The Saint (Vol 33 #17) by St Patrick's Athletic FC

2021 Season • Premier Division • Vol. 33 • No. 17 Fri 05 November • Richmond Park, Inchicore, D8 • KO:7.45PM

James Abankwah

Editorial

Ronan O’Flaherty

Ruairi Kavanagh

@stpatsprogramme

Good Evening Welcome to Richmond Park for our

we are the better of the two sides, and will

penultimate match of an eventful season.

have a good afternoon on November 28th.

While we have secured European football, we would very much like to finish in second position, which we have held for so long. The only team that can take it from us are the visitors this evening, for what should be a

On the subject of the programme, yes we will return to print, although the physical copy will likely be a bit smaller than the digital version you're currently holding. We have been asked why we did not produce print

great game.

editions for recent games. It's also our penultimate programme of the season, and it's been a great effort from all volunteers involved to deliver a programme for every game, bar one, of the 2021 season.

This was a decision made by the club in consultation with us, to see out the season in digital fashion. I understand that, but there will be a return to print next season.

We look forward to 2022 with great optimism due to events on the pitch and the

Enjoy the game,

work that the club have done off it. The Cup Final now looms large and it's something we

Ruairi

all deserve and can be proud of. I also think

Contents 12 Dodge’s Data!

32 Eurozone

21 On this Day

36 Siblings who played for Ireland

22 Opposition Watch

38 A View from Afar

28 Patron Saints

42 Club History

Programme Production Editor Ruairi Kavanagh

Design Joe O’Rourke

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Photo Sportsfile & Inpho 3

Tonight’s Squads Fáilte

St Patrick’s Athletic

Sligo Rovers

Manager:

Alan Mathews

Head Coach: Stephen O’Donnell

Liam Buckley

Head Coach: John Russell

Tá áthas orainn

1 Vítězslav Jaroš

GK o

1 Edward McGinty

GK o

fáilte a chur roimh

2 John Mountney

2 Lewis Banks

an mbainistíocht,

3 Ian Bermingham

3 Colm Horgan

imreoirí agus lucht

4 Sam Bone

4 Danny Kane

5 Lee Desmond

5 Robbie McCourt

6 Jamie Lennon

6 Greg Bolger

7 Robbie Benson

7 Jordan Gibson

8 Chris Forrester

8 Niall Morahan

9 Kyrian Nwoko

9 Ryan De Vries

10 Ronan Coughlan

10 Walter Figueira

11 Jason McClelland

12 Mark Byrne

12 Matty Smith

14 Shane Blaney

14 Kyrian Nwoko

15 Melvyn Lorenzen

15 Billy King

17 Adam McDonnell

16 Alfie Lewis

18 John Russell

17 Darragh Burns

19 Regan Donelon

18 Ben McCormack

20 Darren Collins

tacaíochta Chlub Pheile Ruagairí Shligigh go Phairc Richmond anocht.

Welcome We are pleased to welcome the management,

19 Nahum Melvin-Lambert F

21 John Mahon

players and

20 Shane Griffin

22 David Cawley

supporters of

21 Barry Murphy

GK o

23 Scott Lynch

Sligo Rovers

22 Jak Hickman

24 Johnny Kenny

Football Club to

25 Josh Keeley

GK o

25 Cillian Heaney

28 Cian Kelly

26 Garry Buckley

29 Paddy Barrett

27 Romeo Parkes

31 Kian Corbally

28 Jason Devaney

34 Adam Murphy

30 Richard Brush

GK o

36 Sam Curtis

31 Conor Walsh

GK o

38 Thomas Lonergan

33 Peter Maguire

39 James Abankwah

44 Andre Wright

Richmond Park tonight.

/stpatsfc stpatsfc /stpatsfc

Match Officials

/stpatsfctv

Referee Paul McLaughlin

Assistant 1 Wayne McDonnell

Half-Time

Full-Time

info@stpatsfc.com stpatsfc.com

Assistant 2 Darren Carey

4th Official John McLoughlin

MOTM 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

President’s Welcome Tom O’Mahony

@jimmyedwards41

Good Evening You're welcome once again to Richmond Park (or to the comfort of your viewing chair) for tonight's penultimate home game of our 2021 League campaign. Our welcome is particularly warm for the officials, players and supporters of Sligo Rovers FC. I get to write these programme notes between 15 and 20 times a season and sometimes it's a bit of a challenge to find something new to comment on. On this occasion, nothing much has happened since our last programme - apart, of course, from qualifying for the FAI Cup Final for the first time in 7 years, qualifying for Europe for the first time in 3 years, being able to fill our ground again for the first time in almost 2 years, and having an end-to-end goalfest of a dress rehearsal for the Cup Final. Probably some material in that, to be fair! I must, of course, remember to congratulate the other Rovers on their title defence, particularly as there seems to be some sensitivity in Tallaght that they haven't been getting the plaudits they deserve. The league table shows conclusively that they have again been the best team in the country and they deserve every credit for this. Their defining characteristic has been an ability to pull games out of the fire at the death, securing wins or draws with injury time goals on so many occasions. That tells a lot about their professionalism, experience and character - but it also suggests that the real margin between them and the other leading teams, including ourselves, is by no means as wide as the points differential might suggest. I certainly don't buy into the claim from one prominent pundit last week that we are heading into a period where they will monopolise the league because of the lack of real opposition. Time will tell.

I'm sure our friends from Sligo will echo those sentiments as they, along with ourselves, made it a three-way title chase for most of the season until Shamrock Rovers eventually pulled away. Although their chance of being runners-up will disappear unless they win tonight, they are very well placed to take the third automatic European spot and I believe they will. It will be fully merited on their performance over the season. Our European spot was, of course, secured with four games to spare. As Alan and Stevie have noted in interviews, that was our primary objective this season and it's great to see it achieved so comfortably. As everyone will appreciate, we are a work in progress - a squad is being developed and will improve further next season. But it's undeniable that we have delivered both results and entertainment (going into tonight's fixtures we are the league's joint top scorers) and I think all our supporters can see we are going in the right direction. One direction in which we are certainly going is to Dublin 4 for our 28 November clash with Bohemians in the showpiece of the domestic season. This is the icing on the cake for supporters and it will be a fantastic climax to our season. This week's dress rehearsal suggests we're in for an open and exciting game. Both teams play excellent football with skill and pace. I hope (and expect) that there'll be at least 30,000 football fans in the Aviva to enjoy it. Before then, however, we have three league games to enjoy, and I hope you do! Tom O'Mahony President St Patrick's Athletic FC

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 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

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

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

This evening marks our penultimate home game of the season and it promises to be a stern test of our capabilities. Sligo Rovers have occupied third place in the table for quite some time, which is a real measure of the quality in their ranks. Liam Buckley has done a fine job at the Showgrounds and has them playing a vibrant brand of football. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Liam and his players to Richmond Park. A warm welcome is also extended to club officials and supporters who have made the journey from Sligo for this evening's game. When the teams last met, in front of the RTÉ cameras at the Showgrounds in September, Sligo won. We were disappointed to come away from that game with nothing to show for our efforts, but also enthused by elements of the team's play. Our objective tonight is to win, and the players know the levels of intensity required to do that. With 37 points from 16 home league games, our form here at Richmond Park has been very good and it is our intention to build on that. Everyone connected with St Patrick's Athletic has been on a high since the 3-1 victory over Dundalk two weeks ago, which secured our place in the FAI Cup final. It was fantastic to see Richmond Park packed to the rafters and the players delivered a performance worthy of your outstanding support. The final at the Aviva Stadium will be a great occasion and we are very much looking forward to it. For the players who are selected to represent the club on the day, it will be a very special thing to contest a cup final at the national stadium. Between now and then, every place in the team is up for grabs, as is the case for every game.

As much as we are looking forward to it, that is enough talk about the FAI Cup final for the moment. We still have three league games to play, and they will command all of our focus and energy. The team is in a good place, in terms of form and quality of performance, and we want to keep that going. At the start of the season we quietly set ourselves a couple of targets. One was to qualify for Europe and another was to go on a good run in the cup. With European football now secured, we are pleased with how things have worked out up to this point. We go into this evening's game on the back of a 22 draw against Bohemians here on Monday. Naturally, after going 2-0 up early in the second half, we were disappointed not to win the game. With that said, credit must be given to Bohs for battling their way back into the game. We were disappointed with the nature of the goals we conceded, especially after dominating the game for most of the first half and early in the second period. That said, a draw was far from a disaster and we move on. A few days earlier, we picked up an important victory in Longford which secured our place in Europe for next season. In difficult conditions, it was encouraging to see such a big turnout of Pat's fans. We look forward to seeing another big crowd at Richmond Park this evening and want to reward that support with a positive result. Enjoy the match, Alan Mathews and Stephen O’Donnell

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Oh My Word! Ronan O’Flaherty

