The Saint (Vol 33 #11)

2021 Season • FAI Cup 1st Round • Vol. 33 • No. 11 Fri 23 July • Richmond Park, Inchicore, D8 • KO:7.45PM

EXTRA.IE

FAI Cup

VERSUS

Robbie Benson

Editorial

Ronan O’Flaherty

Ruairi Kavanagh

@stpatsprogramme

Hello...

Welcome to Richmond Park for the third

fought but deserved win over Drogheda. The

week running for our FAI Cup encounter with

club continues to put in a serious effort both

Bray Wanderers. We have plenty of familiar

on and off the field and long may it continue.

faces returning to this week to banks of the

While the league remains our staple, we have

Camac in Conor Clifford, Gary Shaw and

always enjoyed a romantic, if slightly

Brian Maher, and we are sure to face a tough

dysfunctional, relationship with this

test.

competition so let's look forward to hopefully a prolonged run this season.

I would like to thank our contributors and

Remember, it only takes four wins to end up

our designer especially for working so hard

in the Aviva! Enjoy the game and come on

to deliver another programme this week. This

the Saints!

makes it more than 170 pages of content delivered in 21 days, so it's a great effort by all and it is greatly appreciates. I hope you

See you soon,

enjoy the issue.

Ruairi Kavanagh It was great to have 1000 fans here last

Editor

Friday, for what turned out to be a hard-

The Saint

Contents 08

Oh My Word!

24

Pats from the Past

10

Dodge’s Data!

32

Fathers & Sons

21

Pensive Points

34

Club History

22

Opposition Watch

40

A View from Afar

Programme Production Editor Ruairi Kavanagh

Design Joe O’Rourke

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.10 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Drogheda United

Photo Sportsfile & Inpho 3

Squads

Fáilte Tá áthas orainn fáilte a chur roimh mbainistíocht, fuireann agus lucht tacaíochta Chlub Peile Fánaithe Bhrí Chulann go Phairc Richmond anocht.

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

St Patrick’s Athletic

Bray Wanderers

Manager:

Head Coach: Gary Cronin

Alan Mathews

Head Coach: Stephen O’Donnell 1 Vítězslav Jaroš

GK o

2 John Mountney

D

3 Ian Bermingham

D

4 Sam Bone 5 Lee Desmond

Assistant Coach: James Keddy 1 Brian Maher

o

o

3 Dylan Barnett

o

o

4 Andrew Quinn

o

D

o

5 Aaron Barry

o

D

o

6 Conor Clifford

o

6 Jamie Lennon

M

o

7 Ryan Graydon

o

7 Robbie Benson

M

o

8 Mark Byrne

o

8 Chris Forrester

M

o

9 Joe Doyle

o

10 Ronan Coughlan

F

o

10 Gary Shaw

o

11 Jason McClellend

F

o

11 Brandon Kavanagh

o

12 Matty Smith

F

o

14 Richie O’Farrell

o

15 Billy King

F

o

15 Daniel Jones

o

16 Alfie Lewis

M

o

16 Darren Craven

o

17 Darragh Burns

F

o

17 Luka Lovic

o

18 Ben McCormack

M

o

18 Sean Callan

o

20 Shane Griffin

D

o

19 Darragh Lynch

o

21 Barry Murphy

GK o

22 Steven Kinsella

o

25 Josh Keeley

GK o

23 Glen Hollywood

o

28 Cian Kelly

D

o

24 Cian Maher

o

29 Paddy Barrett

D

o

25 Kian Clarke

o

31 Kian Corbally

M

o

28 Sam Verdon

o

34 Adam Murphy

M

o

30 Jack Ross

o

38 Thomas Lonergan

S

o

39 James Abankwah

D

o

Assistant 2 Ciaran O’Reilly

4th Official Rob Harvey

/stpatsfc stpatsfc /stpatsfc

Match Officials

/stpatsfctv

Referee Derek Tomney

info@stpatsfc.com stpatsfc.com

4

Half-Time

Assistant 1 Darren Corcoran

Full-Time

MOTM

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

President’s Welcome Tom O’Mahony

@jimmyedwards41 ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB 125 Emmet Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8, D08 E0Y7, Ireland Tel: +353 1 454 6332 +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

You're very welcome to Richmond

supporters there's a special appeal to the

Park, whether in person or virtually,

Cup. Many Pats supporters treasure the

for tonight's FAI Cup tie. I'd like to

2014 Cup success more than the 2013

extend a particularly warm welcome to

league title (probably due to the seven Cup

the players, officials and supporters of

Final heartaches since their previous

Bray Wanderers.

success) while Bray announced their arrival as a force in Irish football when in 1990 they

One of the tantalising features of the Cup is

became the first team from the First Division

that navigating four games successfully gets

to take the Cup.

you a place in the showpiece event of Irish football, the FAI Cup Final in the Aviva

By the end of this evening one set of

Stadium. It sounds so straightforward when

supporters will be a step closer to the Aviva

presented like that, but the other side of the

and hoping that fortune shines on them in

coin is that there's no second chance - one

the draw. The other set of supporters will

defeat and the dream is over for another

probably be rueing a missed chance or two,

year. So it's a high stakes game tonight for

parking their Cup dreams for another year,

both teams, who come into the game in

and turning their focus back to the league

decent form - Pats have 16 points from their

campaign. Whichever side of that divide

last 7 games, Bray are unbeaten in 5.

you fall on, I hope you will have had an exciting match to enjoy.

Of course both of us have bigger fish to fry.

St Pats are neck and neck with the two

Tom O'Mahony

Rovers in a title chase, Bray are in the play-

President

off positions with an eye of a return to the

St Patrick's Athletic FC

Premier Division. But for both sets of

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

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 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

5

OUR GAME IS ON THE BALL

UMBRO TEAMWEAR

TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT UMBRO.IE OR CONTACT ALAN (086 7880808)/ RICHY (086 0317672)

The Dugout

Ronan O’Flaherty

Alan Mathews & Stephen O’Donnell

We would like to welcome Gary Cronin, his players and everybody connected with Bray Wanderers to Richmond Park for this evening's FAI Cup tie.

The cup always represents a welcome change of

way. While we were delighted with both goals, which

scenery from league action, but it is no less of a

were very well taken, the clean sheet was equally

challenge.

satisfying.

We were very disappointed to fall at the first hurdle in

After 21 league games, we are happy with our position

this competition against Finn Harps last season and

in the table. Our squad isn't the biggest, but every

would love to go on a cup run this year. The FAI Cup

single player can be trusted to come in and do a job

final at the Aviva Stadium is the biggest day in the Irish

when called upon. The collective attitude has been

football calendar and everyone strives to get there. We

spot-on since pre-season and we go into every game

at St Patrick’s Athletic are no different.

knowing the players selected will give their best. Most clubs striving to be successful are open to the idea of

That said, Bray Wanderers will have their own cup

bringing in reinforcements, and we are no different.

ambitions. They have plenty of players who could

However, we would only do this if they were the right

comfortably ply their trade in the Premier Division, so

fit for St Patrick’s Athletic. Every player in our squad is

even though they play in the First Division, they are

here on merit and we would never bring in a new

certainly not a step down in standard. Far from it. In the

recruit simply to bolster numbers. They would have to

cup, all you can ask for is a home draw. We got that,

enhance the overall quality of the squad.

and now it's up to us to try and make the most of it.

