St. Pat’s Capitalize on Drogheda Red Card for Comfortable 4-1 Victory
St. Patrick’s Athletic secured a commanding 4-1 win over a resilient but ultimately outmatched Drogheda United, who were reduced to 10 men in a dramatic first half at Richmond Park. The victory, which marked the Saints’ largest margin of the season, was fueled by a combination of sharp attacking play and key moments of misfortune for the visitors.
The hosts, fresh off their return from European duties, wasted no time asserting themselves. Within the first two minutes, Jake Mulraney, who would go on to be named Man of the Match, created an early opportunity by racing down the left wing and delivering a dangerous cross. Brandon Kavanagh, left unmarked in the box, appeared certain to score after Luke Dennison fumbled the ball, but Drogheda’s James Bolger heroically cleared off the line.
Drogheda United, coming off a stunning 7-0 triumph over Sligo Rovers, were eager to build on that momentum, especially with Louth rivals Dundalk just a point behind in the battle to avoid relegation. The Drogs showed flashes of danger in attack, but the contest turned dramatically in favor of St. Pat’s as the first half progressed.
The pivotal moment came when Drogheda’s Luke Heeney was judged to have handled the ball on the line, following a chaotic scramble in the penalty area. Despite his best attempts to conceal the infraction, the referee pointed to the spot, and Chris Forrester calmly converted the penalty to give St. Pat’s the lead, much to the delight of the home crowd.
As the half drew to a close, the game took another unexpected turn. Play was halted seven minutes before the break after Drogheda’s Douglas James-Taylor reported a disturbing comment from the crowd to referee Rob Hennessy. Following the brief interruption, Drogheda rallied and were awarded a penalty of their own when Frantz Pierrot was brought down by Tom Grivosti. James-Taylor stepped up and coolly dispatched the spot-kick to draw the visitors level, momentarily silencing the Richmond Park faithful.
However, St. Pat’s responded immediately. Just seconds after Drogheda’s equalizer, Zach Elbouzedi surged down the right wing and delivered a low cross that Mulraney bundled over the line to restore the hosts’ lead. The duo combined again shortly after the interval, with Elbouzedi whipping in a pinpoint cross that Mulraney headed home for his second goal of the night, giving the Saints a comfortable cushion.
Despite being down a man, Drogheda continued to fight, particularly from set-pieces. Aaron Harper Bailey, making his league debut, caused problems for the St. Pat’s defense with a series of long throws, but the home side’s defense held firm.
In the final moments, St. Pat’s added gloss to the scoreline with a stunning goal from substitute Mason Melia. Picking up a pass from Forrester, Melia cut inside on his right foot and unleashed a powerful low drive that left Dennison with no chance, sealing a comprehensive victory for the Saints.
The win keeps St. Pat’s slim hopes of European qualification alive, while Drogheda United must regroup quickly as they continue their battle to avoid the drop.
St. Patrick’s Athletic Lineup: Joseph Anang; Carl Axel Sjoberg (Ryan McLoughlin, 71’), Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti, Anto Breslin; Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon; Jake Mulraney (Alex Nolan, 75’), Brandon Kavanagh (Jason McClelland, 71’), Zach Elbouzedi (Al-Amin Kazeem, 81’); Aidan Keena (Mason Melia, 75’)
Unused Subs: Danny Rogers, Aaron Bolger, Conor Keeley, Luke Turner
Drogheda United Lineup: Luke Dennison; David Webster, James Bolger (Jack Keaney, 78’), Andrew Quinn (Adam Foley, 54’); Elicha Ahui (Aaron Harper Bailey, 62’), Luke Heeney, Darragh Markey (Warren Davis, 78’), Ryan Brennan, Conor Kane (Aaron McNally, 54’); Frantz Pierrot, Douglas James-Taylor
Unused Subs: Andrew Wogan, Gary Deegan, Matthew O’Brien, Bridel Bosakani
Referee: Rob Hennessy