

Enjoy the Game, Up the Saints Jimmy

Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

19

Famous Sporting Nicknames Seán Creedon

The death occurred in November last year of Eamonn D’Arcy, who was known to many League of Ireland fans in the fifties and sixties as ‘Sheila.’ Eamonn started with Johnville and later played for Dundalk, Drumcondra, Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne and also spent two seasons with Oldham Athletic in England.

In Seán Ryan’s obituary on Eamonn in the Sunday Independent he said that in his family nobody knew exactly where the nickname came from.

But a Dubliner, now living in New York, told me that he thought the nickname may have come from a Hollywood movie star called Sheila Darcy.

Sheila Darcy

Sheila was born in 1914 and often played the part of the heroine in ‘B’ movies and Westerns. But like Eamonn, Sheila was not her real name. The actress was born Rebecca Benedict Heffener in 1914. Her best known roles were as the female lead in cliff-hangers, such as the 1939 film Zorro’s Fighting Legion.

for the Saints, William ‘Sacky’ Glynn, who won seven FAI Cup medals with Rovers and one with Shels, Benny ‘Rosie’ Henderson, Jimmy ‘Maxie’ McCann and Liam ‘Rasher’ Tuohy.

Dubliners know their stuff about movies and I reckon some of those movie buffs also attended League of Ireland games and may have begun comparing Eamonn’s goalkeeping feats with the famous American actress. Coincidentally the real Sheila Darcy died at the age of 89 in 2004; Eamonn was also 89 when he died in November.

I remember the late Jimmy Magee suggesting that it possibly could have been Irish nuns in Brazil who gave Edson Arantes do Nascimento his nickname of Pele. Jimmy thought that the nuns might have called him ‘Peil,’ which of course is the Irish for football.

Not a bad theory, but like many nicknames Edson apparently got his in school and not from the nuns.

There were several nicknames used in the League of Ireland down through the years like: Jimmy ‘Timber’ Cummins, who played

Another Brazilian star was known as Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri to his parents, but Dunga to the football world. Dunga is the

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2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Portuguese name for Dopey of Snow White fame. He was given the nickname by an uncle who was convinced he would never be very tall, and would look like a dwarf.

In England some of us remember Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris and George Graham, who was known as ‘Stroller.’

Anybody who saw Harris tackling knows why he was called ‘Chopper,’ while Graham also got his nickname while playing for Chelsea where he played as an attacking midfielder behind former St Pat’s manager Barry Bridges and Peter Osgood.

Irish Rugby also has some good nicknames. One of best one I think is for former Leinster and Ireland winger Shane Horgan, who was known as ‘Shaggy.’ I used to think it was because of his long hair, but have a look at the Shaggy character in Scooby-Doo and I think you will agree that whoever gave Horgan that name, got it right.

The late Rugby player Anthony Foley was known as ‘Axel.’ The name came from the film Beverly Hills Cops,

where Eddie Murphy played the part of Detective Axel Foley. Another Munster Rugby star Peter Clohessy was known as ‘The Claw.’

Another great nickname was ‘Yankee Clipper,’ given to US Baseball star Joe DiMaggio.

Joe got his name from Yankee’s stadium announcer Arch McDonald when he likened DiMaggio’s speed and range in the outfield to the then-new Pan American airliner.

Eamon Coghlan was known as ‘Chairman of the Boards’ after his great performances on the indoor circuit in the US and boxer Barry McGuigan earned the title of ‘Clones Cyclone.’

MMA star Conor McGregor is unusual in that it was probably himself or someone from his management team that gave him the ‘Notorious’ name.

In Tennis John McEnroe was ‘Superbrat’ and no surprise that Ilie Nastase was known as ‘Nasty.’ Alex Higgins was called ‘Hurricane,’ which best described the way he wasted no time clearing the snooker table.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

In GAA we had Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper in Kerry, Mickey ‘Rattler’ Byrne, a Dub, who played for Tipperary and Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh from Waterford. I mentioned nuns earlier and a nun called Sister Fursey, who taught in National School in Tuam was the person who gave former Galway footballers Seán Purcell and Frankie Stockwell their nickname of the ‘Terrible Twins.’