After playing in front of 500 spectators in the previous Last Friday's 2-0 victory against Drogheda United was

game, the capacity limit was increased to 1,000 for last

pleasing for a number of reasons. Drogheda have been

Friday's match. It must be said that the increased

very impressive in their first season back in the top

attendance made for an outstanding atmosphere.

flight. While we had beaten them in Inchicore earlier in

There was a good scattering of supporters throughout

the year, they then got the better of us at Head In The

the ground and they all made their presence felt. St

Game Park. We were prepared for another tough game

Pat's fans are very fair in that, as long as the team gives

last week and so it proved. On an evening of stifling

100 percent, the fans will be right behind them. For

heat, the players showed admirable application and

players, it is fantastic to have such great supporters. It is

work rate. The first half was fairly even, but we were

no coincidence that the team has recorded a string of

reasonably happy with how things had progressed up

victories, and good performances, in the home games

to that point.

since spectators have been allowed back in the

To their credit, the players kept doing the right things in the second half, while also upping the tempo. Our decision making, both in and out of possession, was right on point. When Chris Forrester broke the

stadium. The extra 500 really made a big difference and we look forward to seeing you all in good spirits again this evening.

Enjoy the match.

deadlock, it was no more than we deserved. Robbie Benson then added the second goal to set us on our

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Alan Mathews and Stephen O'Donnell

7

Oh My Word!

Ronan O’Flaherty

"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Maya Angelou was on to something.

Our relationships with others have, for the most part, been put on hold over the last 16 months. Now that we finally have a chance to strengthen old bonds and forge new ones, there is no time to waste.

Last week signalled a breakthrough-of-sorts. On Thursday, this writer set out on the journey to Belfield.

The campus of University College Dublin is a sprawling place. A city within a city. A world of its own.

My sense of direction is not finely honed. Only for Google maps, I would still be there now, caught in a never-ending loop, somewhere between the UCD Bowl and the O'Reilly Hall.

Most people go to UCD for educational purposes.

Others attend to take in a football match. Fans of St Patrick’s Athletic have experienced good days and bad out there, as well as many days of indifference. Scoreless draws combined with cold weather, naturally enough, leads to feelings of indifference.

Last Thursday, it wasn't about football, nor was it cold. In fact, it was the proverbial scorcher.

At precisely six minutes past six, the wonderful student doctor who had put me at ease sent the vaccine of hope into my bloodstream.

"All done," she said.

"All done?" I enquired, with a sense of surprise.

I was expecting to feel a pinch. As it transpired, I didn't feel a thing. If I was 30 years younger, such bravery would have merited a free lollipop.

Then came the instruction. I was to sit down in the assigned waiting area for 15 minutes, just in case anything bad happened.

Fingers and toes crossed for nothing bad happening.

It wasn't just my upper arm that had been pierced.

Moments later, I shielded my eyes from the sun's rays, which had pricked their way through the glass-fronted building. It was time to take a seat next to many others

8

performing the same quarter-hour sitdown routine.

Mercifully, nothing bad happened during the 900 seconds that followed. Time to go home.

By the following morning, the slight sensation of a dead arm had developed. A small price to pay. If only those who succumbed to Spanish flu a century earlier had known such fortune.

Not just the Spanish flu. The sentiment can be applied to any poor-unfortunate struck down by a virus before this age of inoculation. History has produced no shortage of viruses. It is unlikely that the future will be found wanting, either.

If the jab on Thursday brought hope for the future, the football on Friday injected joy into the present. An evening of catharsis ensued.

498 days bridged a 1-0 win over Cork City and a 2-0 triumph against Drogheda United. 498 days!

Too long. Nearly defeated me.

Leaving Richmond Park on March 6, 2020, we weren't to know the extent of the lockout coming our way. Thank God we weren't to know.

To witness a victory on the first visit back to God's green acre was the icing on the cake. The real joy, however, lay in reconnecting. Familiar faces are the best faces. They were in plentiful supply on Emmet Road, in Richmond Park and in the Glen of Aherlow's makeshift beer garden. Sights for sore eyes, one and all.

Supporting a football team is about so much more than the act of supporting. It needs to be a communal act.

Without others to share the experiences with, it would not work. It is all about relationships. Friendships, even.

Back in March 2020, the great illness sent us back into our dwellings, on the instruction of those who have been elected to lead the country. Friendships were put on hold. Attempts were made to fill the void with Zoom calls. That soon wore thin; Zoom fatigue is very real.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Ronan O’Flaherty @ronanoflaherty

Traditional phone calls suffered too, as did text chat. Most forms of communication were shot down.

There is only so many times you can promise to meet up with a friend "when this passes". Eventually, you become tired of listening to yourself. So you become silent.

With little alternative, we stepped back from our relationships. Not because we wanted to, but because there was little scope for them to move forward. For a time, sadness crept in.

We have yet to break free from the shackles of the great illness, but we are getting there. Modest tastes of freedom are appearing with greater regularity.

Billy King scored the winning goal that evening in March 2020 against Cork City, right before our world stopped spinning. Billy was there again, playing an important role seven nights ago. It was heartening to see him break sweat before my

eyes, rather than on a screen.

And boy, did he break sweat, along with the other 21 players on the pitch. It was one of those nights. The Mercury had no desire to retreat.

Spectators were sweating too.

Bottled water has never sold so well.

One of the joys of this difficult year has been the renaissance of Chris Forrester. Chris continued his march towards the Player of the Year award last Friday. His goal – the winning goal, no less – was the cherry on top of an outstanding performance. Another star man, Robbie Benson, topped his performance with a cherry of his own.

Robbie is an impressive speaker.

During an interview with Jamie Moore shortly after the final whistle last Friday, he touched on the growing relationship between players and fans at St Pat's.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

"It's been great that the fans have been back," he said. "Every time since they've been back, we've won in front of them. You can really get the sense of them getting behind the team.

"I think we're starting to get a connection between the players and the fans, which is great. Even sticky periods that we had in the game tonight, without being troubled too much, they really got behind us and we hope to keep it going as the games go on."

Hopefully the capacity limit will be increased again soon. That is when Robbie and his teammates will see the best of the supporters.

Strength in unity, as per the crest.

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

9

Dodge’s Data!

John Owens

All Time Record v Bray Wanderers (all Comps) HOME GAMES

AWAY GAMES

10

33

53

TOTAL GAMES

10

10

26

47

GOALS

20

11

59

GOALS

91

41

80

100

21

GOALS

44

171

85

FAI Cup games v Bray Wanderers 9 Aug 2019

Richmond Park

Rd2

2-1

D Webster, G McAuley

23 Aug 2013

Carlisle Grounds

Rd3

3-0

G Bolger, C Byrne, K Brennan (p)

17 Aug 2007

Carlisle Grounds

Rd3

2-1

M Quigley, K Fahey

14 Dec 2001

Richmond Park

Rd3

0-1

29 Mar 1992

Harolds Cross

QF

1-0

Damien Byrne

ON THIS DAY - 23rd JULY 2014

Tallaght Stadium

Champ Lg QR2 2nd Leg

Legia Warsaw

0-5

2013

Tallaght Stadium

League Cup QF

Shamrock Rovers

1-2

2011

Showgrounds

League

Sligo Rovers

0-0

2009

Centenary Stadium Europa Lg QR2 2nd Leg

Valetta FC

1-0

2007

Tolka Park

League

Shamrock Rovers

0-0

2006

Carlisle Grounds

League

Bray Wanderers

2-1

M Quigley, K Fahey

2004

Richmond Park

FAI Cup Rd2

Wayside Celtic

4-1

P Sheppard, C Foley, A O’Keefe

10

C Byrne

Fabio O’Brien

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Ronan O’Flaherty @seidodge

Last 10 games v Bray Wanderers WIN

Date

Venue

Competition

09/08/19

Richmond Park

FAI Cup Rd1

2-1

League

3-0

DRAW

LOSE

D Webster, G McAuley

03/08/18

Richmond Park

R Brennan, I Turner, Graham Kelly

01/06/18

1-3

Carlisle Grounds

League

Richmond Park

League

5-0

Carlisle Grounds

League

2-1

Carlisle Grounds

LSC Rd1

3-1

League

3-1

T Byrne

06/04/18

J Keegan 2, K Toner, C Byrne (p), D Clarke

23/02/18 C Byrne, C Fagan

04/02/18

R Brennan, K Toner, C Fagan

21/07/17

Richmond Park

C Byrne, C Fagan, J O’Hanlon

05/05/17

Carlisle Grounds

League

1-1

Richmond Park

Lg Cup Rd2

0-0

K Byrne

17/04/17

Pats won 5-3 on Pens (C Byrne, A O'Hanlon, JJ Lunney, R Feely, Graham Kelly)

