Match Preview

St Patrick's Athletic vs Cork City

Ten-man Cork City's title defence started with a dramatic victory before a large crowd in the Richmond Park rain.

Goals from Barry McNamee and Graham Cummins had the champions in apparent control but the latter was sent off before Ian Bermingham and Conan Byrne helped restore parity – all of this in the opening 46 minutes.

Pat's looked for a late winner but substitute Jake Keegan had his shot bravely blocked by Shane Griffin before Kieran Sadlier's corner-kick seemed to go all the way in with eight minutes left.

A frantic opening saw Cork go ahead after three minutes. Karl Sheppard sprinted down the right and crossed for McNamee, who – just like last Sunday against Dundalk – ghosted in at the back post to slot in.

Byrne forced a fine Mark McNulty save before Cummins made it 2-0. Kevin Toner, whose battle with Cummins would involve quite a bit of needle, was unable to clear a Sheppard knock-on and Cummins blasted home on the volley.

Pat's would have felt sorry for themselves as they has been excellent notwithstanding the concession of the two goals but things changed markedly on 26 minutes when Cummins appeared to leave an arm in high in a challenge with Toner and was sent off.

Pat's were back in the game and all the more 11 minutes shy of the break when Byrne's cross was deflected in, with many in the ground believing Aaron Barry to have knocked it into his own net, but Bermingham was credited with the goal. Soccer Republic can clarify matters on Monday evening.

Byrne seems to get better with age and put the Saints level just after the break. Jimmy Keohane, a surprise starter in the City side, made a hash of a clearance before Byrne composed himself and drilled home with his left foot. He missed another decent opening soon afterwards but failed to connect, again on his left.

Seventeen minutes into the second half, Owen Garvan's sumptuous ball deserved a better finish from Dean Clarke, before Ian Turner's bicycle kick also went wide.

Cork improved after Gearoid Morrissey's introduction and grabbed an unlikely winner via Sadlier's corner-kick which seemed to evade everyone and went in.

© rte.ie

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
September, 22nd 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	3	Dundalk	1	REPORT
September, 9th 2023	Friendly	St Patrick's Athletic XI	0	LOI XI	0	REPORT
August, 11th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	0	Bohemians	0	REPORT
July, 20th 2023	EuropaConferenceLeague	St Patrick's Athletic	2	F91 Diddeleng	3	REPORT
July, 7th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Cork City	1	REPORT
June, 30th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	7	UCD	0	REPORT
June, 23rd 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Shelbourne	0	REPORT
June, 5th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	4	Derry City	1	REPORT
May, 26th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	2	Dundalk	1	REPORT
May, 12th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	3	Drogheda United	0	REPORT

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
September, 15th 2023	FaiCup	Finn Harps	1	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
September, 9th 2023	Friendly	St Patrick's Athletic XI	0	LOI XI	0	REPORT
September, 1st 2023	League	Shelbourne	2	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
August, 25th 2023	League	UCD	0	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
August, 20th 2023	FaiCup	Derry City	0	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
August, 12th 2023	Womens_under17	Sligo Rovers	0	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT
August, 4th 2023	League	Sligo Rovers	0	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
July, 23rd 2023	FaiCup	Longford Town	1	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
July, 12th 2023	EuropaConferenceLeague	F91 Diddeleng	2	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
July, 1st 2023	Womens_under17	Waterford	0	St Patrick's Athletic	0	REPORT

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
July, 7th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Cork City	1	REPORT
May, 5th 2023	League	Cork City	2	St Patrick's Athletic	3	REPORT
April, 7th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	4	Cork City	0	REPORT
February, 5th 2022	Friendly	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Cork City	0	REPORT
August, 27th 2021	FaiCup	Cork City	1	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
February, 21st 2021	Friendly	Cork City	1	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
October, 3rd 2020	League	Cork City	1	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
March, 6th 2020	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Cork City	0	REPORT
August, 2nd 2019	League	Cork City	0	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
May, 31st 2019	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Cork City	1	REPORT

Date	Competition	Home Team		Away Team
September, 22nd 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	3	Dundalk	1	REPORT
September, 1st 2023	League	Shelbourne	2	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
August, 25th 2023	League	UCD	0	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
August, 11th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	0	Bohemians	0	REPORT
August, 4th 2023	League	Sligo Rovers	0	St Patrick's Athletic	2	REPORT
July, 7th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Cork City	1	REPORT
June, 30th 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	7	UCD	0	REPORT
June, 26th 2023	League	Dundalk	1	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT
June, 23rd 2023	League	St Patrick's Athletic	1	Shelbourne	0	REPORT
June, 9th 2023	League	Drogheda United	2	St Patrick's Athletic	1	REPORT