There was a moratorium on any utterances of the term on Monday. Until it was swiftly lifted. By the time Rob Harvey had blown his whistle for the final time, everyone in attendance knew they had witnessed the ultimate in dress rehearsals. There, we said it. If you're going to put a foot wrong, do it in the dress rehearsal. By all means, put two feet wrong if it means you'll remember your lines on the big day. The first-half was an exhibition in footballing authority. Billy King ensured that the halftime cuppa was a relatively pleasant experience in the home dressing room. The only disappointment was the slender margin of advantage. It could have been four but was only one. The men in blue had been the beneficiaries of good fortune. Three minutes into the second half, Jay McClelland made it two. In that moment, it looked as though the Saints might pull away. Those with a vantage point on the Camac

terrace certainly weren't entertaining concerns of being pegged back. This was emboldened by the dejection on display among the Bohs faithful. They didn't appear to be sold on the slightest chance of a reprieve. The silence emanating from the Shed End spoke volumes. They were motionless. Living, breathing mannequins. The same thought crossed the mind of many a Saint: Hopefully it will be like this at Lansdowne Road. Admittedly, it was a rookie error to allow such a train-of-thought travel through the mind. Then came the rabbit-caught-in-theheadlights routine. The game descended into a dress rehearsal. Control was replaced by chaos. Passes went astray. Players lost their footing. Yellow cards were brandished. The visitors got one back. Then another. It was helter-skelter. We feared they would score again. How on Earth had this happened? The silent sufferers behind Vitezslav Jaros's goal found their voice. They suffered no more. The same thought crossed the mind of many a Saint: Hopefully it won't be like this at Lansdowne Road. Life was much easier the last time we had a cup final at Lansdowne Road to look forward to. There was no hint of a dress rehearsal. No inner turmoil. 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

@ronanoflaherty

We wondered if the wait would ever end. Some had accepted it wouldn’t. It wasn't even the possibility of another final defeat at the hands of Derry City that induced anxiety. The Candystripes somehow emerged the victors from [officially] the greatest FAI Cup final ever, in 2006. They didn't let us forget it, either. One-nil and you f***ed it up Two-one and you f***ed it up Three-two and you f***ed it up Four-three and we won the cup. Derry did it again in 2012, but at least they only came from behind once, thus sparing us another battering ram of emotional torment. Small mercies. The teams would meet again in the 2014 decider. Lose that one and it would have been official: there is no God. On a level of sheer desperation, St Patrick's needed the win more than Derry. A half-century of heartache, plus an extra three years for bad measure, causes all deities to be questioned.

We were sick and tired of losing to the men from the Bogside on Irish football’s biggest day. But no more sick than we had felt in 2003 against Longford Town, 1996 against Shelbourne, 1980 against Waterford, 1974 against Finn Harps, and 1967 against Shamrock Rovers. The 53 years that bridged 1961 and 2014 turned some of us old and grey. Others were less fortunate. Another seven years have passed since the dragon was slayed. Sometimes it feels like seven months. Christy Fagan was the hero that day, as he had been so often that season. 2014 wasn't just a great season for him; it was his annus mirabilis. A personal haul of 27 goals – 20 of them in the league – ensured that he would take ownership of a golden boot. The individual accolades didn't end there, as he scooped the PFAI Player of the Year award. Had circumstances

been different, Christy would still be playing for St Patrick’s, pushing for a starting berth on November 28. By the end of the 2017 season, he had 90 goals in a Saints jersey. Still only 28 at the time, it seemed certain that he would become the first player in a generation to breach the 100goal mark for the club. It wasn't to be. He finished on 93. Not that it really matters. His exploits at Lansdowne Road have secured a rich legacy. St Patrick's Athletic no longer has a 27-goal-a-season man. It doesn’t have a 25-goal man either, in the mould of Conan Byrne. What it does have is an entire team capable of getting in on the act. Readers of this column could be forgiven for thinking the final takes place in the next few days. Alas, we have 23 more sleeps.

Seven years ago, the outcome of the semi-final was never in doubt from the moment Killian Brennan broke the deadlock. That Harps equaliser merely served to focus minds. At half-time it was 3-1. At full-time, 6-1.

Moore after the game. Something special was happening. The club had emerged from a slumber.

The cushion wasn't quite so comfortable against Dundalk in the semi-final a fortnight ago. However, in denying the Lilywhites their seventh FAI Cup final appearance in succession, a statement-of-sorts was made.

In one sense, it feels as though we're just running down the clock, waiting for the season to end and the day of the final to arrive. Of course, such talk is silly with three league games still to be played. But that’s what football fans do. We engage in silliness.

Darragh Burns came of age with an outstanding assist followed by an equally impressive finish to apply the gloss to the scoreline. Richmond rocked like it hadn't rocked in an age. Brian Kerr fought back the tears as he was interviewed by Jamie

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

It has felt like Christmas Eve since October 22. That feeling will pervade for a while to come. No need to wish it away. Enjoy it.

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

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Who’s Who at The Saint? Like so many other things on match night, it takes considerable effort to compile the issue of The Saint you’re viewing. So who’s who? RUAIRI KAVANAGH: EDITOR

KIERAN COUGHLAN

Works with the club, contributors and designers ato deliver each issue. Apart from that he specialises in getting randomers to come along to their first Pats game. This tactic has yielded a 100% win ratio to date.

When not found on the Camac, Kieran is to be found finding inventive ways to torture Saints fans with his fiendishly tricky questions.

JOE O’ROURKE: DESIGNER Part of the All Saints Show, having previously designed the club murals among other things Joe has spearheaded the redesign of The Saint and was a major reason for us being named Programme of the Year. Thanks Joe! PAT O’CALLAGHAN Long club serving historian and programme curator. Pat has been involved with the club and the programme for decades. He’s also one of the friendly faces you encounter when entering the ground to buy your programme. JIMMY EDWARDS Following on from his father's (of the same name) 30 years of writing for the programme, Jimmy Edwards (Junior) continues the Pensive Points tradition. JOHN OWENS Statto supreme, we reckon he has shares in Microsoft Excel. An incredible range of knowledge, John was way too modest when he once described himself as just a ‘guy with a few spread sheets!’. IAN TEMPLEMAN Our foreign correspondent. Writes, with considerable eloquence, from the UK with his observations on our league and particularly the Saints. Ever reliable, always has his copy in first. RONAN O’FLAHERTY Journalist with a passion for Pats, Ronan comes from good Saints stock, as his surname might suggest. Ever the optimist Ronan can put a positive slant on the most dismal run of form. We know, we gave him plenty of opportunities last season!

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

STEPHEN BENNETT Journalist with the Herald and a lifelong Saints fan. Inchicore born and bred, a lover of soccer history both home and abroad. He's not great at getting trains back from away matches, however. DERMOT LOONEY Dermot is from Greenhills and has followed Pat's since he was a teenager in the 1990's. He is working on a St Pat's History project, researching and collecting information on the history of our club. You can check it out at @HistoryStPats on Twitter. Get in touch with him with any memories or memorabilia from the club's history. SEÁN BRENNAN Seán is a full time languages teacher in Dublin a part time writer on football culture and cooking. He has been following St Pats since the early noughties and Serie A since the late nineties. A former resident of France, UK and Germany, he enjoys train journeys, radio, pasta and everything with the prefix ‘Euro-‘. PAUL MAGUIRE Inchicore born & bred, Paul has been following the Saints since the late 80s. Favourite ever Pats player is Eddie Gormley. Used to host The All Saints Show and Pats match commentary until the FAI closed it down so now writes about the opposition rather than talking about them. Has around 50 Pats jerseys but can only fit into 10 of them. Plays guitar and sings, likes trains. SEAN CREEDON A Kerryman living in Dublin... a long time. He has been attending League of Ireland and Republic of Ireland home games for over 50 years. Interested in all sports, but mainly GAA, Soccer and Rugby. A member of the Soccer Writers’Association. Writes on LOI and international matters.

Dodge’s Data! John Owens

League Record v Sligo Rovers HOME GAMES

AWAY GAMES

TOTAL GAMES

26 27 44

151

16 40 24 GOALS

147 FARRELL

GOALS

76 BRIDGES

GOALS

104

113

BUCKLEY

189

Record League Scores 12/02/61 Richmond Park

21/04/07 Liam Buckley became the third man to manage both clubs following Peter Farrell and ex-England International Barry Bridges.

251

Showgrounds

7-1

4-0

16/11/61 Richmond Park

05/11/67 Showgrounds

1-7

NOVEMBER

LAST 5 GAMES 2004

Waterford RSC

LOI

Waterford

2-0

K Fahey, A O’Keefe

1996

Richmond Park

LSC R2

Wayside Celtic

3-1

Jason Byrne 2, R O’Flaherty

1994

Richmond Park

LOI

Shelbourne

1-0

Johnny Glynn

1989

Harolds Cross

LOI

Bohemians

1-0

Mark Ennis

1978

Richmond Park

LOI

Home Farm

1-1

Tommy Doyle

1-4

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Ronan O’Flaherty @seidodge

Last 10 games v Sligo Rovers Date

Venue

Competition

10 Sept 2021

Showgrounds

League

18 June 2021 Richmond Park

League

WIN

DRAW

LOSE

0-2

2-0

M Smith, R Coughlan (pen)

Showgrounds

League

1-1

12 Sep 2020

Richmond Park

League

0-0

21 Feb 2020

Showgrounds

League

2-0

Richmond Park

League

2-1

03 May 2021 I Bermingham

R Hale, C Forrester

16 Aug 2019

G McAuley, D Webster

08 June 2019 Showgrounds

1-1

League

K Toner

19 Apr 2019

League

2-1

Showgrounds

League

1-0

Showgrounds

League

2-1

Richmond Park

C Forrester, M Drennan (pen)

22 Feb 2019 M Drennan

15 Sep 2018

J Keegan, B Clarke (pen) 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Squad Sponsorship Vítězslav Jaroš

John Mountney

Ian Bermingham

Goalkeeper

Defender

HOME SPONSOR

KAVANAGHS PUB

BISTO FLOOD APPRECIATION SOCIETY

BILL DUGGAN

AWAY SPONSOR

SWEENEYS

JOHN PAUL MOORE

CLÍODHNA BRAY

Sam Bone

Lee Desmond

Jamie Lennon

Defender

Midfield

HOME SPONSOR

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC SUPPORTERS GROUP

WILL MORGAN

TOMMY KEYES

AWAY SPONSOR

THE LADS OFF THE CAMAC

CIAN MENTON

KILLIAN DONNELLY

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Robbie Benson

Chris Forrester

Kyrian Nwoko

Midfield

Forward

HOME SPONSOR

LUKE MULLINS

DECED

9 HOME SPONSOR

AWAY SPONSOR

WILLIAM MORGAN

DC FITNESS PHYSIO

Ronan Coughlan

Jay McClelland

Matty Smith

Forward

AWAY SPONSOR

HOME SPONSOR

THE CLOCK

JOHN HUDSON

FYNCH

AWAY SPONSOR

MUSCAT SAINTS

JOHN PAUL MOORE

PATRICK COSTELLO TD

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Squad Sponsorship Billy King

Alfie Lewis

Darragh Burns

Forward

Midfield

Forward

HOME SPONSOR

SMcN CONSULTING

PATRON SAINTS

THOMPSON SOLICITORS

AWAY SPONSOR

QUALITY MOTORS

ZOE O'REILLY

MARK B SHOPFITTING LTD.