24/02/17

Richmond Park

League

1-2

Graham Kelly 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

11

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Ronan O’Flaherty

Robbie Benson

Chris Forrester

Ronan Coughlan

Midfield

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

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Squad Sponsorship Billy King

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Ronan O’Flaherty

Josh Keeley

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

15

16

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.04 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Longford Town

Irish Independent 24 July 2006

JULY

23 2006

BRAY WANDERERS 1 ST PATRICK'S ATH 2

AFTER three consecutive

However, Bray failed to heed

Georgescu finished beautifully

defeats, St Pat's got back to

that warning and, on 19 minutes

past the advancing Barry Ryan,

winning ways thanks to a goal

were punished as Mark Foley's

and the striker came closest to

in each half from Mark Quigley

clever pass found the

grabbing an equaliser but was

and Keith Fahey.

unmarked Mark Quigley who

denied by Ryan.

gave 'keeper Chris O'Connor no With just two wins in 16 league

chance from close range.

games and just one point from

ST PAT'S: B Ryan; S Quigley (C Foley 87),

their last five matches, the

Quigley, Molloy and David

Brennan, Maguire, Frost; Fahey

home side provided stern

Mulcahy all missed chances to

(S O'Connor 74), Mulcahy, M

opposition for long periods but

extend the St Pat's advantage

Foley, Rutherford; M Quigley

lacked the killer instinct in

before their second goal

(Armstrong 74), Molloy.

front of goal.

arrived just before the hour.

Both sides hit the woodwork in

Again Molloy was involved as he

C O'Connor; Tresson, McGovern,

the early stages as Romanian

played the ball back to

W Tyrell (M Roche 56), Murphy;

Andrei Georgescu struck a 30-

defender John Frost whose

Doyle, Cousins, Fox, C Ryan (D

yard thunderbolt off the St

inch-perfect cross was headed

Tyrell 67); Georgescu, Vint

Pat's crossbar before, at the

into the roof of the net by ex-

(O'Brien 74).

other end, Trevor Molloy's

Drogheda man Fahey.

BRAY WANDERERS:

header hit the post.

REF: Bray gave themselves some

A Buttimer.

hope three minutes later when

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

17

Pats 2 Drogs 0 Starting XI 1 Jaroš 4 Bone 5 Desmond 7 Benson (c) 8 Forrester 11 McClelland 12 Smith 15 King 17 Burns 16 Lewis 29 Barrett Subs 18 McCormack 3 Bermingham

18

Forrester 61 mins Benson 80 mins

76 80

76 80

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Richmond Park • 16 July 2021 • Premier Division Ronan O’Flaherty

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

19

OUR GAME KNOWS YOUR NAME THE OFFICIAL MATCH BALL FOR THE 2021 SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE, FEATURING BESPOKE BALLS MADE FOR EACH CLUB

WWW.UMBRO.IE

Pensive PointsRonan O’Flaherty Jimmy Edwards

@jimmyedwards41

Good Evening All, Welcome to Gary Cronin and all

of weight off the club and

then teed up Chris for a tap in.

from Bray Wanderers for tonight’s

completed the set of trophy wins

Chris was involved the build up to

FAI Cup 1st round match. I have

for generations of fans. I’d seen

the second goal when he played

always found Bray to be a very

us win the league 6 times up to

a lovely ball down the channel for

welcoming club to away

that cup final and each one of

Matty Smith to run onto. Matty’s

supporters as there is a real family

those league wins is vivid in my

stinging shot was parried up into

friendly vibe about the Carlisle

memory but the joy at hearing

the air by Drogheda keeper

grounds and it’s one match I

the final whistle in the Aviva on

David Odumosu and Robbie was

always look forward too with a

that Sunday and the emotions it

quickest to the bouncing ball

pre match pint in the nearby

brought. Especially after losing so

taking a touch inside with his

Hibernia.

many finals and one only 2 years

right foot and then unleashing

previously in 2012 when Derry

with his left giving the keeper no

Bray are currently in the 1st

beat us 3-2 to then win that final

chance. It was a really enjoyable

division play-off spots so could

in 2014 v Derry made it all the

game to watch and everyone

hopefully be promoted come the

more special.

from the back to the front all performed really well.

end of the season and with ex Saints Brian Maher, Conor

Bray have won the FAI Cup twice

Clifford, Sam Verdon, Gary Shaw,

in 1990 and 1999 and in both of

This was a trial event with an

Steven Kinsella and Richie

those seasons Pat’s won the

attendance of 1000 people in the

O’Farrell in the squad they will be

league so if we don’t win the Cup

stadium and the atmosphere was

fighting it out right until end of

I hope Bray do and that we keep

great with the lads in the shed

the season I would think. We

up tradition by winning the

end bringing lots of noise and

have had our heart’s broken in

league.

colour. It was great to see Pats

the Cup many times over but we

fans in there again for a match

finally ended a 53 year wait when

We come into tonight’s game on

Christy Fagan cemented his name

the back of another great team

in St Patricks Athletic folklore

performance v Drogheda United

Here's hoping for a run in the

when he scored a brace of goals

last Friday. Chris Forrester and

Cup and a Sunday in the Aviva in

on the 2nd November 2014

Robbie Benson scoring our goals

November.

against Derry City.

in a 2-0 win. Chris opened the

and long may it continue.

scoring after some brilliant build

Enjoy the game,

I am not going to go over the cup

play involving a superb 35 yard

Up the Saints!

final defeats we have had as is its

pass from the very impressive

Jimmy

too painful to revisit them. That

Jason McClelland to the equally

win in 2014 lifted a huge burden

impressive Darragh Burns who

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

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

21

Opposition Watch James Fenton

How is 2021 going so far?

before successive defeats away

In the dugout

to Treaty United and at home to Shelbourne.

A former player for The Seagulls,

The Seagulls have proven hard to

Cronin took over as manager in

beat in this year's First Division,

Since then, Bray are unbeaten in

August 2018. Under his

with just three defeats in their

five matches and lie fifth in the

guidance, Bray missed out on

opening 16 matches. However,

table on 23 points.

automatic promotion by a single

turning draws into wins has proven to be a problem for Gary Cronin's side.

After six games, Bray had drawn five matches and lost one, with the defeat coming at home to Athlone Town.

The campaign was kick-started by a last-gasp winner from former Saint Gary Shaw in a 2-1 win away to Galway United on May 7th. This result began a three-game winning streak

One to watch While Shaw and Joe Doyle are most likely to hit the net, it's onloan Shamrock Rovers star Brandon Kavanagh who has provided the spark this season.

The 20-year-old has chipped in with three goals himself throughout the campaign, including an impressive brace against Shels at Tolka Park back in April.

Former Saints Former Saint Brian Maher has been in impressive form in goal and has represented Ireland's under-21 side throughout the current season.

The aforementioned Shaw spent a year at Richmond Park between 2018 and 2019, where he was a teammate of Conor Clifford, who signed for Bray ahead of the 2021 campaign.

Gary Cronin

22

point last season before being eliminated by Galway United in the play-offs.

Gary Cronin has helped to attract some talented players to the Carlisle Grounds, most recently experienced English defender Daniel Jones and Sam Verdon, who Cronin knows from his Longford Town days.

Both players joined the Wicklow club earlier this month.

The gaffer spent some time at Middlesbrough at the beginning of his playing days, when Bryan Robson was in charge of the first team.

