Jake Mulraney the extra-time hero as St Patrick's Athletic edge past Nomme Kalju in dramatic Conference League qualifier

The Irish Sun

5 days ago

ST PAT'S were singing in the rain as Jake Mulraney's goal in extra-time edged them beyond Nomme Kalju and into the next round of the UEFA Conference League.
They feared the worst when two goals either side of half-time put the Slovenian club ahead on aggregate in Tallinn.
2
Jake Mulraney scored the winner as St Pat's beat Nomme Kalju
Credit: Evaldas Semiotas/Sportsfile
2
Joe Redmond sent the game to extra time with a 90th minute goal
Credit: Evaldas Semiotas/Sportsfile
However, Joe Redmond spared their blushes with a 90
th
minute goal to send the game to extra-time, before
Jake
Mulraney's cross-cum-shot completed the comeback.
Their reward is a date with the loser of Besiktas vs Shaktar Donetsk in the
qualifiers
.
All told, Stephen Kenny's men made Thursday's task far harder for themselves than it needed to be having led on aggregate going into the second leg.
Pat's started the game aggressively, with Jake Mulraney – in for the injured Zach Elbouzedi – and Mason Melia testing Maksim Pavlov, while a cross from the former very nearly found the latter at the back stick.
Read More on Conference League
Kalju had offered little to nothing going the other way, despite needing at least one goal to keep their Conference League dreams alive.
And then, out of nothing and with three minutes of the first-half left, the Slovenians were in front.
Kristjan Kask made a good run inside Joe Redmond and received down the left.
His low cross found Ivans Patrikejeva who, after escaping Barry Baggley, stroked beyond Anang to take the lead on the night and level the tie.
Most read in Football
Pat's tried to respond instantly, with Mason Melia curling narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
next
goal just four minutes into the second-half.
Watch hilarious moment Stephen Kenny bumped into Alan Reynolds on the street before Dublin derby
A cross from the right went all the way across to Nikita Ivanov on the left.
He swung a lovely cross into the middle, where Mattias Mannilaan headed home to give the hosts the lead on aggregate.
Chris Forrester – who scored the first leg winner at Richmond Park – was immediately brought on in response but it was Aidan Keena who was twice denied by Pavlov.
A difficult task was made all the harder when Keena had to be withdrawn injured for Conor Carty with just under 20 minutes to go.
With every passing minute, Pat's got more and more desperate.
A slick give and go between Forrester and fellow substitute Brandon Kavanagh presented the former with a volley chance that was blocked.
The ball broke out to the edge of the box for Ryan McLaughlin, whose effort was thwarted off the line.
All the while, they had to be wary of the threat at the other end, with Guilherme Smith forcing a good save from Anang after skipping inside McLaughlin and Jamie Lennon.
They finally got the break they needed in injury time when Jake Mulraney was fouled outside the box and took the set piece himself.
He drew an unconvincing save from Pavlov and Joe Redmond was there to tuck in the rebound to send the tie to extra time.
Rain cascaded down in Tallinn during the interval and, two minutes after the restart, Pat's took retook the aggregate lead.
Once again, it came from Mulraney, who cut onto his left and sent a curling effort over Pavlov to complete the comeback.
Intentional or no, Pat's had their aggregate lead back.
The closest Kalju came to levelling the tie was a late free-kick that skid off the sopping wet surface but was held by Joseph Anang.
SUN
STAR
MAN
Simon
Power (St Patrick's Athletic)
ST PAT'S:
Anang 6; McLaughlin 6, Redmond 6, Grivosti 7, McClelland 6 (Breslin 96, ; Baggley 5 (Forrester 51, 7), Lennon 6; Mulraney 8 (Kazeem 106, 6), Leavy 6 (Kavanagh 71, 7), Power 8; Melia 6 (Keena h/t, 6; Carty 71, 6).
NOMME KALJU:
Pavlov 6; Tarassenkov 5, Korre 5, Tambedou 6, Nikolajev 5; Patrikejeva 6 (Baptista 106, , Musolitin 5 (Orlov 112, 5), Ivanov 5 (Marin 80, 5), Kask 6 (Esono 96, 5); Mannilaan 6, Guilherme Smith 5 (Jabir 87, 5).
REFEREE:
Menelaos 6