I read a good explanation recently by Tipperary hurler John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer as to how he got his nickname.

John said ‘‘I was born with a massive head of hair, hair arms, hairy legs. My mother was just after popping me out and she said, Jaysus, he looks like Michael Jackson’s monkey, who was called ‘Bubbles.’ It has stuck since then.’’

Remember Big Daddy from those Saturday afternoon wrestling programmes on ITV many years ago? Of course it wasn’t his real name and if you were a wrestler and your real name was Shirley Crabtree you would probably change it also!

21

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23

Eurozone Seán Brennan

HSV Triumph in Thriller of a Derby Last Friday’s Hamburg derby lived up to the hype, and sent comatose giants Hamburger SV closer to a return to the top flight.

Second v fourth and with more than just local pride in Germany’s second city at stake, this was one not to be missed.

HSV had won only one of their previous five league games, leading fans to fear that the team would again “Do a Hamburg” and bottle their perceived assured promotion. Simultaneously affectionately and mockingly known as ‘The Dinosaur’ of German football, based on

their previous permanence in the top flight, their 2018 first ever relegation had been preceded by several low finishes, including two seasons where they only stayed up thanks to a play-off victory. That a club of HSV’s size and budget has failed the last four attempts at escaping from a league containing Sandhausen and Jahn Regensburg is a subject of much amusement amongst German football fans.

St. Pauli meanwhile, are a classic second tier club; their social ethos and alternative identity have seemed not at

home on the rare occasions they reached the Bundesliga.

Nevertheless, the Kiezkicker are right in the mix; ten straight league victories in 2023 was interrupted by the previous round’s defeat to Braunschweig. With six points separating the teams, a win would likely derail a notoriously fragile HSV. 57,000 packed in to the Volksstadion amidst an inferno of flares and smoke bombs to witness the game of the season.

The guests started brightest, with English striker and former Bolton Wanderers colleague of our Eoin Doyle, Dapo Afolayan seeing his shot from just inside the box well saved.

Hamburg responded with winger Sonny Kittel shooting just wide across the goal.

Volksparkstadion, Hamburg 24

Afolayan threatened again, negotiating a series of weak challenges and scoring from six yards. However, a high hanging hand to a HSV face resulted in the goal being disallowed.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

@SBahnManc

Pauli continued to press; a cross from the left saw Lukas Daschner fluff his lines from six yards. HSV were riding their luck.

A deserved lead for the Braun-Weiss came on 36 minutes as HSV failed to clear, losing possession.

Emmanouil Saliakis firing past the keeper at the near post.

HSV’s response came against the run of play. Hamburg native Jonas David on 44 min finding the top right corner from 20 yards. The Volksparkstadion erupts, and the goal theme music is provided by local heroes Scooter, with a HSV themed remix of ‘Always Hardcore’.

Half time 1-1.

St Pauli would rue missed chances as they fell behind straight after the break. An in swinging cross bouncing past two unwilling defenders in brown, left Bakery Jatta with only a tap in beyond the keeper. 2-1 HSV. 4 minutes were enough to change the game, and

possibly Hamburg’s season.

Following a great save from a header, Moritz Heyer poked home the rebound to give the hosts a two goal cushion.

Pauli chased the game, with Conor Metcalfe firing just wide from outside the box, until on 71 minutes they pulled one back. Elias Saad seized a hopeful ball over the top, closed in on goal and held his nerves to slot underneath the keeper. 3-2.

Another big miss would follow for St. Pauli. Eric Schmidt with a free volley from 12 yards dragging it wide.

The game appeared to be over on 86 minutes; stopping an almost certain goal with a HSV striker lying in wait, Jakov Medić’s clearance flew past his own keeper and into the bottom corner. 4-2 to HSV.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

One minute later it was back on. Jackson Irvine’s header from a corner making it 4-3 and setting up a tense finale, but the Kiezkicker couldn’t find a way through and HSV held on amidst jubilant scenes from the home supporters.