Recent record v St. Pat's The clubs most recently played in another FAI Cup tie in August 2019, which Saints won 2-1 at Richmond Park. Bray haven't beaten St. Pat's since a 3-1 Premier Division win at the Carlisle Grounds in June 2018.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Roll of honour 2 x FAI Cup winners 1990, 1999 3 x First Division champions 1985/86, 1995/96, 1999/00

2021 top scorers Joe Doyle 6

Darren Craven 2

Brandon Kavanagh 3

Ryan Graydon 1

Dylan Barnett 2

Richie O'Farrell 1

Gary Shaw 2

Andrew Quinn 1

Joe Doyle

Conor Clifford 2

Did you know?

Bray Wanderers were in the national spotlight recently when they featured on RTE Documentary 'Our Town'.

The three-part series followed the lives of a number of young people in the area, showcasing how they navigated the challenges of youth and later, the Covid crisis.

Defender and hometown boy Dylan Barnett was one of those who featured in the series, helping to shine a light on the issues faced by League of Ireland clubs like Bray Wanderers when sport shut down due to the pandemic.

Dylan Barnett

Our Town is available to watch on RTE Player if you missed it.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

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Stephen Bennett@stebenn15

Carlisle Grounds - Fri 17 Aug 2007 FAI Cup Fourth Round

BRAY WANDERERS 1 ST PATRICK'S ATH 2 Saints legend Ginger O'Rourke was on hand at the Carlisle Grounds to see present day Saints favourite Keith Fahey net an injury time winner for John McDonnell's side in an action packed FAI Ford Cup third round match.

Another Saints legend, Wanderers boss Eddie Gormley must surely have thought his side had secured a mid-week replay at Richmond Park from a game in which they played second best for long periods before ten-man St Pat's produced a winner at the death.

A clever link up between midfield star Joseph Ndo and substitute Ryan Guy led to Fahey in space on the edge of the Bray penalty area and his deflected shot rolled past Steve Williams in the Bray goal to send the large and vocal travelling support into raptures.

There was no hint of the late heroics to come as Saints dominated from the start. Heavy rain made for a slippery surface but neat passing between Fahey and Mark Quigley set up the former for the first real chance of the game only for Williams to save well.

But moments later Fahey returned the compliment and his floating free kick was deflected into the path of Quigley who volleyed superbly to the back of the Keith Fahey, St. Patrick's Athletic, in action against Gary McCabe, Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds last night.

24

net after just 13 minutes.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Saints lost Michael Foley to injury after only 25 minutes but his replacement Anto Murphy made an immediate impact with some surging runs down the right side of midfield, linking up well with Dave Rogers who was solid throughout. And it was a Murphy cross on 40mins which almost produced a second for Pats when Bray #3 ex-Saint Gary Cronin, almost turned the ball into his own net.

Barry Ryan had little to do in the first half with a Gary McCabe shot just before half time the only serious effort from a Bray side that found itself being outplayed in every area of the park.

St Patrick's Athletic's Mark Quigley celebrates after scoring his side's first goal.

Ford FAI Cup 3rd round, Bray Wanderers v St Patrick's Athletic, Carlisle Grounds.

However the Seagulls came out fighting in the second half and

their luck was in when Anthony

disguise for St Pat's when after

pressed forward looking for an

Murphy was sent off with only

94 mins Fahey popped up to

equaliser. Gormley introduced

four minutes remaining after

score the winner and leave Saints

Emeka Onwubiko on the hour

what seemed a harsh decision

fans dreaming that this could

mark and the teenage striker

from Buttimer saw the player

finally be their year.

almost made an immediate

booked for a hand ball in the

impact, causing trouble for

centre of the park when it

BRAY WANDERERS

Brennan and Paisley in the Pats

appeared that there was no

Williams, Cronin, Deans, Delaney,

defence with referee Anthony

intent on the part of the Saints

Gough (Georgescu 78), Cawley,

Buttimer waving away shouts for

midfielder. Indeed Murphy

Kavanagh, Fox, McCabe

a penalty after Stephen Brennan

received two of only three yellow

(Onmubiko 56), O'Shea, Duggan

was alleged to have handled the

cards dished out on the night,

(Hurley 64)

ball from an Onwubiko shot.

the other being to Cawley on 79

Andrei Georgescu was introduced

minutes for tugging the shirt of

on 79mins and only two minutes

Ndo. However it took the

later he played a part in Bray

intervention of the fourth official

gaining a corner kick which Alan

some minutes later for the

Cawley sent in and it was another

referee to realise that it was

ex-Saint, centre-back Clive

Murphy's second offence, a hold-

Delaney who headed the ball

up that led to 5 minutes of

REFEREE

home after Ryan had parried the

additional time being added on

Anthony Buttimer.

initial attempt.

at the end of the game.

Wanderers must have thought

And it proved a blessing in

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC Ryan, Gibson, Rogers, Paisley, Brennan, M Foley (Murphy 23), Ndo, Fahey, Kirby (Guy 88), Quigley, Barker (O'Neill 69)

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Pitchside Sponsors We would like to thank the following who have sponsored the club for the 2021 season...

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

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Patron Saints This scheme is a special and unique initiative aimed at ALL St Patrick’s Athletic fans...

The main aim is to aid the long-term development of this great football club.

We firmly believe for any LOI Club to be successful, it needs the fans to play a huge part. As it’s your club, we are urging all fans, where possible, to join the scheme today.

For the past few years the Patron Saints have run: • The St Patrick’s Athletic Awards Night • Santa Claus visit to Richmond • The Hano Cup These were all fundraised through Golden Goals, raffles and innovative events such as snail racing.

Projects the Patron Saints have contribute to: • Emmet Road Mural • U19s Team Kit • Heart Monitoring Equipment • Media Room Renovation • West Stand Repairs • Club Shop • Grounds Keeping Equipment • Strength and Conditioning Equipment.

Benefits of joining the Patron Saints: • Badge & Membership Card • Priority access to Match tickets • Voting rights on what projects Patron Saints funds will go on • Twice yearly meeting with club officials

• Discounts on most Patron run events • Free annual raffle for player signed jersey sponsored by the Patron Saints • Free annual raffle for a set of signed programmes of the season

TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP GOLD MEMBERSHIP

€10 per week | €40 per month | €480 per year

SILVER MEMBERSHIP

€5 per week | €20 per month | €240 per year

BRONZE MEMBERSHIP

€5 per month | €60 per year

For more information or to sign up: email stpatssc@gmail.com, go to facebook.com/spafcpatronsaints or pop by the Patron Saints desk in the club shop on match nights.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

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McCarthy Insurance Group

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

THE SAINTS

MARCHING ON

30 30

WWW.MIG.IE

Quiz Time Kieran Coughlan

1 Who played against Tottenham

6

Who was the only First Division team

Hotspur in the 1981 and 1987 FA

to reach the Quarter Finals of the FAI

Cup Final?

Cup last year?

2 Which former Celtic player scored

7

Which two players have captained

twice to knock Man City out of the

an FAI Cup winning team on three

Champions League in 2020?

different occasions?

3 Who is the youngest player to score

8

in an FA Cup Final?

Which former Saint has scored Bray's only goal in a European competition?

4 In 2021 Brendan Rodgers became the second Irishman to win the FA

9

Cup. Who was the first?

Which three players have made over 400 Premier League appearances for Man Utd?

5 Who were the last club to beat the Saints in the FAI Cup in Richmond

10 What club appeared in five

Park?

European Cup finals in the 60's?

Answers Q.9 Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes. Q.10 Benfica.

Q.5 Galway. Q.6 Athlone town. Q.7 Mick Neville, Pat Byrne. Q.8 Martin Nugent.

Q.1 Dave Bennett. Q.2 Moussa Dembele. Q.3 Norman Whiteside. Q.4 Terry Neill.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

31 31

Fathers and Sons...

Seán Creedon

The seven fathers and sons who played for Ireland Ronnie Whelan senior, won his two Irish caps while playing for the Saints. He made his debut in a European championship game against Austria in Vienna in September 1963.