Ben McCormack

Nahum Melvin-Lambert

Shane Griffin

Midfield

Forward

Defender

HOME SPONSOR

SEI

KEVIN ROCHE

DARAGH O'HALLORAN

AWAY SPONSOR

JOAN STAPLETON

O'CALLAGHAN FAMILY

CAMAC SAINTS 2.0

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Barry Murphy

Josh Keeley

Cian Kelly

Goalkeeper

Defender

HOME SPONSOR

DALTON FAMILY

GRACE O'REILLY

LAUREN O'REILLY

AWAY SPONSOR

SCOTT KELLY

PRECISION IRELAND

JOHN PAUL MOORE

Paddy Barrett

Kian Corbally

Stephen O’Donnell

Defender

Midfield

Head Coach

HOME SPONSOR

PROLINK STAFFING

McCRUDDEN FITNESS

AWAY SPONSOR

PROLINK STAFFING

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Liam Buckley Dave Kelly

It is not usually the way for our intensely internecine league, so enmeshed with incestuous influences that it can sometimes be forgotten who we should cheer or jeer from the terraces – Sean O’Connor has known the score, one cheekily suggests! – it is a dear wish that Liam Buckley is acclaimed by our audience this evening. The Dub, who is now resident in Sligo, returns

It is also worth recollecting that, despite the

to the capital with the real Rovers, more than

more than 3,000 in attendance on that joyous

midway through his 62nd year but still

October night – including the then Irish

retaining the cherub-like features of one half

caretaker manager Noel King and the rather

the age; and it is ﬁtting to laud one of this

more secure full-time Irish president Michael

club’s most inﬂuential ﬁgures of the past

D Higgins – Buckley’s exemplary league

quarter-century.

winners were not so widely exalted as you might presume.

It will soon be a time to mark a 25-year-old anniversary of a famous league triumph

A few months earlier, less than 1500 turned

occasionally decorated by his improbably

up to see what, to my mind, remains the best

enduring golden tresses.

pure footballing sides to win the league in this century and the attendances stubbornly

In between times, there was not merely one

hovered around that mark for many games

league title, but a pair of them; executed with

that term.

both precision and panache. It seemed an extraordinary rebuff to a Eight years ago, we spilled on tonight’s green

wondrous, gifted collective, if not mildly

sward after collecting the last major trophy to

insulting; the thousands who emerged a year

be hoisted in these parts; Sligo, ironically,

later when he helped to end the yawning,

were the bystanders on that celebratory

yearning FAI Cup chasm clearly did not know

occasion, 12 months since they had secured

what they were missing.

the title on home turf against the Saints. It is fortunate, however, that they did miss the It’s worth recalling that that season began, as

vocal jeering that subsequently accompanied

perhaps did the previous one and one or two

his elongated exit; there were many more

more subsequently, with spiralling doubts as

around him who deserved to share in the

to whether Buckley was the right manager to

culpability of an abysmally managed

deliver the ultimate prize.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

@dk3lly transition which, only now, is belatedly

I wallowed in their 1994 treble triumph with

coming to fruition.

that rare species, a son of Sligo hurling, Ronan Haughey, but mainly because it promoted

It seems remarkable from this remove to

vast consumption of porter and sneering

reﬂect that Buckley has conspired with this

disregard for their conquests, Shels and Derry.

club for three league triumphs in the guise of either player/assistant manager or manager.

And now Liam Buckley, my second favourite manager, is wedded to them. It is no surprise

And such are the vicissitudes of a beautiful

that it is proving to be such a happy marriage.

game that can be oft so ugly, he has twice been sacked; on the other occasion, he was effectively ejected when over-looked for the post; one doesn’t always hear the rooster crowing. But it seems that no bitterness remains upon either side; one sincerely hopes it does not and that time has salved old wounds and recorded prizes for posterity. In a week that we lost Maurice Price, a man long since neglected by ofﬁcial football Ireland despite his vast historical signiﬁcance – Charlton, Malaysia, Keane et al - the remarkable career of Buckley has always seemed to have been denied the recognition he deserved. From his continental playing travels to his coaching prowess, he was also someone with strong opinions on how Irish football here should be developed; that he was hewn from the FAI’s problem child ensured his enlightened views remained unexplored. Sligo have long supplanted Cork and Galway and Harps and Derry as my second favourite team. 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

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

Irish Press Monday 06 November, 1978 Bass League of Ireland • 9th Series • Richmond Park NOVEMBE

05 1978

ST PATRICK'S ATH 1 HOME FARM 1

FIFA referee John Carpenter League returned to duty at League of Ireland level after his three month demotion to the Leinster Senior League at Richmond Park yesterday - and he did so in a most dramatic fashion. Carpenter sprang into sensational action as the game entered its final quarter when he first disallowed a "goal" for St. Patrick's Athletic, then awarded them a penalty and in a final crescendo of action, ignored Home Farm's claims for one — a decision which resulted in his sending off Martin Murray in the final minute. Carpenter and Murray exchanged words repeatedly throughout the game and their confrontations came to a climax almost on full time when Murray was shown the red card for a comment he made when Home Farm's penalty claim was turned down. And in addition to all this Carpenter also had cause to speak to St. Patrick's Athletic goalkeeper Mick O'Brien — surprisingly back in the side after walking out on the club just over a month ago — when he swung on the cross bar for a second time. The move leading up to the disallowed goal in the 59th minute came about when Derek Carthy headed Mick Collins's cross from the right against the crossbar and then followed up to put the ball into the net only to be ruled offside. The decision to disallow the goal clearly annoyed St. Patrick's at the time but they had their rewards sixteen minutes later when they got their penalty. From the stand it had appeared that Home Farm goalkeeper Jim Finnerty had brought off a great save from a thundering drive by Paddy Munroe but, as referee

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Carpenter explained afterwards, Ritchie Williams had deflected the ball with his arm. From the kick Tommy Doyle, who had come on as a substitute for the injured Paul Doyle a short time earlier, scored the equaliser. The goal gave St. Patrick's a point which, on their showing in the second half, they thoroughly deserved, for during that period they completely outmanoeuvered and outran a Home Farm side which, in the first half, had completely held the upper hand. It was something of a surprise that Farm crumbled so abysmally after the interval, but they seemed to have no answer to the penetrating runs down the wings of the two St Patrick's full backs, David Barnes and Tommy Cummins and the strength and the drive in midfield of Barry Murphy and Paddy Munroe. On chances alone, in fact, St Patrick's should have won easily for in the first half Mick Doyle, in front of an empty goal, sliced his kick wide from a few yards and just after the interval winger Garry Barrett completely miscued with a header with only Finnerty to beat. The amateurs were rewarded for their first half superiority in the 40th minute when Pat O'Connor scored with a cracking valley following a cross by Ritchie Williams. ST. PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: O'Brien; Barnes, Cummins, Collins, Murphy, P Doyle, Munroe, M Doyle, Carthy, Luke, Barrett. Sub: T Doyle for P Doyle. HOME FARM: Finnerty; Daly, Williams, Breslin, Kelly, O'Connor, Synnott, Whelan, Moran, Craig, Murray. REFEREE: J Carpenter (Dublin).