With five games remaining, third place HSV have a seven point cushion on Paderborn below them. Faced with the prospect of a tricky two legged playoff against likely Schalke, Stuttgart or Bochum, Die Rothosen will be aiming to catch Heidenheim one point above them, in order to guarantee automatic promotion and end their five year exile from top flight football.

25

A View from Afar Ian Templeman A debate surrounding the staging of a professional football match on an artificial surface is not a new subject to surface for discussion in footballing circles, but the issue was given an interesting airing a couple of weeks ago in the aftermath of the Dundalk v Derry City game at Oriel Park.

With the game having been held over to the Sunday after Joe Biden’s visit to Dundalk, the fact it was the only game on the day and involving two high profile teams might have led to a bit more focus and coverage than if it had been played on the usual Friday night. None the less, some of the after match comments certainly made for interesting reading, once Dundalk head coach Stephen O’Donnell had commented on the loss of two key players through injury by the end of the game, Andy Boyle being injured in the warm-up and Greg Sloggett having to be replaced.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, and subsequently quoted elsewhere, O'Donnell said that he felt the artificial surface at Dundalk was contributing to injuries in his squad. He also brought their opponents on the day Derry City into the conversation, observing that they have also had similar issues.

Picking out the key points from his interview.

O’Donnell said: “They [Dundalk and Derry City] are the two teams with the most injuries and we know what the correlation is.

"It’s gone beyond probably a point of not a great surface to watch football on, it’s actually injuring players. Muscle injuries, there is no give on it. You go up for a header and if you don’t land square on the ball of your foot, you’re doing your ankle ligaments or doing your knee.

"I’m speculating, but all I know is we get a lorry load of injuries and Derry get a lot of injuries. I'd just be a bit worried about the injury count."

26

Up to fairly recently, I would say that the highlighted issues, and the main complaints, surrounding artificial pitches tended to be focussed on how the surface affected the game as a spectacle for supporters. I can’t recall any manager recently so clearly stating his concerns with regard to player safety and welfare as O’Donnell did, certainly not about his own home pitch.

The artificial pitch debate is something I have experience of at close quarters, through my involvement in non-league football over here in England. My club Daisy Hill, in the North West Counties League has a grass pitch, but 5 out of the 18 clubs in our league have artificial surfaces. We spend a fair amount of money getting a professional company every 1-2 weeks to carry out the main ground staff and maintenance work on the pitch, and that is supplemented by work from club volunteers in the aftermath of games.

One of the reasons for the hiring of a professional company is that our current manager likes to play a passing game of football, rather than long ball stuff, and having a good surface for home games is at the top of the list of his priorities. However, when we get into the depths of winter, the weather in the North West of England can be very rainy, aside of any frost or snow issues during a cold snap. That obviously has a major impact on grass pitches maintained by volunteers, so when the fixtures are published at the start of the season, our manager is always pleased when our scheduled away games on artificial surfaces are in the depths of the winter months.

He has told me several times that he actually enjoys preparing for those games, because he knows we can play our preferred style of passing football, and he can prepare knowing what the surface is going to be like – especially as the bulk of the club’s training sessions during the season 2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Ronan O’Flaherty @iantemplemanloi are on artificial surfaces. The preparation is a different build up entirely to preparing for playing at a ground where you know from experience that the pitch is going to be heavy after a lot of rain, and would lead us down the road of having give up trying to pass the ball around on a mud bath and just knock long balls up to the strikers.

I noticed in the post-match hullabaloo about the Dundalk game that Cobh Ramblers manager Shane Keegan touched on that very point in talking to The42.ie on the subject, when he pointed out that the vast majority of training is on astro pitches, and the benefit is "you know what you're getting week on week, that's the other side of it."

However, you have to also accept that the view of a manager, whose team is playing a 90 minute competitive home game on an artificial pitch every other week, is likely to have a different angle on the merits of artificial surfaces in comparison to one whose team will only play on them a handful of times during the season.