Coincidentally Ray Brady also made his debut in that game, which was The Republic’s firstever scoreless draw. At that time Ray was playing for QPR, but he later returned home to Dublin and played for The Saints from 1968 to 1971.

Whelan’s second cap was as a sub for Joe Haverty in a friendly against England at Dalymount Park in May 1964. The England team that day included stars like George Cohen, Ray Wilson,

LY ALAN KEL PRESTON 32

Bobby Moore, Jimmy Greaves and Bobby Charlton.

Meanwhile Ronnie Junior made his League of Ireland debut for Home Farm on his 16th birthday, September 25, 1976 and was signed by Bob Paisley for Liverpool two years later. Ronnie made his international debut coming on as a sub for Gerry Daly in the 3-1 win over Czechoslovakia in April 1981.

Ronnie captained his country for the first time when we beat Malta 2-0 in Valletta in November 1989 to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time. However Big Jack didn’t think Ronnie was fit to play in Italy and Mick McCarthy regained the captaincy.

ALAN KEL

LY SHEFF UTD

Whelan played just 30 minutes in the second half against Holland at Italia ’90. He won the last of his 53 caps in the 3-2 defeat to Austria at Lansdowne Road in June 1995, when he was captain once again.

The Dunne name is synonymous with St Pat’s. Jimmy ‘Snowy’ Dunne scored 13 goals in his 15 Irish appearances. He played for New Brighton, Sheffield United, Arsenal, Southampton and Shamrock Rovers. His son, Tommy, won three caps while playing for the Saints.

Tommy made his debut in the 4-1 win over Holland in Rotterdam in May 1956. He followed that up with a 2-1 World Cup win over Denmark at Dalymount in October that year and Tommy’s third cap, against West Germany at Dalymount in November 1956, resulted in a 3-0 win. Played three, won three.

Alan Kelly senior was born in Bray in July 1936 and joined Drumcondra in 1956. He was in goal for Drums when they lost the 1957 FAI Cup final to Shamrock Rovers. He won the first of his 47 caps and kept a clean sheet in 3 0 win over West Germany at Dalymount in November 1956.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Ronan O’Flaherty

He won his second cap against England at Wembley in 1957 and joined Preston North End in 1960. Alan was in goal for Preston when they were beaten 3-2 by West Ham in the 1964 FA Cup final at Wembley. Playing at left back for the Hammers that day was Jack Burkett, who would later become player-manager of the Saints.

Kelly was assistant manager to Johnny Giles and was in sole charge of the Irish team for one game between Giles’ departure and Eoin Hand’s appointment, a 2-0 win over Switzerland at Lansdowne Road in April 1980.

Alan later managed Preston on his own for two seasons.

Kelly spent the end of his career coaching in the US and died in May 2009. Alan Junior was also a goalkeeper and won 34 caps. He was Irish goalkeeper coach during Stephen Kenny’s first year in charge.

Jack ‘Kruger’ Fagan won only one Irish cap, but it was a special one. Jack, who played for Shamrock Rovers was on the firstever Republic of Ireland to play a senior international under the auspices of the FAI. That was a 30 defeat to Italy in Turin on March 21, 1926.

Jack’s son Fionan (Paddy) joined Hull City from Transport. Move to Manchester City on Christmas Eve 1953, played a reserve game

CON MARTIN ASTON VILLA

on Christmas Day and made his first team debut on St Stephen’s Day in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United. Fionan was in the City team beaten 3-1 by Newcastle in the 1955 FA Cup final. He scored five goals in eight international appearances.

Cork-born Don Donovan made his Irish debut against Norway in 1954, lining out at right back. At that time he was playing for Everton and he won five caps.

His son Terry, who was born in Liverpool, won the first of his two caps against Czechoslovakia in September 1979. Like his dad, Terry played for Grimsby Town, but was at Aston Villa when capped by The Republic.

John ‘Kit’ Lawlor won the first of his three caps against Belgium in April 1949. At that time he was playing his club football for Drumcondra. Kit later moved to

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

MICK MAR

TIN MAN UTD

England where he played for Doncaster Rovers and Worcester City.

Several of Kit’s sons played League of Ireland football, indeed the Lawlors had their own seven-a-side team in East Wall.

Mick won the first of his five caps against Poland at Dalymount Park in September 1970. Mick was kit man with the FAI during Martin O’Neill’s term in charge of the senior team.

Last but no means least we have the Martins, Con and Mick. Con, the only man to play in goal and outfield for Ireland, won 30 caps for the FAI and six for the IFA. His son Mick won the first of his 51 caps against Austria in Linz in October 1971.

33

Club History Dermot Looney

1947/48: “The Best Ever St Pat’s” Part Two As St Patrick’s Athletic and Bray Wanderers begin their FAI Senior Cup campaigns tonight, it is remarkable to note that they are two of only five clubs in Irish football history to have won the unique treble of FAI Junior Cup, FAI Intermediate Cup and FAI Senior Cup. Only Sligo Rovers, Drumcondra and Home Farm have done similar, and only three of the five (Pat’s, Home Farm and Drums) have also won the FAI Youth Cup. The Saints lifted the FAI Junior Cup in 1940/41 but weren’t eligible to enter the more prestigious trophies until later in the decade. Their first run out in the FAI Intermediate Cup had come with promotion to the LSL Division One in 1946/47, with an understrength Pat’s team going down to Drumcondra B in the quarterfinals. But the following season, 1947/48, was to see the Athletic lift the trophy at the second time of asking – alongside their debut in the biggest of them all, the FAI Senior Cup. FAI Intermediate Cup Campaign St Pat’s began their second FAI Intermediate Cup campaign on October 25th 1947 with the short trip to Dalymount Park to take on LSL rivals Bohemians B. “St Patrick’s had very little trouble in disposing of Bohemians,” noted the match report in the following day’s Sunday Independent, with McDonald (2), Bailey (2), Crowe and Jervis netting in a 6-1 win.

The competition was split into provincial areas, with St Pat’s going on to meet Transport in the Leinster Area semi-final on December 7th. The two sides had just beaten League of Ireland opposition to qualify for the Leinster Senior Cup final, and the match was keenly anticipated; the Herald called it “the most attractive match for many years in the FAI Intermediate Cup” in its preview. However, both sides were below strength “owing to ineligibility of some of their players.” The

34

Saints, at home in Inchicore, won on a 3-1 scoreline with goals from Cassidy, Murray and McCormack. The “gate” for the game was £80, which the Herald’s NAT noted was bigger than some of the League of Ireland games.

Sunday January 11th saw St Pat’s coast to a 6-0 semifinal victory over Grangegorman, with goals from Cassidy (2), McDonald (2), Murray and McCormack.

“St Patrick’s Athletic After Another Trophy,” ran the headline in the Herald. “The match was marred by an unfortunate accident in the last minute,” noted the match report, when Kirwan, one of the St Patrick’s players, sustained a broken leg in a tackle, and was removed to hospital. The Independent noted that Pat’s finished with nine players, as Cassidy had retired with an ankle injury with 15 minutes left. Despite the injuries, Pat’s had qualified as the winners of the Leinster section to meet the Munster section victors, Cobh Ramblers, in the Intermediate Cup final.

There was, perhaps surprisingly, little build up to this game in the national papers. But the crowds flocked in record numbers to Turner’s Cross for the final on Sunday April 25th. The Irish Independent noted that while Pat’s were unchanged from their FAI Senior Cup defeat by the Saints back in February, Cobh had four changes and overall, they gave a far better display. However, despite Cobh taking the lead on 10 minutes, the Saints ran out 3-1 winners with goals from J Murray, Cassidy and McDonald. The Independent praised

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

@dlooney

run off the Cup with just the 8 League of Ireland sides with the first round (quarter finals) and second round (semi finals) played on a two-legged basis. This format continued for four seasons but for the 1947/48 season this was to change, despite there still being just eight League of Ireland teams.

