Saints determined to remain in chase
By Daire Walsh
HEADING into tomorrow night’s encounter with Dundalk (kick-off 7.45pm) at Richmond Park, St Patrick’s Athletic remain in the hunt for the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title.
Despite a run of form that has seen them picking up just five points from their last five games, the Saints are still just three points adrift of new top-flight pace-setters Sligo Rovers.
Defending champions Shamrock Rovers are two points ahead of the Inchicore outfit at present as teams are slowly but surely becoming accustomed to the return of a more traditional 36-game season.
Heading into last Friday evening’s capital derby against Bohemians, Stephen O’Donnell’s side were looking to bounce back from consecutive reversals at the hands of Shamrock Rovers and 2021 surprise package Drogheda United.
And this is exactly what they managed, with Matty Smith and Robbie Benson finding the net either side of a Dawson Devoy finish to hand Pat’s a gutsy 2-1 victory.
Benson’s winner arrived in stoppage-time, continuing a trend that has characterised 2021 for the Inchicore club thus far. There has been elation and heartbreak in equal measure during the closing stages of many of their contests in what is proving to be a rollercoaster season for all those involved in Pat’s.
There was further late drama in their visit to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium where they faced Derry City on Monday night.
While Lee Desmond had edged Pat’s in front on 22 minutes, goals in each half from Ronan Boyce and Joe Thompson put the Candystripes in the driving seat.
This left the Saints on the brink of a third league defeat for the term, before Billy King headed home Ben McCormack’s cross to salvage a 2-2 away draw.
Pat’s shared the spoils with Dundalk when the teams met at Oriel Park back on April 17 and with many of the current squad having plied their trades with the County Louth men for so long, they certainly won’t be taking anything granted.
Head coach O’Donnell was a four-time Premier Division winner as a Lilywhites player, while current Saints triumvirate Benson, John Mountney and Paddy Barrett were his team-mates at the club.
The outcome of tomorrow’s game could hinge on what Dundalk show up at Richmond. Having ended Shamrock Rovers’ long unbeaten run at Oriel Park last Friday, they suffered a chastening 5-1 loss to Bohemians in Dalymount Park three days later.