I can’t claim to be an expert on the subject, as this season I have only watched my team Daisy Hill play on artificial surfaces six times in the season just ended over here, five time in the league and once in a cup

competition, but my observation would be that the surfaces in question didn’t noticeably affect the quality of the game I watched. I’ve also asked our manager if he feels players might be adversely affected by playing on them could increase injuries, and he reckons not particularly, as they train largely on artificial surfaces, although only five or six times a season for a full 90 minutes does limit the risk somewhat.

Also, I am watching semi-professional football at the tenth tier of the English football pyramid, and comparisons between football at that level and at the top end of the League of Ireland are obviously not like-for-like. I do think that the general quality of artificial pitches is getting better, although maybe the slower pace of the game at the level I am watching may be a factor too, with fewer tackles and challenges at full pace.

But at the top level of professional football in any country, despite the commercial advantages of being able to use an artificial pitch far more frequently and in all weathers, we may be getting to the point where their use has to be at the very least more closely monitored. Neil O'Riordan in the Sun penned a column on the debate, calling on quotes from the likes of Stephen Kenny

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

and Derry manager Ruaidhrí Higgins, where Kenny pointed to his Dundalk side’s superior record on the road while Higgins, in his post-match comments after Derry’s win in the FAI Cup final made reference to the Aviva Stadium pitch, and in an answer to a follow up question stated “if you’re asking me would I prefer a big grass pitch, the answer is yes”.

But Neil O’Riordan probably summed up the issue with artificial surfaces best at the end of his column when he wrote: “For all the convenience and reliability they provide for a community club looking to cater for multiple teams, they are less welcome at the top end of the game, where they are blamed for an increased number of, in particular, ankle and knee injuries”.

And that is the point here. If the belief is that player welfare is being jeopardised by playing on artificial surfaces at professional level, that cannot be ignored and is going to become a bigger issue if more evidence emerges in time to support the claim. It’s an unenviable situation for Dundalk and Derry City to have to contend with, and an important point to note for any club considering a move from playing on good old fashioned grass.

27

Saints Womens U17 Sarah Tynan

Setback for Saints Against Strong Waves Side Starting off with some exciting news, the Saints WU17s will soon welcome back their squad captain, Eimear Flood, who is almost recovered from her dislocated knee. She should be returning to the field soon, and the team looks forward to welcoming her back. We wish her the best in the final stretch of her recovery.

Last Saturday, the 22nd of April, the girls played their second game against DLR Waves. Having beaten them in the first game of the season, the girls went into the match hoping for a similar result. DLR had won their last two games, most recently beating Bray Wanderers six nil away from home. They were sitting in third place in the league, ready to face us in their fourth game of this season.

The match kicked off at 5pm, the weather looking brighter than it had been that morning, with the pitch shining from the damp. The first shot on target came ten minutes in, as Rebecca Yates took a shot, which was batted away resulting in a corner.

Unfortunately, nothing came of it as it was headed away and play resumed.

From the start, the girls were playing well, the midfield in particular holding up well both defensively and in creating chances for the front three. The next chance came for the Saints 14 minutes in with another corner, taken by Katie Power, but the girls were unable to find the back of the net.

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The next few minutes saw action on either end of the field, with Waves getting a corner which was cleared by Eve Moloney, and soon after a chance for Pats as Lucy Doheny crossed a ball into Simone Reilly, but nothing was able to come of it.

The Waves defence was working hard and relentlessly, and our next shot came 17 minutes in as Amber Cullen drove the ball towards the net, but the keeper got her hands to it before it crossed the line. At this point in the game it could have gone either way, both teams giving their absolute all. A minute later, there was trouble at the other end of the pitch, as DLR had their first big chance, with a mess of limbs in the box before it went out, granting the Saints a goal kick. The half whizzed by without any major chances for both teams, until 34 minutes in when DLR were granted a free outside the box, and one of their girls got her head to it, making it one nil to the Waves.