Opposition Watch - Sligo Rovers Paul Maguire

With all the talk about FAI cup

for a second season in a row.

wasn’t without incident as

finals it’s perhaps fitting we

They now lie six points ahead

Harps had Kosovar Sadiki sent

welcome not only the manager

of Derry in 4th place with only

off and Johnny Kenny, the

who told us to make our own

three games left to play

player fouled for the red card,

history in 2014 but also the

including tonights fixture.

missed a penalty five minutes before the break. Less than a

Man of the Match on that momentous day as Liam

Sligo had a great start to the

minute into the second half

Buckley and Greg Bolger return

season and only lost once in

Kenny made up for his penalty

to Richmond Park tonight.

their first fourteen league

miss by coolly finishing to the

Ourselves and Sligo have been

games but their form dipped

net from just inside the area.

in and around the top 3 in the

around their European fixture

Just under ten minutes later

league for most of this season

against FH Hafnarfjordur of

and Sligo had doubled their

and while the Saints secured

Iceland in July which they lost

lead. Following a corner, Finn

European football with a 4-1

3-1 on aggregate. It was also

Harps failed to clear their lines

win away to Longford last

around this time they exited

properly and Niall Morahan

Friday, Sligo aren’t quite there

the FAI Cup in the first round,

rifled an effort into the bottom

yet however an injury time

beaten at home by Cork City

corner but goals in the 85th

winner against the same

who the Saints subsequently

and 90th minutes denied Sligo

opponents on Monday night

knocked out in the next round

all three points.

last at the Showgrounds will go

via penalties in Turners Cross. Kenny was on target again the

a long way towards that goal

Johnny Kenny

So, what sort of form do

following week as Sligo

Bucko’s team bring into this

themselves scored late to

game? Their last three games

secure their first win in seven at

have yielded seven points since

home to Drogheda. Given the

a mid-October defeat to

run they were on it’s not

Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght –

surprising that the Bit O’Red

that result was bookended off a

started rather tentatively and

run of five league games with

probably should have been

only one win. They almost got

behind at the break but John

thing back on track next time

Mahon from nearby Riverstown

out but were denied three

settled the home nerves before

points when, despite leading

Kenny blasted a second in the

by 2 goals with 85 minutes

89th minute. Indeed, both

gone, they allowed 10-man

goals came from local lads as

Finn Harps to scrape a draw in

Kenny hails from Collooney

Ballybofey. A goalless first half

(trivia – the small town of

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Ronan O’Flaherty @PaulGoS

Collooney once boasted 3

Vries Longford could have

railway stations from 3

taken the lead before the

separate railway companies.

break but for Ed McGinty in the Sligo goal. Indeed, he

Last time out was the

was busy twice to deny

aforementioned home tie with

Longford at the start of the

already relegated Longford

second half as Rovers were

Town. Any Saints fans who

again slow to get going. The anxious Sligo support had to wait until the very death for an eventual, if maybe undeserved winner when Lewis Banks blasted home in

Greg Bolger

injury time after Melvyn Lorenzen’s initial cross was parried out to the former

highlighted by the fact that

Stoke City man. Who knows

pretty much every newspaper

how vital those three points

carried the news of him

will be in the race for Europe.

extending his contract to the

Sligo will come looking for the win which should guarantee a Ed McGinty

trip abroad next year and in Kenny they have one of the most exciting young talents in

made the trip to Bishopstown

the league. Figueira, Wright

last Friday will know that

and De Vries also bring a goal

despite the final outcome we

threat and will worry the Saints

didn’t have everything our

backline. At the other end Ed

own way and could well have

McGinty has pulled off some

been behind if not for

super saves this season and in

Vitezslav Jaros before the

midfield Niall Morahan come

Matty Smith Show…. Sligo too

through the U17’s and 19’s to

made hard work of the game

become a key midfielder

on a heavy pitch and despite

alongside the experienced

chances for Johnny Kenny,

Bolger who’s importance to

Andre Wright and Ryan De

the Sligo cause was

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

end of the 2020 season. That Rovers didn’t progress through a round of the Europa conference this year will be a huge motivation to secure another shot at it in 2022. And with the Saints anxious to wrap up a second place finish and cup final places up for grabs this could be a cagy affair yet both teams have the players to make this a cracker, who knows but sure lookit, it is what it is…

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

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

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

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

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Friday 09 April 1999, FAI Harp National League - Premier Division

ST PATRICK'S ATH 4 SLIGO ROVERS 0 An outstanding performance by the Supersaints has put the pressure back on Cork City as they returned to the top of the National League after an overwhelming display against Sligo Rovers. The night was capped by Amstel's Man of the Match Trevor Molloy's return to the scoring sheet, as he added another two to his impressive tally. From the start it looked promising for St Patrick's as they outplayed Sligo with the wingbacks causing all sorts of problems up the wings. The early pressure took its toll on Sligo 'keeper Matthew Boswell as he was booked for timewasting after only 15 minutes. St Patrick's broke the deadlock after only 18 minutes. Great vision from Croly found McGuinness at the edge of the box, his quick pass to Molloy created the opening for him to slid the

ball beyond Boswell and into the far corner. Jeff Clarke making his first appearance for the Supersaints this year was very impressive, and his effort from the corner of the 18 yard box just went wide with Boswell beaten. St Patrick's with the wind at their backs were a potent force with the skills of Morgan and Russell in midfield slicing the Rovers defence to shreds. Boswell in the away goal was kept busy throughout the half and he was called on numerous times to makes saves twice from Hawkins and once from Reilly. The anticipated second goal arrived just before the break. Morgan fed Reilly with a perfect ball and his powerful header beat Boswell as the Stadium of Light erupted. The second goal came with a sigh of relief with the two goal cushion taking the pressure off St Patrick's.

Lee Marshall of Sligo tussles with Trevor Molloy of St Pats last night.

Expecting Sligo to come out firing on all cylinders for the second half, St Patrick's continued their dominance on the game creating chance after

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

brilliance. A perfect ball from Colin Hawkins over the top found Molloy who brought the ball under control with his head, he continued his run into the box and he blasted the ball into the roof of the net. The excellent display of football continued and a moment of sheer brilliance from Russell almost made it 4-0. Clarke showed great vision as he fed the ball to Reilly, his shot was saved and the ball ended up at the feet of Osam.

St Pat’s McGuinness feels the weight of this challenge from Sligo’s Hallows.

chance as the Supersaints put on a show before the big encounter with Cork City. Just 4 minutes into the second half St Patrick's should have went three-nil up. Martin Reilly's cross went over the head of Molloy but Russell came storming in at the back post but his powerful shot was saved by the legs of Boswell. Sligo's only chance of the game came after 54 minutes. Hutchinson found O'Grady in acres of space, he ran towards goal and unleashed a pile-driver from 25 yards which was brilliantly kept out by Wood. This scare restarted St Patrick's as they pushed forward for more. The third goal was of pure

SLIGO ROVERS Boswell; Hutchinson, O'Grady, Charles, Marshall; Kennedy, Birks, McGlynn, Gallagher; Hallows, Hoeks (Shannon 62). REFEREE D O'Hanlon (Waterford).

With time on his hand he picked out Russell with a perfect crossfield ball. Deciding not to take the ball under control, Russell let fly and from an acute angle his shot was smartly saved. With St Patrick's dominance taking it's effect on Sligo's defence it wasn't long before number four came. From a Russell corner McGuinness, who was unmarked, headed home to the crowd's delight. The performance was a timely reminder that they aren't about to give up their challenge for the League title. All eyes are now focused on next week's encounter between the top two. ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC Wood; Hawkins, Lynch, McGuinness; Clarke, Russell, Osam (Campbell 75), Morgan, Croly; Reilly (Braithwaite 86), Molloy.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Patron Saints Hello from the Patron Saints and we hope you enjoy tonights match versus Sligo Rovers and more importantly our upcoming Cup Final against our great Northside rivals Bohs. After a very difﬁcult period for the whole country and sending condolences to all Pats Fans who lost loved ones in this terrible pandemic, the country seems to be getting back to normal and the Patrons Saints can get back to trying to increase our membership so we can best support this great club of ours Saint Patricks Athletic.

Patron Saints Committee The new Committee was re-elected at the recent AGM held in Richmond Park and is as follows: CHAIRPERSON

VICE CHAIRPERSON

TREASURER

SECRETARY

Liam Temple

Danny Quinn

Ger Sweeney

Philip Bergin

MEDIA OFFICER

ASST MEDIA OFFICER

MEMBERSHIP SEC

ASST MEMBERSHIP SEC

Paul Maguire

Ian Walsh

Ulick O'Sullivan

Joan Stapleton

The Aim and Objective of the Patrons Saints is to "support and promote the long term development of the club". The Patron Saints is open to all to join as Junior members (under 16) and as Senior Members (16 and over). A monthly subscription can be from as little as €5 a month up to any amount monthly. Each Senior Member no matter their subscription amount have an equal share in the Patron Saints Activities and Decisions.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Ronan O’Flaherty

Patron Saints Awards 2021 We would like to announce that the Patron Saints

Voting Slips are still available at the Patrons

sponsored Player of the Year awards will be

stand in the Club shop at the Bohs game and up

given out after our ﬁnal home game against Finn

to half time at the Sligo game. Voting for Goal of

Harps on Friday 12th November.

the Season will be on Twitter and will be open to

The Presentations for Player of the Year, Young

vote soon.

Player of the Year (under 23) and Goal of the

We are also hoping to hold a Cup Final Preview

Season will take place after a lap of Honour from

Night with some of the heroes of 2014. This

the players there will also be a Special Merit

event will only be available to Patron Saints so

award given out on the night.

keep an eye on your email and patrons twitter for further details.

Our Plans for next year are being put in place to further develop and increase our membership so we can help the club to get stronger both on and off the pitch and should include:

Organise overnight Rail trips to 2 or 3 away ﬁxtures.

Develop discount for Patrons in club shop.

Further develop infrastructure with club.

Continue to support squad medical and telemetry needs.

Special Patrons rafﬂe for exclusive Matchday events.

Underwrite and organise Away day buses to increase support for the team.

Underwrite continued production of the matchday programme.

If you have any ideas on how to develop and improve the Patron Saints which is "run by the Fans for the Fans" or would like to join up contact us at stpatssc@gmail.com. Finally due to new ﬁnancial rules all new members have to set up a standing order themselves, this is to insure that they control their payment fully and can change or stop their payment at their discretion. The Patron Saints bank details can be got from committee members at the Patrons stand in the club shop before and at half time at all matches. Hopefully we will see you all at our pre Cup Final event and if not in the Aviva cheering on The Saints to Victory.

