St Patrick's Athletic (1) - Karpaty Lviv (3)

St Patrick's Athletic 1 - Karpaty Lviv 3

St Patrick's Athletic have been knocked out of the Europa League after losing 3-1 to Karpaty Lviv at Tallaght Stadium tonight.

Already trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Saints went further behind on 22 minutes when Sergei Zenjov beat Gary Rogers with a fine shot.

Evan McMillan put St Pat's back in contention with a close range finish on 57 minutes, but further goals from Igor Khudobyak on 64 minutes and Igor Oshchypko eight minutes from time ensured Karpaty would progress to the Europa League play off round.

A day of drama for the Inchicore side began when the players announced through their union just before midday that they would not take part in the game due to a dispute over bonuses.

Following negotiations between the players, St Pat's officials and the FAI an agreement was reached.

Reaction from the supporters was mixed with some fans applauding the players, while others booed and held up a banner stating 'For the Love not the Money'.

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, St Pat's needed to score twice and, as in their previous games with IBV and Shakhter Karagandy, needed to stop the visitors from scoring a vital away goal.

However, Karpaty were clearly a class above Pat's recent opponents from Iceland and Kazakhstan, and following plenty of early pressure they took the lead.

Zenjov got on the end of a cross from the right on 22 minutes and swept a fine shot past Rogers into the top corner.

At that stage, Saints needed to score four times without reply to progress and it didn't help matters as manager Pete Mahon was were forced into making a change on 23 minutes when Stephen Bradley took a knock and was replaced by Ian Daly.

Saints were finding it hard to get any rhythm into their play and at times were resorting to hitting long balls down the middle.

Their visitors looked more composed as they sprayed the ball around the park.

However, the McMillan brothers, Evan and David, had chances for the home side but neither could beat Andriy Tlumak in the Karapaty goal.

Mykhaylo Kopolovets had a chance to put the Ukrainian side further ahead on 38 minutes but was wonderfully stopped in his tracks by Ian Bermingham.

Kopolovets took possession on the right and raced into the box but before he could shoot, Bermingham raced in and flicked the ball away.

Karpaty started the second half the stronger and Rogers was on his toes on 48 minutes to deny Zenjov who managed to shoot after getting on the end of a Lucas Martinez pass.

Saints were coming more and more into the game at this stage and equalised after 57 minutes.

Karpaty failed to clear Daly's corner and a bit of pinball in the area culminated with Brian Shorthall setting up Evan McMillan who shot past Tlumak from inside the six-yard box.

That goal offered a glimmer of light to Pat's but it was snuffed out on 64 minutes when the gulf in class between the two sides was clearly demonstrated again.

St Pat's failed to deal with a Karpaty attack down the left wing and when the ball came to Khudobyak, he unleashed a spectacular long range shot that gave Rogers no chance and the ball nestled in the top right corner of the net.

Clearly in control now, Karpaty further stretched their lead after 82 minutes.

The home side failed to clear Yaroslav Martynyuk's corner from the left despite several attempts and the ball eventually spilled to Oshchypko who slammed a fierce shot on target that gave Rogers no chance.

© rte.ie

Match Report

St Patrick's Athletic 1 - Karpaty Lviv 3

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