With the weather picking back up, umbrellas were opened, and the plentiful throws were made increasingly difficult as the slippery ball 2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

@SarahTynan13

slid through hands. The girls did not give up after conceding however, and their next shot came right before the end of the half, as Amber Cullen sent the ball into Eve Moloney, who took the shot, just missing the post.

The referee was definitely proficient at his time management, and after an exact 45 minute half, the girls were called on pitch after half time and it kicked off right on schedule. The first chance of the second half fell to DLR, with a shot sailing to the side. In a series of substitutions, Nina Kearns and Molly McGauley came on to replace Simone Reilly and Lucy Doheny.

12 minutes into the second half, DLR extended their lead, making a break down the left hand side and crossing it into the centre. With a good finish, DLR were up two goals. Two subs later, one for DLR and Kaylyn Corcoran coming on for Rebecca Yates, the game continued, and keeper Annie O’Brien made a brilliant save. In the 67th minute, the saints got their next chance, with Amber Cullen sending the ball just over top, but the girls weren’t giving up, as a few minutes later, Nina Kearns got a shot on target, just blocked by the DLR keeper.

With the rain proving a difficulty for both the girls and myself in our respective trials, the half ticked on, neither side having much luck. Another substitution was made for the Saints, With Amy Dobbs coming on for Numi Makinwa, and soon after DLR making another change.

Team Sheet 1

Annie O’Brien (G)

2

Oluwanumilekon (Numi) Makinwa ↓

3

Katie Power

4

Holly Telford

5

Jess Moore

6

Marian Bissett

7

Amber Cullen (C)

8

Simone Reilly↓

9

Eve Moloney

10 Rebecca Yates↓ 11 Lucy Doheny↓ Subs 13 Leona Heffernan (G) 14 Molly McGauley↑

It was a difficult match, the girls having numerous chances, but none being able to find the back of the net, and DLR being able to sneak past our defence and get their goals. It was in the 91st minute that they finally got their third, as the ball was crossed in and the striker found the back of the net, making it three nil to DLR. The whistle blew soon after, and the game ended.

Next week, the girls face Bohemians for the second time this season away at the Oscar Traynor ground in Kilmore at 12pm.

Supporters are always welcome.

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

15 Amy Dobbs↑ 16 Nina Kearns↑ 17 Kaylyn Corcoran↑ 18 Eimear Flood

29

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• Unconscious and • Unresponsive and • Absent or abnormal breathing

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2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.2 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Shelbourne

Ronan O’Flaherty Hi, Patron Saints...

It is great to be back watching live football after a long off season and it is also great to see such big crowds in Richmond roaring the team on.

The Patron Saints recently had a very successful AGM and would like to announce that the new committee is comprised of James Byrne, Johnny Keegan, Dermot Meagher, Paul Maguire, Paul Murphy, Jennifer Murray, Danny Quinn, Liam Temple and Ian Walsh.

We would like to thank the following who stepped down from the committee this year Andy Ayres, Philip Bergin, Ulick O'Sullivan, Joan Stapleton and Ger Sweeney.

2022 was a good year for the Patron Saints when we increased our membership by over 30% to over 100 members and this year we want to get nearer to the 150 mark so we can contribute more to Saint Patricks Athletic both on and off the pitch.

During the year we organised various events including Player of the Year awards night, Santa in Richmond, Euro Raffle draw, Patron Saints in the Directors box and a Q&A in The Saint pub with Tim, John, Joe Redmond and Adam O'Reilly.

Also during the year we funded work on the gents toilet on the Camac terrace to the tune of €10,000 and also contributed €1500 to the publication of "Saints Rising" by Dermot Looney which is an excellent historical account of the founding of our great club.

The Patron Saints will again be sponsoring a player this year and we raffled at the AGM last years players jersey (Adam Murphy) which was won by David O'Hara. Also at the AGM we raffled 2 "Saints Rising" books which were

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

signed by Dermot Looney and Brian Kerr. They were won by Juliana Lawless and Joan Stapleton. We would also like to announce that the 100th member raffle was won by Orla Nolan (Adam O'Reilly's jersey).