Dutchie McDonald of St Pats

“tower of strength” Cummins at pivot (centre-half), McDonald and McCormack in the forwards, full backs Balfe and P Maher, and goalkeeper Kinahan. The Irish Press noted the game was played “under a sweltering sun” and that Cobh “could not match the Dubliners’ skill,” picking out Balfe, Maher, Cummins, McCormack and Cassidy for mention.

FAI (Senior) Cup Campaign The FAI Cup, the blue riband of Irish football, had been contested by 16 teams between 1928 and 1941. Indeed, until 1943/44, the first round of each iteration of the Cup had included non-League teams as well as the League of Ireland clubs. However, in that season, in the midst of World War II restrictions, the FAI decided to

A majority of League of Ireland clubs sought to block the expansion, including Limerick, Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk, Waterford and Drumcondra, with only Cork United, Bohemians and Shelbourne in support. According to NAT in the Herald, the League clubs felt so strongly about the change that they had considered pulling out of the Cup entirely.

Tensions between the League and the FAI continued until a crunch meeting on September 3rd, in which a motion by the League clubs to rescind the minute “that the FAI Cup be played on the knock-out system,” previously agreed at the annual FAI meeting, was defeated by 10 votes to 6.

This meant that the Cup would be played in a straight knockout, rather than two-legged format, and opened the door for nonLeague teams to return.

of the Leinster Senior League), as well as Cobh Ramblers of the Munster Senior League. Two other clubs later sought admission – Jacobs and Rockville (of Cork). It was unclear right up to the first round draw on Wednesday January 7th as to which clubs had even applied; a vote of the FAI on the night saw St Patrick’s Athletic (21 votes) top the poll for entrants, with Transport (20), St James’ Gate (19) and Cobh Ramblers (12) also admitted; Jacobs (9), Rockville (2), Longford Town (1) and Grangegorman (0) would all miss out.

The draw would prove fortunate for St Pat’s, missing out on League of Ireland opposition, and drawing Cobh Ramblers of the Munster Senior League. An away tie was fixed for the Mardyke, the home ground of League of Ireland club Cork United. Cobh Ramblers were a major force in Cork football, winning several Munster Senior League titles, most recently in

The Herald and Press reported on January 5th that the FAI would consider six applicants for the four spaces; Grangegorman, St James’ Gate, St Patrick’s Athletic, Transport and Longford Town (all

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

35

Club History Dermot Looney

1947/48: “The Best Ever St Pat’s” Part Two McCormack scored the other two Pat’s goals in front of a crowd of 7,610 at the Mardyke, with gate receipts of £442 split evenly between the two clubs.

1943/44, when they also won the Munster Senior Cup. They had also reached the FAI Intermediate Cup final in 1944/45, where they lost to UCD. Their match was to see what is likely to have been the first ever “Saints on a Train” excursion. “For the first time since before the war football trains will be run south of the Border,” noted NAT in the Herald, as both St Pat’s and Transport – two clubs with strong railway links – had booked trains with fares at reduced rates to their matches in Cork and Waterford respectively.

“There is no doubt that the teams are the best in their grade in Munster and Leinster,” wrote NAT. “St Patrick’s Athletic anticipate

36

that a large number of their followers will travel on the special train that leaves Kingsbridge at 9am on Sunday.” As newspapers reported on the outcome of the historic 1948 General Election, which saw the first Inter-Party Government formed, Socaro, writing in the Irish Press, called the match “the first real knock-out affair in the tourney for many years,” and predicted a win for St Pat’s.

He was proved right as the Athletic ran out 4-1 winners, with man of the match ‘Barreller’ Cassidy scoring twice. The Press match report noted “his brilliant runs and splendid ball control on a muddy pitch nonplussed the Cobh Ramblers’ defence time and time again.” McDonald and

Kinahan reverted to goalkeeping duties; he was “an outstanding goalkeeper,” according to the Press match report, which also picked out for mention Cummins, right-back Collins and forwards McCormack and Murray, who were “too speedy” for Cobh’s defence. The “Special Representative” writing in the Irish Independent stated that Pat’s gave a “top-class display under extremely heavy conditions,” noting a good display for Balfe, in at full back for the Saints, and Cummins, who was “masterly as a pivot.”

The Cork Examiner, using the anglicised spelling of the town, noted that St Pat’s were “far too clever for Cove Ramblers” and that the home side were “outclassed in practically all departments.” As the game went on, St Patrick’s superiority “became embarrassingly evident to the Ramblers’ team and supporters.” The Pat’s team was Kinahan, Balfe, Maher, Collins, Cummins, Shields, McCormack, O’Brien, McDonald, Cassidy and Murray. As well as being given in the newspapers, this was also given in the programme for the game – perhaps one of the first

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

@dlooney

produced for both clubs – which likely mixes the team’s colours and lineups, stating that Pat’s would wear green and white shirts, and Cobh red shirts with a white collar. The programme’s editorial notes that “if we fail we shall say: ‘Well done, St Patrick’s.’ Yes! We will try again.”

Pat’s, the only non-League team remaining in the competition, received a bye in Round Two straight through to the semi-finals, where they would meet Shamrock Rovers on March 21st. “Fortune smiles on St Patrick’s Athletic” ran the headline in the Irish Press the day after the draw.

The Saints had been defeated by the Rovers B team in a thrilling Metropolitan Cup replay the week before, and expectations in the Herald and Sunday Independent was that Rovers’ first team would would triumph in the semi, played at the neutral venue of Dalymount Park.

“Rovers Rush St Patrick’s Out in 23 Minutes” ran the headline in Monday’s Irish Independent. Rovers had taken the game to the Saints almost immediately, with seven corners in the first 14 minutes. The flood gates opened with a goal from Gregg, and three more were to follow in the next nine minutes. Four

more were to follow, resulting in an 8-2 win for Rovers, with Shields and McCormack scoring for the Athletic. Socaro in the Irish Press noted the “complete lack of understanding among the St Patrick’s defenders” and poor marking as the reason for the Saints’ downfall, while NAT in the Herald stated that Rovers “literally played rings round” the Athletic.

Unusually for a goalkeeper conceding eight, NAT recognised “Palmer’s brilliance” but was equally critical of the Saints defence.

Rovers’ keeper Godwin broke his leg in the game, but carried on unknowingly; he would be replaced for the final by future Saints player and manager Jimmy Collins. The crowd for the match was reported as 22,000-23,000 in the newspapers, with a gate of between £1250 and £1300 split between both clubs and the FAI. The Rovers side, who went on to win the final, had included the great Paddy Coad as well as forwards Podge Gregg and Bobby Rogers, who were soon to be caught up in controversy and help St Patrick’s to serve up a cold revenge the following season.

In our next edition we will conclude the history of this historic season with the story of how the Saints shocked League of Ireland opposition to win the oldest competition in the 26 counties, the Leinster Senior Cup.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

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Club Shop https://supersaintsstore.com/

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Ronan O’Flaherty @karl_pats

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2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

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35 39

A View from Afar Ian Templeman So Euro 2020 is over, and with the dust settled and the Italians established as champions of Europe, the footballing focus in most countries will turn back on club football once again.

I appreciate that over here in Ireland, interest in the tournament may have been a bit more distant than usual, with no Republic of Ireland team to follow and therefore no chance of a repeat of the excitement that was delivered by the Boys in Green in the previous Euro tournament in 2016.

But for me, this tournament and indeed many others in the last 30 years or so delivered a familiar issue. As a Scotsman who has lived and worked in England for almost 38 years, the build up to major tournaments has often given me a bit of a problem. Being surrounded by expectant, confident and/or celebratory English fans while living and working in the country is never going to be easy for anyone of any other nationality, but especially a Scotsman.