Li d  the cm 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

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. 30

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Pensive PointsRonan O’Flaherty Jimmy Edwards

@jimmyedwards41

Good Evening and welcome to Liam Buckley and all from Sligo Rovers to tonights game. Liam needs no introduction to Pat's fans and will always be welcome and respected for all he achieved with us as both a player and manager. Tonight's game is between 2nd and 3rd in the table and Sligo won't have given up on finishing 2nd just yet. We have played Dundalk twice both here at home, Longford away and Bohemian FC here also at home since our last digital edition programme. Our first meeting with Dundalk was the hugely anticipated FAI Cup semi final and it came on the day that the government lifted the restrictions, the 22nd October so it meant we could have a full house for the first time in 18 months and a full house we got that had Richmond rocking, and it was great to come away with that famous 3-1 win and to back it up by beating them again in the League just a few days later. Our next game was on October 29th away against an already relegated Longford Town FC who are doing their best to enjoy the remaining games they have in the Premier division. They started this game better and went close to taking the lead on a couple of occasions with Jaros having to make a save from a Dean Williams header. Sam Bone went close for us with a ferocious drive from the edge of the box that just cleared the crossbar. We took the lead in the 29th minute with a brilliant goal when Chris Forrester chipped a ball over the Longford defence that Matty Smith caught on a left footed volley smashing it past Lee Steacy in the Longford goal leaving the keeper rooted to the spot. Longford could have had a penalty when Rob Manley went down after a coming together with Paddy Barrett but the ref waved away their appeals. We extended our lead just before half time with Matty Smith heading home for his second of the game from a Benson corner. Dean Williams scored early in the second half to half the deficit from what looked like an offside position. Longford were honest and kept probing trying to get an equaliser but Alfie Lewis sealed the win in the 84th min when he smashed 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

home with his left foot from the edge of the box. Matty Smith then completed the perfect hat trick when he side footed home with his right foot after brilliant unselfish play from Daragh Burns to set him up. It was confirmed after the game that the win along with Derry dropping points means that we.have qualified for European football for next season which is something we were all hoping for and it has now been achieved with four games remaining in the season. We then played Bohemian FC at home last Monday 1st November in a cup final rehearsal. Boh's came into this game with the added pressure of trying to finish fourth so as to guarantee European football for next season, whereas our players are now playing for cup final places and to make sure we finish runners up in the league. It was an entertaining game that finished 2-2. Billy King put us ahead on 11 minutes taking advantage of a defensive lapse in concentration by Andy Lyons and James Talbot, Matty Smith then had a header hit the crossbar as Pat's were on top and creating chances. Pat's increased the lead early in the second half when Jay McClelland tapped home from a Hickman cross. Bohs grabbed one back soon after when a Paddy Barrett pass was left short and Ross Tierney pounced to slot pass Jaros and half the deficit. Bohs were level soon after when Promise Omochere bundled home to make it 2-2. Tierney hit the crossbar soon after with a dipping shot as Bohs were pushing for a winner. Both teams had chances in the remaining minutes but a draw was probably a fair reflection on the game and if the FAI Cup final is as good as this then we are in for a cracker.

Enjoy the game, Up the Saints Jimmy Any views expressed in this article are the contributor's own.

Eurozone Seán Brennan

Marseille v PSG: Le Derby de la France At the 101st ‘Classique’ on Sunday 24th of October, Olympique Marseille rattled the star-studded Paris St Germain, but couldn’t secure the win their fervent fans demanded. “Everything except a goal” said L’Équipe, “OM hang on to a bitter point” wrote Le Monde, Le Figaro had “Un Classique Intense” on its back page, while SoFoot noted “Marseille suffocate Paris”. With a disallowed goal for each team, Paris being reduced to 10 with 30 minutes to play, and a cauldron like atmosphere in the Vélodrome, the 65,000 in attendance at Sunday’s Classique got value for the money but were left with a bittersweet taste reminiscent of the local Calisson

almond biscuits, as OM fans continue to count 10 years without a home victory over their arch rivals.

through, while remaining cautious faced against a PSG side very capable of striking on the counter attack.

An even game up until Achraf Hakimi’s red card on 56 minutes, Marseille did well to nullify the threats of Messi, Mbappé, Neymar and co. With both sides threatening in the first half, premature celebrations were cut short for the Parisians with a Luan Peres own goal disallowed on 14 minutes, followed by Arkadiusz Milik being denied for the hosts by VAR on 20 minutes.

OM goalkeeper Pau Lopez cemented his place as first choice keeper with a string of fine saves, adding on to his exceptional performances against Lorien Bretagne (4-1) and Lazio (0-0). Club legend Steve Mandanda watched from the bench witnessing his younger counterpart keep the Parisians at bay.

Following the sending off of Hakimi, Le Fígaro wrote that “Marseille were taking the Parisians by the throat”, however couldn’t find a way

"We're the Marseille army, nothing's gonna stop us", Tifo from Marseille fans

With the forecourt of the Vélodrome packed from 18:00 (3 hours before kickoff), the sense of occasion and anticipation was significant in the Mediterranean port city. SoFoot described it as “The pyrotechnic festival and the concert of firecrackers”. With maximum volume and the flares of the Virage Nord and Virage Sud illuminating the night sky, there was also a nefarious side to this passionate support. Marseille find themselves risking a points deduction after objects were thrown at PSG players. Captain Dimitri Payet saying afterwards: “Thanks to the public who heated up the atmosphere,

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

@SBahnManc but I saw bottle, chargers, lighters.” Amidst a climate of animosity between fans and the Fédération de Foot Française, such incidents and their consequences will only increase tensions between both groups. Marseille versus PSG is one of the more intriguing derbies in Europe. With PSG only coming into formation in 1970, it took a while for this derby to form and for the club from the capital to be taken seriously by their more traditional rivals. Their first title victory in 1986 occurred the same year as divisive politicianbusinessman Bernard Tapie acquired the club, a tenure which would lead to European glory but also administrative relegation due to match fixing. Paris’ initial big money investment came 30 years before the Qataris; Canal+ buying the club in 1991 to create a ‘Big Two’ in the finances of French football. Despite Paris’ more recent oligarchical backing, most French clubs would laugh at the idea of an impoverished Olympique Marseille, themselves owned by American financier Frank McCourt since 2016. This rivalry plays out on the terraces as well as the stock market, marking fault lines across French society; the neglected provinces v the capital of an overly centralised country, the relaxed South v the stuck up North (or olive oil v butter), or

Neymar receiving protection against projectiles when taking a corner.

the club of the poor v the playtoy of the rich (although anyone who has taken the train from Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris will know that that last point warrants a large Asterix, or even an Obelix for that matter..). Political divisions between Marseille’s left and Paris’ right exist, but can be broad generalisations. PSG up until 2010 had two distinct ultras groups, the left wing immigrant dominated Auteil, and the right wing white dominated Boulougne Boys. Following a 2010 derby where Marseille fans weren’t even allowed travel to the game, the two Parisian groups fought outside the grounds, resulting in the death of Boulougne Boy

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Yann Lorence. The club responded by banning both groups and restructuring their ticketing allocation, resulting in a Premier League style seating arrangement and accordingly flatter atmosphere. The recurring incidents of supporter injuries, arrests and stoned buses have been reflected on the pitch with a strong animosity between the players, and tend to lead to hard hitting derbies, just like last Sunday’s. A welcome return to a genuine contest, although one feels that with the gulf in resources, this will merely be a speed bump en route to PSG securing yet another title.

McCarthy Insurance Group

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

THE SAINTS

MARCHING ON

34 34

WWW.MIG.IE

Quiz Time Kieran Coughlan

1 Which three Irishmen have won a Champions League medal in this century?

Which former Saint scored a hat-trick on his league debut against Sligo in the Showgrounds in 1997?

2 Which two players scored in all three World Cup tournaments in the 90s?

Which Englishman has scored the most goals in the League of Ireland?

3 Who won a Full Members Cup and a Premier League medal with Blackburn Rovers?

Which Irish club won the League Cup in 1993 and 2002?

4 Which two countries hosted games at Euro 2020 even though their team's didn't qualify for the tournament?

Who are the five League of Ireland clubs that have used Harolds Cross as a home ground?

5 Which three Irish players retired from international football after the World Cup in 2002?

10 Which Scottish club play their home games at the SMISA Stadium?

Answers Q.9 Shelbourne, St Pats, Brideville, Transport, Dolphin. Q.10 St Mirren. Alan Kelly, Niall Quinn. Q.6 Ian Gilzean. Q.7 Johnny Matthews. Q.8 Limerick. Klinsmann. Q.3 Colin Hendry. Q.4 Romania, Azerbaijan. Q.5 Steve Staunton, Q.1 John O'Shea, Steve Finnan, Caoimhin Kelleher. Q.2 Roberto Baggio, Jürgen 2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

Siblings who played for Ireland Seán Creedon

It’s a great honour for any boy or girl to play for their country. But image the pride a parent

Championship win over Bulgaria

the Golden Boy of Waterford

must feel when two of their sons

at Lansdowne Road in October

football during the fifties. He was

or daughters wear the green at

1979 and five months later in the

one of six brothers to play for

senior international level.

2-0 defeat to England at

The Blues: Denny, Tom, Ned,

Wembley. Pierce, then with

Peter and Paul were the others.

Shamrock Rovers, replaced his

Their father, Michael, was a

injured older brother in the 68th

native of Durrow and a hurler,

minute.

only becoming involved with

The Bradys are tops when it comes to the number of caps won by siblings. Ray won six caps, while his younger brother

soccer through his sons.

Liam was capped 72 times which

David spent most of his career

makes them the most capped

with Arsenal and joined Leeds in

Jack, who had various offers from

brothers to play for The Republic.

