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 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 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 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).