It poses many dilemmas. After all, I have many friends, acquaintances, neighbours and work colleagues and in recent years two grown daughters and their friends, who all look forward to England games in major tournaments and sit down to watch expectantly hoping that they win. So why wouldn’t I be happy for them if England did deliver?

The answer is I would be happy for them – but don’t expect me to join in the celebrations. When people ask me if I will be supporting England in their latest quest for tournament glory, I always tell them I won’t be, and tell them the following story to illustrate the point.

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In the late 1980s, a university friend of mine was working for a major oil company, and was posted over to the Netherlands from around early 1987 through until late 1989.

Older readers will remember that period of time was a golden one for Dutch football, with a team starring Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and other well-known names, and their win in the Euro 88 final over Russia saw them crowned European champions for what is so far the only time.

My friend was living with two work colleagues in a shared apartment in the attractive town of Delft, which is famous for its pottery and its canals.

The centrepiece of the town, like many in Europe, was the Town Square which was lined with attractive architecture and many bars. As the Dutch team progressed in the competition, supporters would follow a routine of watching the game either at home or in the bars, and then congregate in the Square to celebrate.

On the night of the final, my friend and his colleagues decided that if the Dutch won, they would head down to the Square to take in the atmosphere and join the celebrations, and when the final whistle went, that is what they did.

Initially, it was an experience to see such jubilation and so many happy faces in the streets, and to watch on as celebrating men, women and children, the majority wearing orange attire of some kind or

another, joined a growing throng gathered in the town centre.

After about half an hour though, my friend and his colleagues decided they had had enough and headed for home again. It wasn’t that the atmosphere was unpleasant – the reverse was true. It was a colourful explosion of joy among a nation of people who my friend said, tended to be fairly reserved in their emotions a lot of the time. There was no hooliganism of any kind, no rowdy or obnoxious behaviour to be seen, if you exclude people climbing on the statues in the square to decorate them in flags and scarves, and there was much singing going on – obviously in Dutch, which meant nothing to three Brits watching on.

No, the reason they headed home was simple. The experience of watching someone else’s celebration wasn’t actually all that enjoyable. My friend and his colleagues liked the country, liked the people and enjoyed living there – but as my friend explained, watching on as a foreigner while a nation celebrated was a bit like looking over your neighbour’s fence while a rip-roaring party was going on and being unexpectedly invited. Sure, you were welcome to join in – but joining a group of total strangers celebrating an event that didn’t actually mean anything to you wasn’t really all that much fun.

Returning to Euro 2020, once England got the better of Germany, I was preparing myself for what was

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

Ronan O’Flaherty @iantemplemanloi to come. I couldn’t see them failing to make the final and so it proved.

But this time, more than any other in the last 20 years or so, I was a lot more relaxed about it. First of all, the English media in general, and certainly the newspapers, were a bit more subdued than I’d expected, more expectation and hope as opposed to unpleasant and arrogant over confidence, which has been the case in the past. But more to the point, this is an England team that even to an outsider, is very hard to dislike. An outstanding manager in Gareth Southgate who conducts himself impeccably, and genuinely good players who when attending press conferences failed to rise to any bait thrown by journalists who were angling for a comment on what it would be like to win the Euros. An impressive captain in Harry Kane, an outstanding human being as well as a fine player like Marcus Rashford – I could go on, right through the squad.

I was ready and prepared for an England victory, and ready to feel pleased for the many people I knew who would be happy if that happened, including my own daughters. Like my friend in the Netherlands 30 years ago, I wasn’t going to be joining the party, but I’d be pleased for those that were.

So, although once the shoot-out was over I was grateful that I had been spared an outpouring of joy English style in the tabloid media, I have to say I did feel some sympathy for the England players and all the genuine supporters after the final, especially when reports emerged of what had gone on during the game and afterwards in and around Wembley and on social media afterwards.

A fine tournament for the England team, and some enjoyable displays for the country to watch, should have been a matter for national celebration and optimism for the future, and praise for the players involved. In most countries there would have been many column inches and broadcasting airtime devoted to upbeat praise for a young team that had performed well, as everyone looked back fondly over the previous few weeks.

Instead, the focus was on the issue of hooliganism among many of those who follow the English national team, which seemed to have been largely stamped out in recent years, and disturbing racial abuse aimed at England players.

The chief sportswriter for The Independent newspaper, Miguel Delaney, wrote as follows in an after match piece on the game: “If there is still so much hope about this young England team, there can only be despair about some of the English football culture that unfortunately surrounds them.

The audible racist abuse illustrates it is connected to the abuse players received on social media, and emphasises the sad disconnect between what this squad are, and what a lot of English football is.

The brutal truth is this. It should have been a privilege to be at Wembley on Sunday for a great occasion. It was instead a sordid and tacky affair, overtaken by the worst type of football supporter.

They ruined the day for the majority of well-behaved well-meaning England fans more than the result

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

ever could. It was depressing from top to bottom, the ground on Wembley Way sticky with stale booze from 2pm, the air filtered through abuse, cocaine and wonder knows how much Covid-19 transmission”.

Anyone with even a slight knowledge of football can see that this current England squad as well as being young, has strength in depth, and is as talented as any that has pulled on the white jersey over the years.

It is pretty obvious that they will be among the favourites for the next few major tournaments, be they Euros or a World Cup, and who knows, they may even go one step further and actually win the tournament.

It is therefore very depressing to contemplate future tournaments that will undoubtedly involve an England team who will play football and conduct themselves in a way that is above reproach, but at the same time being potentially followed by many fans who are the polar opposite as individuals.

As I said at the start of this piece, being a Scotsman living in England has not always been easy while the England team is progressing in a major tournament. Now, when the team has a group of genuinely talented and likeable players, it should in theory be easier. But based on the events of the last few weeks, I’m not especially looking forward to the World Cup finals in 18 months’ time.

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

41

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Player Apps & Goals 2021 League of Ireland