1993. He later managed the

English clubs, played all his club

In second place are the O’Leary’s,

Elland Road club. After Shamrock

football for Waterford and Cork

David (68) and Pierce (7).

Rovers, Pierce had spells with

Hibernians. He scored on his

Philadelphia Fury and Vancouver

debut against Holland on May

Whitecaps, clubs his former

Day 1955 at Dalymount and his

Rovers manager Johnny Giles

second cap was also against

was involved with. He joined

Holland, in Amsterdam twelve

Celtic in 1984.

months later.

The Hunt brothers Stephen and

Peter Fitzgerald was seven years

Noel also played together twice

younger than Jack. He scored on

They came on as subs in the

his League of Ireland debut for

friendly against Poland in Croke

Waterford against Bohemians at

Park November 2008 on the hour

Kilcohan Park on St. Patrick’s Day

mark. Stephen went on to score

1957. Three of the Fitzgerald

his first goal in that game, from

brothers played in the 1959 FAI

the penalty spot in the 87th

Cup final against the Saints. Jack

minute. Eleven months later the

scored in the drawn game which

brothers started the World Cup

ended 2-2 and Peter got

qualifier against Montenegro at

Waterford’s goal in the replay,

Croke Park. Stephen won 39

which Pat’s won 2-1.

Ray Brady was with Queens Park Rangers when he won his first cap against Austria in Vienna in September 1963. He would later return home to Dublin and play for the Saints from 1968 to 1971. Liam Brady won his first cap in the unforgettable 3-0 win over the USSR at Dalymount in October 1974. And who can forget Liam’s last cap, when he was ‘hooked’ off by Jack Charlton in his own testimonial game. Big Jack showed his ruthless streak, saying he wanted to work on his formation for the World Cup and Andy Townsend replaced Brady after 27 minutes. The O’Leary brothers lined out together in the 3-0 European

caps, while younger brother Noel won 3 caps.

Peter had joined Leeds by the time he won the first of his five

The Fitzgeralds Jack and Peter

caps against Wales in September

were from Waterford. Jack was

1960. Jack Taylor signed him

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

from Waterford and he was in the first-ever Leeds

Alan and Stephen Quinn come from a big football

team selected by player-manager Don Revie in

family in Clondalkin. Alan is the only player to have

March 1961. Fitzgerald was at inside right with Jack

scored for both Sheffield clubs in the Steel City

Charlton at centre forward, in a 3-1 defeat to

derby. He won the first of his eight caps against

Portsmouth.

Norway at Lansdowne Road in April 2003. Stephen,

The O’Flanagan brothers Kevin and Michael hold a unique record as they are the only brothers to be capped for Ireland at senior level in both Rugby and Soccer. The brothers lined out together in a friendly

who joined Sheffield United from St Pat’s in 2005, won 18 caps. He scored Hull’s 4th goal in their 5-3 FA Cup semi-final win over Sheffield United in 2014 and started the final against Arsenal.

against England at Dalymount in September 1946.

Pauline O’Shaughnessy who received Honorary Life

Kevin was playing with Arsenal at that time and was

Membership of the FAI in recognition of her contri-

winning his eight cap, while Michael who was with

bution to Women’s football a few years back, tells

Bohemians, won his solitary cap that day against

me that Cork sisters Caroline and Ronnie Nagle

England, who famously won 1-0 thanks to a late

both played for The Republic of Ireland senior team.

Tom Finney goal. Kevin, who won 10 caps, was a

They lined out

doctor, while Michael was a publican. It was in

together

Michael’s pub, the Confession Box in Marlborough

once,

Street, that the Soccer Writers’ Association was

against

formed in 1960.

Wales.

The Moulson brothers from Clogheen in Tipperary were capped in the late thirties, early forties. Con, who played for Lincoln City and Notts County won five caps. George, who was a goalkeeper, also played for Lincoln City. He won the first of his three caps against Portugal in Lisbon in May 1948. The O’Brien brothers Ray and Fran are from Finglas. Ray joined Notts County from Shelbourne and won the first of his five caps against Norway at Dalymount in March 1976. Fran, who is four years younger than Ray, played for Bohemians and joined Philadelphia Fury along with Pat Byrne and Eddie Byrne in 1978. Fran won the first of his three caps against Czechoslovakia in September 1979 in Prague. Stephen and Noel Hunt playing together against Poland at Croke Park.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

A View from Afar Ian Templeman

I stood looking at the house. The exterior hadn’t changed in over 30 years, it looked exactly the same as I remembered it, with the white soffit boards around the roof standing out against the background of grey sky above, and the black glossed heavy front door looking just as it did when I lived there. It was Saturday 2nd October 2021, and I was

on a camp bed and a borrowed blow up mattress,

standing outside a house on Kings Road in

and in return for enduring more spartan

Wimbledon, in South West London, almost 31 years

surroundings than they were used to, took in a

to the day since I walked out of the front door for

programme of events around London’s attractions

the last time, before heading off to start a new job

and theatres.

and a new life in the North West of England. And then there was the football. Back in the I’m not one who normally goes in for nostalgia, but

summer of 1986, when I had just moved to London,

this house and its associated memories is a bit

Wimbledon had just won promotion under Dave

different. It was the base from where I enjoyed

Bassett and were about to embark on their first ever

some of the best times of my life, living and

campaign in the top tier of English football. As a

working in London, when I was in my 20s. It was

football supporter looking for a team to support

impossible to look at it, and not let my mind

week in week out, I was attracted to the idea of

wander off to the late 1980s, and get a warm glow

following an unfashionable club taking their first

as I remembered those times. Days and nights out

steps in the top division, and with accommodation

with the girl who became Mrs T, local voluntary

sorted in South West London, I settled on following

work with people who became friends, social

the Dons. It was a decision that was firmed up even

events that ended with assorted people sleeping

more when I moved to live right in the centre of

on the floor in my single room at the end of the

Wimbledon in the spring of 1988, in this very house

night - even my dear old mum and dad came down

in Kings Road. That move meant that I was a 20-

from their comfortable house in Scotland to sleep

minute walk from the Dons’ home ground on Plough Lane, so they became my local team too as well as my London team of preference. That period of time was the Crazy Gang era, when Vinnie Jones, John Fashanu and others ruled the Wimbledon roost, and over a four and a half year period, I don’t think I missed any more than two or three home games at the old ramshackle Plough Lane ground. Most notably, I got the opportunity to follow the Dons to Wembley in 1988 and the only

Plough Lane, Wimbledon

FA Cup final I’ve ever been to, which turned out to

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Ronan O’Flaherty @iantemplemanloi be one of the most memorable

university place in London so I

days of my football watching life,

knew I’d be making a few visits

when they beat Liverpool 1-0.

there in the coming years. I became a member of the fans-

Events transpired that I moved

owned AFC Wimbledon and I

back up to the Manchester area

decided there and then that once

in late 1990 and my support for

the new ground was in place and

Wimbledon began to wane as

open for business, I’d not only go

life moved on, especially when

to a game there, but I would set

the season that I left London

off from outside my old front

turned out to be Wimbledon’s

door and take the walk I used to

last at the old Plough Lane

take every other Saturday in the

ground. They moved to play at

late 1980s.

Selhurst Park for a few years, and most football followers will know

About a year ago, on these very

Looking back at the words I

the story of what happened in

pages in The Saint, I had shared

wrote 12 months ago, they have

2002, when the club’s owners

that intention when AFC

an even stronger resonance now

moved the club to Milton Keynes

Wimbledon had finally moved to

that they did then. I observed at

and renamed them MK Dons.

the new ground – albeit playing

the time that nostalgia about

The original Dons fans in South-

in front of empty stands due to

events or bygone times can be a

West London refused to

the pandemic. But once the fans

funny thing sometimes, because

recognise the club form that

returned in August this year, my

although you might have good

point on, and started up their

planning to get to a game

memories of a moment or a

own club called AFC Wimbledon,

began. AFC Wimbledon v

place, it’s not just about looking

who began playing in the very

Burton Albion on Saturday 2nd

back at the past events

bottom rung of English non-

October was the game I chose,

themselves that gives you a

league football.

and on a dull and drizzly day

warm glow or a feeling of

here I was in the centre of

happiness. It also takes you back

In the space of just nine years the

Wimbledon, ready to walk the

to what you were like and how

new club were in the Football

walk again.

you were feeling at the time. You might physically move away from

League, and playing in neighbouring Kingston, but in

But it didn’t just feel like a walk

somewhere, but emotionally

2016 they announced plans to

to a football match, it was more

there is always an attachment

move back to a new ground, not

than that. Going to AFC

remaining because of good

only in Wimbledon, but on

Wimbledon’s new ground on

times spent there in the past.

Plough Lane itself, just about 400

Plough Lane wasn’t just about

And there is no doubt that living

yards down the road from the old

seeing a team play in a new

in Wimbledon in the late 80s and

ground. By then, my interest in

football ground, it was also

watching the Dons was a good

the club had been rekindled as

opening back up a memory bank

time in my life, and it was

my daughter had accepted a

of happy times spent.

thought provoking to say the

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

A View from Afar Ian Templeman

@iantemplemanloi

least to be standing outside the

even though it was over 30 years

house that was at the centre of

since I had last walked to watch a

my memories from that time.

game of football in the locality.

