St Patrick's Athletic 3 - Sligo Rovers 0A double from defender Luke Turner might have kick-started Saint Patrick's Athletic's season, even if he were upstaged late on by the teenage sensation Mason Melia. Turner's first-half double eased the tension in Dublin 8 and Rovers' boss John Russell had humanitarian concerns that trumped this defeat as Nando Pijnaker was carried off the pitch after a horrible clash with his own goalkeeper. Melia's stunning strike will have Pat's fans especially happy going home this evening, even if they accept he will not be playing in Dublin for too long. Moreover, this looked more like what pre-season expectations were off the home side. U2's 'It's A Beautiful Day' rang out about Inchicore pre-match; it was hardly appropriate on yet another wet one, the Richmond Park surface unable to show its best. Still, the locals had more to chat about, both Saints' poor start to the season and the dropping of Chris Forrester from the home side. Almost unimaginable as that would have been since he returned to the club, Jon Daly evidently looked for more solidity defensively in the engine room; perhaps it will bring about an improvement in Forrester – who has long championed Daly's coaching – too. Aaron Bolger and Jamie Lennon would provide the hosts' defensive solidity in midfield. Sligo came here on a high, about as left-field a candidate to be second at this stage as Shelbourne were to be top of the table. Early days, of course – yet this felt like a pretty big game for the hosts, who started positively, particularly Jake Mulraney on the left. He drew a foul from Pijnaker and, having gotten to his feet and delivered a perfect delivery for Joe Redmond, Mulraney could at least enjoy the Saints skipper's acknowledgement of the cross; alas for the hosts, Redmond headed wide. The opener on ten minutes looked off the training ground. Mulraney's deep corner met Conor Keely at the back stick; he headed back for Turner, who rifled home. The passionate celebration of the former Cliftonville player illustrated that this was very much an exercise in exorcising collective Pat's frustration; he had also revealed recently overcoming mental health difficulties earlier in his career – so these moments are beautiful. Connor Malley has excelled for Rovers and was key to their first chance, nice play from the visitors resulting in the in-form Ellis Chapman's effort being deflected wide on 14 minutes. Shortly after, Malley forced Dan Rogers into a good save. This was developing into a cracker. Alex Nolan, sublime in last season's FAI Cup final off the bench, ran at the Sligo defence before his rasping drive was touched off the bar by Ed McGinty. Mulraney had to cry off injured just before the half-hour mark; Saints' strength on the bench was such that they could call on Brandon Kavanagh in his stead. Kavanagh has oodles of class and played a lovely one-two with Ruairi Keating but, after rounding McGinty, Keating was straining and could not find the target, understandably. Pat's made it 2-0 two minutes before the break. This time it was Kavanagh's delivery from another corner on the same side and Turner used his bulk to wrestle free of Niall Morahan and bundle home at the back stick. Keating could do with a goal and clearly should have realised one four minutes after the break. Ollie Denham made a total mess of controlling a routine punt; Keating, with all the time any striker would want, was badly off target. A little moment ten minutes into the second half illustrated Daly's thinking regarding Bolger in the engine area. Denham was put under enormous pressure from Bolger and, though it forced a mere throw, it energised the Camac as might the winning of a penalty. A horrible collision between McGinty and New Zealand international Pijnaker saw the latter come off worse and he was stretchered off to a respectful applause that transended loyalties in Inchicore. Fabrice Hartmann, who was unusually quiet, should have done better on 78 minutes and it felt like this might be the visitors' last chance to get back into the contest. That contest should have been over beyond doubt when Kavanagh was pulled back in the box by Reece Hutchinson but, not only did referee Paul Norton give no penalty: he also booked Daly for his protestations. Worryingly for Sligo, McGinty was clearly still groggy and had to be taken off to join Pijnaker among the war wounded. Merely three minutes of the 90 remained when Melia brought the crowd to its feet and removed such doubt about the result that even 13 minutes of injury time could not dilute. Bolger subsequently left the pitch to another standing ovation: vindication for Daly. A sumptuous Kavanagh curler nearly made it four midway through the 13. © rte.ie