FAI Cup

Total

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Vítězslav Jaroš

21

0

21

0

0

0

0

0

21

0

21

0

John Mountney

16

2

18

1

0

0

0

0

16

2

18

1

Ian Bermingham

14

3

17

1

0

0

0

0

14

3

17

1

Sam Bone

16

0

16

1

0

0

0

0

16

0

16

1

Lee Desmond

20

0

20

1

0

0

0

0

20

0

20

1

Jamie Lennon

14

2

16

0

0

0

0

0

14

2

16

0

Robbie Benson

14

2

16

4

0

0

0

0

14

2

16

4

Chris Forrester

20

1

21

5

0

0

0

0

20

1

21

5

0

5

5

1

0

0

0

0

0

5

5

1

Ronan Coughlan

15

2

17

7

0

0

0

0

15

2

17

7

Jason McClellend

5

7

12

1

0

0

0

0

5

7

12

1

Matty Smith

18

1

19

5

0

0

0

0

18

1

19

5

Paddy Barrett

13

3

16

0

0

0

0

0

13

3

16

0

Billy King

17

3

20

2

0

0

0

0

17

3

20

2

Alfie Lewis

11

4

15

1

0

0

0

0

11

4

15

1

Darragh Burns

7

6

13

2

0

0

0

0

7

6

13

2

Ben McCormack

2

13

15

0

0

0

0

0

2

13

15

0

Shane Griffin

5

2

7

0

0

0

0

0

5

2

7

0

James Abankwah

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

Barry Murphy

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Josh Keeley

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Cian Kelly

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Kian Corbally

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Jamie Whelan

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Own Goal

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

Nahum Melvin-Lambert

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

LAST 5 MATCHES

Pld

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

1

- Shamrock Rovers

20

12

5

3

34

17

17

41

W

L

D

W D W

2

▲ St. Patrick's Athletic

21

12

5

4

35

20

15

41

W

D

L

W W

3

▼ Sligo Rovers

20

11

5

4

27

14

13

38

L

D

W W

L

4

▲ Bohemian FC

20

9

4

7

34

23

11

31

L

D

W

D

D

5

▼ Drogheda United

21

8

6

7

34

25

9

30

W W

6

▲ Dundalk

20

7

6

7

25

27

-2

27

D

L

W

L

W W

L

W

7

▼ Derry City

21

6

7

8

23

28

-5

25

D

L

W

L

L

8

- Finn Harps

21

5

5

11

17

31

-14

20

L

D

L

L

L

9

- Waterford FC

21

6

1

14

15

39

-24

19

W

D

L

W W

21

1

8

12

15

35

-20

11

L

D

L

D

10 - Longford Town

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

D

43 43

Results & Lineouts 2021 Date

Opposition

Venue Comp Score

Fri 19 Mar

Shamrock Rovers

Away

Series 1

1-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Griffin

Desmond

Barrett

Lennon

King

Sat 27 Mar

Drogheda Utd

Home Series 2

2-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Griffin

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

McClelland

Sat 03 Apr

Bohemians

Away

Series 3

1-0

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

Burns

Fri 09 Apr

Derry City

Home Series 4

2-0

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

King

Sat 17 Apr

Dundalk

Away

Series 5

1-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

McClelland

Tue 20 Apr

Waterford

Home Series 6

1-0

Jaroš

Griffin

Bermingham

Desmond

Barrett

Lewis

McCormack

Fri 23 Apr

Finn Harps

Away

Series 7

2-0

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

Fri 30 Apr

Longford Town

Home Series 8

3-0

Jaroš

Griffin

Barrett

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

Burns

Mon 03 May

Sligo Rovers

Away

Series 9

1-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham 1

Desmond

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

Sat 08 May

Shamrock Rovers

Home Series 10

1-2

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

King

Fri 14 May

Drogheda Utd

Away

Series 11

1-3

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

King

Fri 21 May

Bohemians

Home Series 12

2-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Lennon

King

Mon 24 May

Derry City

Away

Series 13

2-2

Jaroš

Mountney

Griffin

Desmond

Bone

Barrett

King

Fri 28 May

Dundalk

Home Series 14

0-2

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

Sat 12 June

Longford Town

Away

Series 15

3-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Barrett

Lewis

Benson

Fri 18 June

Sligo Rovers

Home Series 16

2-0

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Barrett

Lewis

Benson

Mon 21 June Finn Harps

Home Series 17

4-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Desmond

Barrett

Lewis

Fri 25 June

Waterford

Away

Series 18

1-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bone

Desmond

Lewis

Burns

Benson

Fri 02 July

Bohemians

Away

Series 19

2-3

Jaroš

Barrett

Bermingham

Bone

Desmond

Lennon

Burns

Fri 09 July

Derry City

Home Series 20

1-0

Jaroš

Barrett

Bone

Lennon

Lewis

Burns

Benson

Fri 16 July

Drogheda Utd

Home Series 21

2-0

Jaroš

Barrett

Bone

Desmond

Lewis

Burns

Benson

Fri 23 July

Bray Wanderers

Home

Rnd 1

0-1

Fri 30 July

Shamrock Rovers

Away

Series 22

0-1

Fri 06 Aug

Dundalk

Away

Series 23

0-1

Fri 13 Aug

Waterford

Home Series 24

0-1

Fri 20 Aug

Finn Harps

Away

Series 25

0-1

Fri 03 Sept

Longford Town

Home Series 26

0-1

Sat 11 Sept

Sligo Rovers

Away

Series 27

0-1

Fri 24 Sept

Shamrock Rovers

Home Series 28

0-1

Fri 01 Oct

Drogheda Utd

Away

Series 29

0-1

Fri 08 Oct

Bohemians

Home Series 30

0-1

Fri 15 Oct

Derry City

Away

Series 31

0-1

Mon 25 Oct

Dundalk

Home Series 32

0-1

Sat 30 Oct

Longford Town

Away

Series 33

0-1

Fri 05 Nov

Sligo Rovers

Home Series 34

0-1

Fri 12 Nov

Finn Harps

Home Series 35

0-1

Fri 19 Nov

Waterford

Away

0-1

Series 36

Starting XI

1

1

1

Benson

Extra.ie FAI Cup Dates 2nd Round

Week Ending 29th Aug

Quarter Finals Week Ending 19th Sept

44

Semi-Finals Week Ending 24th Oct Final

Week Ending 28th Nov

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

1

1

1

1

League

FAI Cup

1st Sub

2nd Sub 3rd Sub

4th Sub

5th Sub 1 Goals Scored

P Penalty OG Own Goal For

* Own Goal

Yellow Card

Red Card

Substitutes Benson

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

McClelland

Bone

Bermingham

Benson

Coughlan 1

Forrester

Smith

Bermingham

Burns

King

Coughlan 1

Forrester

Smith

Barrett

McClelland

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Burns

McClelland

Benson

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Barrett

King

Coughlan

Forrester

Burns

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Benson Benson

King

1

1

Lewis

King

Forrester

King

Coughlan

Forrester

Lewis

Coughlan

Forrester

Lewis

Coughlan

Lewis

Burns

Kelly

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Keeley

Corbally

Lewis

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Keeley

King

Corbally

Lewis

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Keeley

Lewis

Melvin-Lambert

Barrett

McCormack

Corbally

B Murphy

Keeley

King

Lewis

Corbally

Burns

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Keeley

1 Benson

Mountney

Smith

Lennon

Bone

Corbally

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Keeley

1 Lewis

Griffin

McCormack

Corbally

Burns

Norris

Melvin-Lambert

Keeley

1

1

Smith

Coughlan 1

Mountney

Bermingham

McCormack

Corbally

Norris

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Smith

Burns

Lewis

McCormack

Corbally

Griffin

Norris

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Smith

Griffin

McClelland

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

Norris

Corbally

Murphy

Keeley

Forrester

Smith

McCormack

Barrett

Benson

Griffin

Corbally

Norris

B Murphy

Keeley

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Barrett

Melvin-Lambert

Griffin

Norris

Corbally

B Murphy

Keeley

Lewis

Coughlan

Forrester

Benson

Bermingham Melvin-Lambert

McCormack

Norris

Corbally

Murphy

Keeley

Coughlan

2

1

1 Benson

Melvin-Lambert 1

1 McCormack

King

Smith

Forrester

Benson

Lewis

Melvin-Lambert McCormack

Corbally

Norris

Corbally

B Murphy

King

Smith

1

Forrester

Coughlan 1 Burns

McClelland

McCormack Norris

Corbally

Lonergan

Murphy

Keeley

King

Smith

1

Forrester

Coughlan 1 Burns

Lennon

McClelland

McCormack

Bone

Norris

Lonergan

B Murphy

Keeley

King

Smith

Forrester

Coughlan 2 Burns

McClelland

McCormack

Bone

Corbally

Norris

Lonergan

B Murphy

Keeley

King

Smith

McClelland

McCormack

Forrester

Barrett

Bermingham Lennon

Corbally

Norris

Lonergan

B Murphy

Keeley

Benson

King

Smith

Forrester

McClelland 1 McCormack

A Murphy

Abankwah

Corbally

Norris

Lonergan

B Murphy

Keeley

McClelland

Coughlan

Smith

Forrester

1 King

Abankwah

McCormack

Lonergan

B Murphy

Keeley

McClelland

King

Smith

Forrester

1

Bermingham

Lonergan

Abankwah

Corbally

Fay

B Murphy

Keeley

1

McCormack

Next set of League Fixtures - Fri 30 July / *Sat 31 July 2021 SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION - SERIES 22

DROGHEDA UNITED

v

WATERFORD

7:45PM

SHAMROCK ROVERS

v

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

7:45PM

FINN HARPS

v

BOHEMIANS

8:00PM

*LONGFORD TOWN

v

DERRY CITY

7:30PM

*SLIGO ROVERS

v

DUNDALK

7:45PM

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.11 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Bray Wanderers

45

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OG

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