My walk to the new ground was

At full time, I made my way out of

uneventful, but at the same time

the ground and headed back in

pleasantly familiar, as the houses

the direction of the station,

and streets along the route didn’t

taking the chance to walk past

seem to have changed and

my old front door once again. In

looked the same as I

the late 80s I’d have been going

remembered them. Once I

back through that front door, to

reached the start of Plough Lane

start getting ready to enjoy a

itself, I paused to look at the new

Saturday night out somewhere

flats and memorial on the site of

with the future Mrs T. But the

the old ground, before

2021 version of me had a train

continuing another 400 yards or

back to Manchester to catch, so I

so down the road and entering

carried on walking back to

the new stadium for the first

Wimbledon station, and mulled

time.

over the day’s events as I walked.

the old one. But for me, going to watch AFC Wimbledon is not just

It’s a nice, neat stadium with

There will be supporters reading

good views from all sides, and

this who only have one match

while the game itself was nothing

day experience watching one

special, it ended on a high note

team to recall, be it Pats or

with Wimbledon’s Luke

anyone else. But when you have

McCormick smashing home a

moved around the UK like I have,

90th minute equaliser to salvage

and followed the local team

a 1-1 draw after the Dons had

where I lived, you build up more

dominated the second half.

than one experience, and it just

Echoes of the never-say-die

happens that in my case,

attitude that the team of the

watching AFC Wimbledon

1980s had in spades.

provokes many other nonfootball related memories.

But the whole experience was a strange one in a way, because

AFC Wimbledon may have made

although I was visiting a ground I

a physical move back to their

had never been to before, and

spiritual home, and it was natural

watching players who I wasn’t

that I would be curious to see

well acquainted with, I felt

what the new ground looked like,

entirely comfortable in my

after spending many an

surroundings. It felt familiar,

enjoyable Saturday afternoon in

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

about supporting 11 men kicking a ball about. The present-day Dons are not a team I have supported all my life, or not just my English team in the here and now, but they represent a connection back to my past, and some great memories and happy days from over 30 years ago. And it really is rather nice to know that I can go back there again and not just watch a football match, but enjoy a visit back to a place that not only gives a pleasant warm glow of familiarity - but also brings a slight lump in the throat too.

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

Club History Dermot Looney

1950/51: Pat’s Final Non-League Season Leinster Senior League Division One For 1950/51, St Pat’s again lined out in a Leinster Senior League Division One they had won three times on the trot. There were 14 teams in the Division for this season; alongside Pat’s were Longford Town, Jacobs, Grangegorman, St Paul’s, St James’ Gate, UCD, Botanic and the B teams of LOI clubs Drumcondra, Shelbourne, Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk and Transport. Among the personnel changes reported in the newspapers ahead of the season were the departure of Andy Reville to Shelbourne, with Staines moving to Holyhead FC, who had just won the Welsh League (North) title, and Comerford also moving on. Little, a forward formerly of Shamrock Rovers, joined the Saints alongside summer signings Graham, ex-Longford Town and Staunton, from Bohemians. Staunton had been a right-winger with Bohs but would go on to play most of the season at right-full for the

Saints. Goalkeeper Fox also came from Shamrock Rovers to replace Jimmy Kinahan, who announced his retirement at the end of the previous season having serving the Saints since 1944/45, first in the forwards and then in goal. However, by October Kinahan, was back in the team. “When he found his old club in sore straits for a custodian he returned,” noted WPM in the Irish Independent. Jimmy “Timber” Cummins, by now a stalwart at centre half, was also rumoured to be on his way out of Inchicore, with Dundalk and Glenavon of the Irish League both making overtures. A deal was due to have been struck with the Lurgan club but nothing came of the deal, and Cummins was to make history in the years to come in the red and white of the Athletic. St Pat’s had been the nursery for several future Irish internationals, including Mattie Geoghegan in the 1930’s, Jimmy Hartnett in the 1940’s, and George Cummins, who

spent much of this year in the Pat’s B team. But 1950/51 saw perhaps the first ever full Irish international line out for the Saints. Larry (Lar) O’Byrne had played for Shamrock Rovers since 1946 and won an international cap in a 2-0 loss to Belgium in April 1949. He had also played four times for the League of Ireland representative XI. O’Byrne moved to the Saints on a free transfer from Rovers mid-season, but his stay at Richmond was a short one, as he was to move on shortly to Drumcondra. Pat’s began their LSL season inauspiciously. The three-in-arow champs lost three and

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

@dlooney

drew one of their first five League games, but began their recovery with an 8-0 thumping of St James’ Gate in Richmond Park on October 8th. They went on to win nine out of their next ten games, drawing the other. By the end of January, Pat’s had jumped to third in the table, with 24 points from 16 games - six points off leaders Drumcondra B, but with five games in hand on the northside club thanks to cup commitments. 1951 saw the arrival of one of the greatest players in the club’s history, Shay Gibbons. His transfer from AUL Division One club Whitehall Rangers was noted in the Herald on January 31st. “Gibbons is 21 years of age, over 6 feet in height and weighs nearly 12 ½ stone. He is a minor and Junior international,” noted the short report in the “Under The Microscope” section, which also claimed that he had been offered terms by a League of Ireland club the previous week.

Gibbons had begun as a centre-half at Bohemians juniors, and played in the Irish Junior team alongside Pat’s players Maher, Noble and Timber Cummins. Moving to the forwards, he had a phenomenal scoring record for Whitehall Rangers in the same AUL Division 1 as the Pat’s B team, helping them to Leinster Junior Cup success the previous season and scoring against the Saints as recently as September 24th in this campaign. In a sign of the extraordinary scoring record to come, Gibbons scored twice on his debut away to Longford Town on February 11th in a 3-2 win. Longford’s second was scored by a future Pat’s great, “The Legend” himself, Harry Boland, who was to join Gibbons at Pat’s the following season. Gibbons’ most extraordinary achievement this season was netting all six goals in a 6-1 away win over St James’ Gate on April 15th. By this stage, Pat’s had won 13 of their previous 14 games, and were on top of the division on 38 points from 24 games, two points clear of Dundalk B in second place. The Saints were crowned League champions for the fourth time in a row on April 29th, beating UCD 4-1 at Belfield with Gibbons (2), Cassidy and Fox the scorers. The club’s utter domination of Leinster League football had reached its apogee.

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Club History Dermot Looney Cup Competitions Several of the previous seasons had seen various Cup successes for the Saints, but there were mixed fortunes in this season’s knockout competitions. There were Round One exits in the Metropolitan Cup (the League Cup for LSL Division One), at the hands of St Paul’s; the FAI Intermediate Cup, at the hands of Bohemians B; and the FAI Senior Cup, in a disappointing 2-1 loss to Drumcondra. There was, however, another spectacular run in the Leinster Senior Cup. Early round victories came against Grangegorman, St Paul’s (after a replay) and Longford Town. Pat’s again faced up against League of Ireland opposition in the semi-finals in the shape of

Drumcondra. The Saints caused yet another shock with a 4-1 win away in Tolka Park, with a hat-trick from Cassidy (one pen) and a single goal from Maher winning the tie. “St Patrick’s Do It Again – On Drums This Time!” read the headline in the following day’s Irish Press. “Once more this Leinster League team has whacked League of Ireland opponents in a Cup-tie,” wrote Socaro. Pat’s “thoroughly deserved their 4-1 win,” he noted. “The heavy ground suited St Patrick’s, who forced the pace from the start, and were leading 3-0 at the interval. It was Billy Mulville, former Drumcondra captain, who was chief architect in St Patrick’s victory.” “If St Patrick’s Athletic’s display is Leinster League football, then let us have more of it,” effused WPM in the Irish Independent, who credited Mulville, former Shamrock Rovers man Murray, hat-trick hero Cassidy and goalkeeper Kinahan as among Pat’s best performers. “St Patrick’s Athletic have now the proud record of having beaten all the League of Ireland teams in Dublin in Cup-ties during the

past four years.” The Pat’s team was Kinahan, Doyle, Byrne, Murray, Cummins, Mulville, Staunton, Cassidy, Maher, White and Donnelly. The final against Dundalk in Dalymount Park on St Stephens’ Day famously saw the first ever white ball in Irish football, replacing the traditional brown ball due to the poor light. The League of Ireland club came back from a goal down to net two, the second in the final minute, and win their first ever Leinster Senior Cup on a 2-1 scoreline. “White Ball Blacked Out St Patrick’s Athletic” read the headline in the Irish Press. “Whether the white ball had any hand in the Dundalk win is

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

@dlooney rather a moot point, but certainly up to the time of its introduction Dundalk did not look as if they were going to figure as winners.”

Other football films will be included. The object is to let numerous players in the area and others interested see the best cross-Channel men in action. Admission is free.”

Snippets There was another significant turnover of players for the Pat’s B team, who again competed in Division 1 of the AUL. George Cummins was back at Richmond Park, having moved from Pat’s to Bohemians the previous year. He went on a month’s trial at Everton in November, signing by the end of the month. He went on to play 24 times for the Toffees before moving to Luton Town, where he played 184 times over 8 years. He got 19 senior caps and 5 goals for the Republic of Ireland between 1953 and 1961.

Pat’s played what is likely to have been their first ever match outside of Ireland on May 19th with a trip to Holyhead Town in Wales. The local side won against the run of play on a 2-1 scoreline, with Gibbons the Saints’ scorer. The Irish Press reported the election of the St Pat’s officers on June 14th as Chairman M Dunne, Hon Treasurer J Cronin, Hon Secretary W McCormack, and Management Committee members SJ Harrison, R Darlington, P Dunphy and BJ Cummins.

way. This was the final season in which St Patrick’s Athletic were outside the top division of Irish football; getting to the League of Ireland had been a remarkable achievement, and staying there at the top has been equally so. In our next issue, the final one of the 2021 season, we will examine how St Patrick’s Athletic were eventually admitted to the senior ranks, and look at how the club who had already produced so many giant-killings were about to cause one of the biggest shocks in Irish football history.