The club recently put in a fund request to improve the home dressing rooms, provide after match recovery equipment, provision of safety lighting and procure training and video equipment for the youth academy. We would ask all members to check their emails and vote as they see fit on all fund requests (at the recent AGM these fund request met with general approval).

Due to the huge increase in crowds and insurance restrictions on the numbers allowed into the club shop the Patron Saints will have a desk inside McDowells lounge from 1820 till 1920 on match nights on a trial basis. The committee will be available for members to collect their 2023 membership badge and fixture card or pay subscriptions or buy a Golden Goal. We will also be giving out Patron Saints information sheets to prospective members.

We have a number of new positive ideas that were raised at the AGM to promote and raise the profile of the Patron Saints, so that we can become bigger and stronger and offer more support to the Club so look out for these during the coming season.

If you would like to join the Patron Saints please call in to McDowells before the match to meet us or look on facebook spafcpatronsaints or twitter @PatronSaints or email us at stpatssc@gmail.com.

Come on the Saints!

Patron Saints Committee

31

Results & Lineouts 2023 DATE

OPPOSITION

VENUE

COMP

SCORE

Tue 31 Jan WEXFORD Fri 17 Feb

DERRY CITY

Fri 24 Feb Fri 3 Mar

HOME

R4

1-3

ROGERS

O’BRIEN

D McHALE

S McHALE

BROCKBANK

GRAY

HARTE

HOME

SERIES 1

1-1

ODUMOSU

CURTIS

BRESLIN

GRIVOSTI

REDMOND 1 LEWIS

KREIDA

SHELBOURNE

HOME

SERIES 2

1-0

ODUMOSU

CURTIS

BRESLIN

LEWIS

REDMOND

LENNON

KREIDA

DUNDALK

AWAY

SERIES 3

0-5

ODUMOSU

CURTIS

BRESLIN

LEWIS

REDMOND

LENNON

KREIDA

Mon 6 Mar SLIGO ROVERS

AWAY

SERIES 4

1-2

ODUMOSU

CURTIS

BRESLIN

GRIVOSTI

REDMOND

LENNON

McGRATH

Fri 10 Mar

BOHEMIANS

HOME

SERIES 5

0-2

ODUMOSU

CURTIS

BRESLIN

GRIVOSTI

REDMOND

McGRATH

KREIDA

Fri 17 Mar

SHAMROCK ROVERS

AWAY

SERIES 6

2-2

LYNESS

CURTIS

BRESLIN

LEWIS

REDMOND

McGRATH

KREIDA