Into the Unknown On November 29th the Herald reported on an interesting event organised by the club. “St Patrick’s Athletic have arranged to show a motion picture of last season’s English Cup Final at the Railway Institute, Inchicore tonight.

1950/51 was to be the club’s final season in non-League football. They had dominated the LSL Division One for four years, as well as winning various Cup competitions, regularly beating League of Ireland opposition along the

SHAY GIBBONS

Season Statistics League position: 1st

Cup record: Leinster Senior Cup Runners-Up, FAI Senior Cup R1, FAI Intermediate Cup R1, Metropolitan Cup R1

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Club Shop https://supersaintsstore.com/

Home Jersey Small Youths to 4XL

Staff Match Day Jacket Small Youths to 3XL

50 65

Home Walk Out Jacket Small Youths to 4XL

Home Warm Up Jersey Small Youths to 4XL

50 65

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Ronan O’Flaherty @karl_pats

Away Jersey Small Youths to 4XL

Red Training Jersey Small Youths to 3XL

50 65

White Training Jersey Small to 3XL

Navy Training Jersey

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Small to 3XL

35 47

SSE Airtricity. Official Sponsor of the Premier Division.

Player Apps & Goals 2021 League of Ireland

FAI Cup

Total

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Start

Sub

App

Goals

Vítězslav Jaroš

John Mountney

Ian Bermingham

Sam Bone

Lee Desmond

Jamie Lennon

Robbie Benson

Chris Forrester

Ronan Coughlan

Jason McClelland

Matty Smith

Paddy Barrett

Billy King

Alfie Lewis

Darragh Burns

Ben McCormack

Shane Griffin

James Abankwah

Kyrian Nwoko

Josh Keeley

Kian Corbally

Tommy Lonergan

Sam Curtis

Jak Hickman

Cian Kelly

Barry Murphy

Own Goal

Nahum Melvin-Lambert

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

Pld

Pts

SHAMROCK ROVERS

L W D W W

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC

W L W W D

SLIGO ROVERS

DERRY CITY

L W L

D D

BOHEMIANS

D D

DROGHEDA UNITED

L W W L

DUNDALK

-4

D W D

FINN HARPS

-13

WATERFORD

-18

D W W L

-42

10 LONGFORD TOWN

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17• St Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers

LAST 5 MATCHES

L L

D W W L

D L

L W

49 49

Results & Lineouts 2021 Date

Opposition

Venue Comp Score

Starting XI

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

6-0

Jaroš

Barrett

Bermingham

Bone

Desmond

Lennon

Lewis

Fri 30 July

Shamrock Rovers

Away

Series 22

1-3

Jaroš

Mountney 1

Barrett

Bone

Desmond

Lewis

Benson

Fri 06 Aug

Dundalk

Away

Series 23

4-1

Jaroš

Mountney

Bermingham

Barrett

Desmond

Lewis

McCormack

Fri 13 Aug

Waterford

Home Series 24

2-1

Jaroš

Bone

Bermingham

Barrett

Desmond

Lewis

McCormack

Fri 20 Aug

Finn Harps

Away

Series 25

1-3

Jaroš

Bone

Bermingham

Barrett

McClelland

Lewis

McCormack

Fri 27 Aug

Cork City

Away

Rnd 2

1-1

Jaroš

Hickman

Bermingham

Abankwah

McClelland

Lewis

Lennon

Fri 03 Sept

Longford Town

Home Series 26

3-2

Murphy

Bone

Bermingham

Abankwah

Barrett

Lewis

Forrester

Sat 11 Sept

Sligo Rovers

Away

Series 27

0-2

Jaroš

Hickman

Bermingham

Bone

Barrett

Lewis

Forrester

Fri 17 Sept

Wexford

Home Qtr Final

3-0

Jaroš

Hickman

Bermingham

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

McCormack

Fri 24 Sept

Shamrock Rovers

Home Series 28

0-1

Jaroš

Abankwah

Bermingham

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

Lewis

Fri 01 Oct

Drogheda Utd

Away

Series 29

1-0

Jaroš

Abankwah

Grifﬁn

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

Lewis

Fri 15 Oct

Derry City

Away

Series 31

0-1

Jaroš

Abankwah

Grifﬁn

Bone

Desmond

Lennon

Lewis

Fri 22 Oct

Dundalk

Home Semi Final

2-1

Jaroš

Abankwah

Bermingham

Barrett

Desmond

Lennon

Lewis

Mon 25 Oct

Dundalk

Home Series 32

1-0

Jaroš

Hickman

Grifﬁn

Bone

Desmond

Lennon

Lewis

Fri 29 Oct

Longford Town

Away

Series 33

4-1

Jaroš

Abankwah

Bermingham

Bone

Barrett

Lennon

Forrester

Mon 01 Nov Bohemians

Home Series 30

2-2

Jaroš

Hickman

Grifﬁn

Bone

Barrett

Lewis

Forrester

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

Series 36

0-1

Sun 28 Nov

Bohemians

AVIVA FINAL

0-1

Benson

Won 4-1 on penalties AET

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

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

Lewis

King

Forrester

King

Coughlan

Forrester

Lewis

Coughlan

Forrester

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 B Murphy

Smith

Coughlan 1

Mountney

Bermingham

McCormack

Corbally

Norris

Melvin-Lambert

Smith

Burns

Lewis

McCormack

Corbally

Grifﬁn

Norris

Melvin-Lambert

B Murphy

Smith

Grifﬁn

McClelland

McCormack

Melvin-Lambert

Norris

Corbally

B Murphy

Keeley

Barrett

Benson

Grifﬁn

Corbally

Norris

B Murphy

Keeley

Barrett

Melvin-Lambert

Grifﬁn

Norris

Corbally

B Murphy

Keeley

McCormack

Norris

Corbally

B Murphy

Keeley Corbally

Lewis

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Lewis

Coughlan

Forrester

Smith

Lewis

Coughlan

Forrester

Benson

Bermingham Melvin-Lambert Coughlan

McCormack

1 Benson

Melvin-Lambert 1

1 McCormack

King

Smith

Forrester

Benson

Lewis

Melvin-Lambert McCormack

Corbally

Norris

King

Smith

Forrester

Coughlan 1 Burns

McClelland

McCormack Norris

Corbally

Lonergan

B Murphy

Keeley

King

Smith

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

Smith

Forrester

McCormack

Bermingham

Lonergan

Abankwah

Corbally

Fay

Smith

McCormack 1

Mountney

Corbally

Lonergan

Abankwah

Burns

Benson

McClelland

Coughlan

Melvin-Lambert

McCormack

Nwoko

Bermingham

McClelland

Bone

King

Lennon

Coughlan

Nwoko

McClelland

King

McClelland 1

King

Burns

King

Forrester

Melvin-Lambert 1

Forrester

King

Melvin-Lambert 1

Forrester

Burns

Lennon

Coughlan

McClelland

King

Melvin-Lambert

Forrester

Smith

Hickman

Burns

Coughlan

Nwoko

Burns

King

Forrester

Coughlan

Melvin-Lambert Grifﬁn

McCormack

Coughlan

Smith

Hickman

McCormack

King

Coughlan

Smith

McCormack

King

Forrester

Smith

Burns

Coughlan

Forrester

Burns

Coughlan

Burns

King

Smith

Burns

Burns Burns

King

B Murphy

Keeley

B Murphy

Keeley

Lennon

Abankwah

B Murphy

Keeley

Corbally

Curtis

B Murphy

Curtis

Corbally

Nwoko

Lonergan

B Murphy

Abankwah

Corbally

Lennon

Curtis

B Murphy

Nwoko

Curtis

Corbally

Lonergan

B Murphy

Keeley

Grifﬁn

Nwoko

Melvin-Lambert Corbally

Lennon

McClelland

Keeley

Melvin-Lambert

Lennon

Nwoko

Abankwah

Corbally

Grifﬁn

McClelland

B Murphy

Lewis

Coughlan 1

Abankwah

McClelland

Melvin-Lambert Corbally

Grifﬁn

Nwoko

B Murphy

Smith

King

Grifﬁn

Melvin-Lambert

McCormack

McClelland

Corbally

Hickman

Nwoko

B Murphy

Forrester

Smith

Desmond

King

McCormack

Nwoko

Melvin-Lambert

McClelland

Hickman

Corbally

B Murphy

Forrester

Smith

Benson

McClelland

Bermingham

Coughlan

Nwoko

Melvin-Lambert

Hickman

Corbally

B Murphy

Hickman

Benson

Coughlan

McClelland

Grifﬁn

Melvin-Lambert

Nwoko

Keeley

B Murphy

Barrett

Abankwah

Corbally

A Murphy

Keeley

B Murphy

Hickman

Grifﬁn

Melvin-Lambert

Nwoko

Keeley

B Murphy

Lonergan

Corbally

Keeley

B Murphy

Smith

King

Forrester

Smith

Benson

King

Nwoko

McClelland

Burns

Melvin-Lambert

Bermingham

Benson

Burns

Smith

McClelland

Desmond

King

Lewis

Melvin-Lambert

Smith

Burns

Benson

Burns

King

B Murphy

Forrester

McClelland 1 Abankwah

2021 Season • Vol. 33 • No.17 • St Patrick’s Athletic v SLigo Rovers

Bermingham Desmond

OUR TEAM ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. For Commercial Insurance Enquiries:

Cian Morris 086 3520 854