Fri 31 Mar

UCD

HOME

SERIES 7

3-0

LYNESS

CURTIS

BRESLIN

McGRATH

REDMOND

LENNON

McCLELLAND

Fri 07 Apr

CORK CITY

HOME

SERIES 8

4-0

LYNESS

CURTIS

BRESLIN

McGRATH

REDMOND

LENNON

1 McCLELLAND 1

Mon 10 Apr DROGHEDA UNITED

AWAY

SERIES 9

3-1

LYNESS

CURTIS

BRESLIN

McGRATH

REDMOND

LENNON

McCLELLAND

Fri 14 Apr

BOHEMIANS

AWAY

SERIES 10

3-2

LYNESS

CURTIS

BRESLIN

McGRATH

LEWIS

LENNON

McCLELLAND

Fri 21 Apr

SHAMROCK ROVERS

HOME SERIES 11

0-2

LYNESS

CURTIS

BRESLIN

McGRATH

LEWIS

LENNON

McCLELLAND

Fri 28 Apr

DERRY CITY

AWAY

SERIES 12

1-1

Mon 1 May SLIGO ROVERS

HOME SERIES 13

1-1

Fri 05 May CORK CITY

AWAY

SERIES 14

1-1

Fri 12 May DROGHEDA UNITED

HOME SERIES 23

1-1

Mon 15 May SHAMROCK ROVERS

AWAY

SERIES 15

1-1

Fri 19 May SHELBOURNE

AWAY

SERIES 16

1-1

Fri 26 May DUNDALK

HOME SERIES 17

1-1

Fri 2 Jun

AWAY

SERIES 18

1-1

Mon 5 Jun DERRY CITY

HOME SERIES 19

1-1

Fri 9 Jun

DROGHEDA UNITED

AWAY

SERIES 20

1-1

Fri 23 Jun

SHELBOURNE

HOME SERIES 21

1-1

Mon 26 Jun DUNDALK

AWAY

SERIES 22

1-1

Fri 30 Jun

UCD

HOME SERIES 24

1-1

Fri 7 July

CORK CITY

HOME SERIES 25

1-1

Sat 5 Aug

SLIGO ROVERS

AWAY

SERIES 26

1-1

Fri 11 Aug

BOHEMIANS

HOME SERIES 27

1-1

Fri 25 Aug

UCD

AWAY

SERIES 28

1-1

Fri 1 Sept

SHELBOURNE

AWAY

SERIES 29

1-1

Fri 15 Sept DROGHEDA UNITED

HOME SERIES 30

1-1

Fri 22 Sept DUNDALK

HOME SERIES 31

1-1

Fri 29 Sept CORK CITY

AWAY

SERIES 32

1-1

Fri 6 Oct

SLIGO ROVERS

HOME SERIES 33

1-1

Fri 20 Oct

BOHEMIANS

AWAY

SERIES 34

1-1

Fri 27 Oct

SHAMROCK ROVERS

HOME SERIES 35

1-1

Fri 3 Nov

DERRY CITY

AWAY

1-1

UCD

SERIES 36

FAI Cup Weekend ending Sun 23 July

R1

Weekend ending Sun 20 August

R2

Weekend ending Sun 17 September

QF

Weekend ending Sun 8 October

SF

Sun 12 November

FINAL

UEFA Europa Conference League Thur 13 July

QR1-1ST LEG

Thur 20 July

QR1-2ND LEG

32

STARTING XI

1

St Pats 0 Rovers 2

Adam Murphy tussles with Neil Farrugia of Rovers

Visit the Saints’ online sho 2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Leinster Cup

League

FAI Cup

Europe

1st Sub

2nd Sub 3rd Sub

4th Sub

5th Sub 1 Goals Scored OG Own Goal For * Own Goal

Yellow Card

Red Card

Mid-Season Break - Sat 10 June to Thur 22 June

SUBSTITUTES

McCLELLAND

TIMMERMANS FORRESTER

FOLARIN

DUNNE

LIPSIUC

MURPHY

MELIA

LENNON

LONERGAN

FORRESTER

M DOYLE

MULRANEY

ATAKAYI

CARTY

E DOYLE

ATAKAYI

LONERGAN

FORRESTER

MULRANEY

M DOYLE

E DOYLE

M DOYLE

E DOYLE

FORRESTER

MULRANEY

LONERGAN

GRIVOSTI

ATAKAYI

TIMMERMANS

E DOYLE

LONERGAN

McCORMACK

MULRANEY

FORRESTER

LENNON

LONERGAN

FORRESTER

MULRANEY

LEWIS

E DOYLE

TIMMERMANS

E DOYLE

1 FORRESTER

CARTY

LONERGAN

KREIDA

E DOYLE

FORRESTER 2 MULRANEY 1 MCCORMACK LONERGAN

KREIDA

E DOYLE

FORRESTER

TIMMERMANS

LONERGAN

FORRESTER 2 MULRANEY

MURPHY

E DOYLE

FORRESTER 1 M DOYLE

MURPHY

E DOYLE

FORRESTER

MULRANEY 1 LONERGAN

MULRANEY

M DOYLE

1 BYRNE

O’MALLEY

MOONEY

MCCLELLAND TIMMERMANS MCCORMACK MCGRATH

ROGERS

GRIVOSTI

MCCLELLAND TIMMERMANS MCGRATH

MOONEY

TIMMERMANS CARTY

MCCLELLAND MCCORMACK MCGRATH

LYNESS

M DOYLE

CARTY

LEWIS

KREIDA

ATAKAYI

SJOBERG

LYNESS

ATAKAYI

M CARTY

MCCORMACK TIMMERMANS M DOYLE

SJOBERG

LYNESS

MULRANEY 1 MURPHY

M DOYLE

MCCORMACK MCCLELLAND ATAKAYI

SJOBERG

ODOMOSU

CARTY

SJOBERG

TIMMERMANS LEWIS

M DOYLE

ODOMOSU

1 MCCORMACK CARTY

MURPHY

M DOYLE 1 MURPHY

TIMMERMANS CARTY

MCCORMACK LEWIS

SJOBERG

ODOMOSU

E DOYLE

MURPHY

ATAKAYI

MCCORMACK KREIDA

SJOBERG

ODOMOSU

1 LEWIS

1 KREIDA

TIMMERMANS LONERGAN

ATAKAYI

CARTY

MCCORMACK MELIA

SJOBERG

ODOMOSU

CARTY

TIMMERMANS M DOYLE

SJOBERG

ATAKAYI

MCCORMACK MELIA

KREIDA

ODOMOSU

Magic Mascot

Congratulations to our own Colman Hanley and Ciara Delaney on their engagement.

James Pluck, grandson of our own Jimmy Pluck, was the proud mascot for the Saints in last week's game against Shamrock Rovers.

RIP Maurice Blythe Condolences to Shay Blythe and family on the recent passing of his brother Maurice from The Ranch in Ballyfermot.

Maurice was, like Shay, a lifelong Saints fan.

op... https://supersaintsstore.com/ 2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

33

Apps, Goals & Table 2023 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 32 36 40 – – – – – – – – –

League of Ireland

FAI Cup

0 8(2) 11 9 4(1) 10 5(4) 11(1) 11(4) 10(4) 5 0 9(6) 10(9) 8(1) 4(3) 10(3) 2(2) 11 5 6(4) 7(4) 8 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Danny Rogers Noah Lewis Anthony Breslin Joe Redmond Tom Grivosti Jamie Lennon Serge Atakayi Chris Forrester Eoin Doyle Tommy Lonergan Jason McClelland Harry Brockbank Mark Doyle Conor Carty Vladislav Kreida Ben McCormack Jake Mulraney Axel Sjöberg Sam Curtis David Odumosu Adam Murphy Thijs Timmermans Jay McGrath Darius Lipsiuc Dean Lyness Darragh Mooney Luke O'Brien Sean McHale Dan McHale Jamie Gray Evan Harte Jason Folarin Darragh Dunne James Byrne Mason Melia

0 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 3 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Europa Conference

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Leinster Snr Cup

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1(1) 1 0 1(1) 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1(1) 1(1) 1(1)

TOTAL

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

1 8(2) 11 9 4(1) 10 5(4) 12(1) 11(4) 10(4) 6 1 9(6) 10(9) 8(1) 4(3) 10(3) 2(2) 11 5 7(5) 8(4) 8 1(1) 6 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1(1) 1(1) 1(1)

0 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 3 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

LAST 5 MATCHES

Number in brackets represents appearances of which were substituted ON. PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

Pld

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

1

BOHEMIANS

11

8

0

3

17

10

+7

24

2

DERRY CITY

11

5

4

2

16

8

+8

19

3

SHAMROCK ROVERS

11

4

6

1

22

12

+10

18

4

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC

11

5

2

4

18

17

+1

17

5

SLIGO ROVERS

11

4

4

3

16

14

+2

16

6

SHELBOURNE

11

3

5

3

9

8

+1

14

7

DUNDALK

11

3

4

4

14

14

0

13

8

DROGHEDA UNITED

11

3

4

4

8

12

−4

13

9

CORK CITY

11

2

3

6

14

21

−7

9

10

UCD

11

1

2

8

6

24

−18

5

2023 Season • Vol. 35 • No.07 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

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