Spurs-bound Melia ends goal-wait as St Pat's mark return from Estonia with victory
St Patrick's Athletic 2
Adrian Flanagan reports from RSC
MASON MELIA ENDED a wait of six games for a goal as his first-half strike proved pivotal for St. Patrick's Athletic as they returned from Estonia to record a 2-0 win over Waterford FC in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division at the RSC on Sunday afternoon.
The Tottenham Hotspur-bound striker timed his run to perfection to finish an 18th-minute through ball from Kian Leavy to finish, and after they missed a host of chances to extend their lead, it was substitute Conor Carthy who sealed a card-ridden affair six minutes from time.
From the outside, Waterford looked hesitant in defence with Melia unlucky not to convert a Leavy delivery inside five minutes before Conan Noonan had a big chance for the hosts at the other end two minutes later, but he couldn't get a vital touch on the end of Finlay Armstrong's delivery.
Advertisement
Noonan and Tommy Lonegan linked up superbly inside the penalty area on 20 minutes with the latter getting on the ball on the left, but his shot was blocked out for a corner as the game started at a frantic tempo.
It was the Inchicore side that broke the deadlock with 18 minutes on the clock when Kian Leavy picked up possession of the ball in the middle of the park before releasing Mason Melia, who was kept onside by Ryan Burke, and the Tottenham Hotspur-bound striker fired past the helpless Stephen McMullan.
Tommy Lonergan had a penalty appeal turned down on 29 minutes when he went down under a challenge from Anto Breslin, but referee Daniel Murphy waved away appeals, before Mason Melia could have doubled the lead six minutes before the break only to fire inches wide.
Lonergan saw a looping header just clear Joseph Anang's crossbar on the stroke of half-time before the visitors started the second-half on the front foot with a big chance coming to their striker just shy of the hour-mark.
Leavy and Kavanagh linked up in the middle of the park with the latter playing Melia in between the Waterford defence, but his effort that was arrowed for the near post was turned out by McMullan before Ryan Burke blocked away an effort from captain Joe Redmond on 64 minutes.
European match-winner, Jake Mulraney, latched onto a superb through ball from Kavanagh on 70 minutes, but his angled effort was turned around the posts by Stephen McMullan as the hosts struggled to get a foothold in the game.
Referee Daniel Murphy lost the run of himself and his yellow card ten minutes from time as he showed it six times in the direction of players and management as tempers frayed after a tackle from Josh Miles on Brandon Kavanagh.
Second-half substitute Conor Carthy settled the game for the South Dublin outfit on 84 minutes when he peeled off his marker to get on the end of Kavanagh's teasing left-wing corner-kick to beat keeper McMullan with a left-footed finish from close-range.
WATERFORD FC: McMullan; Horton (Miles 59), Boyle (Coyle 84), Leahy, Burke; Armstrong (Dempsey 59); Rossiter (Glenfield 82), McDonald (Olayinka 59); Lonergan, Amond, Noonan.
ST. PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Anang; Sjoberg, Redmond, Grivosti, Breslin (Kazeem 38); Lennon, Leavy, Kavanagh (Robinson 90), Forrester (Baggley 90), Mulraney (Carthy 75); Melia (Power 75).
Referee: Daniel Murphy (Dublin).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
8 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
'The FAI asked me if I wanted to be their coach' - Ole Gunnar Solskjær reveals Ireland offer
Uefa Conference League third round (first leg): St Patrick's Athletic v Besiktas, Tallaght Stadium, Thursday 7.45pm Ole Gunnar Solskjær has revealed he was approached by the FAI about the Ireland vacancy last year, admitting he was asked if I wanted to be their coach. The former Manchester United boss leads Turkish side Besiktas into battle with St Patrick's Athletic in Thursday's Conference League clash but may have succeeded his counterpart Stephen Kenny in the Ireland hotseat. Despite downplaying reports of links during the arduous 231-day FAI search to fill the vacancy, Solskjær has provided an enlightening insight about how close he came to being appointed before Heimir Hallgrímsson landed the post. Solskjær was unemployed from the time his three-year spell at United ended in 2021 to accepting the role in Turkey last March. Asked by the Irish Examiner if he might have been Kenny's successor, he replied: 'The FAI asked me if I wanted to be their coach. 'We I had some good conversations but in the end it didn't turn out that way. I am very happy where I am now.' When it was put to if he or the FAI ended the possibility of exploring international management, he was non-committal. 'That would be confidential but we had some good chats.' It's not overstating to foresee Solskjær returning to the jobs market if side are scalped by the Saints over the two legs. He's already facing pressure after a sluggish start to the season and the notion of being dumped out by the Irish side will be anathema to their loyal hardcore. Solskjær takes a selfie with a fan. Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Solskjær has experience of Irish competition, his Norwegian side Molde overcoming Sligo Rovers in the 2013 Champions League, but he's cautioning the expectant Turks about the challenge looming against the Dubliners. 'Pressure is a privilege — something we thrive on underneath,' he explained about their current plight. 'When results go against you, you don't enjoy that period but it's a chance to show character, show individual character. 'Football is a bumpy road and you have to manoeuvre and accept it. If you don't results, there will be criticism and If you win every day you are still not perfect. 'If people think we think we are better than St Pat's, they're wrong. Last year, they got to the playoffs and I'm sure they want to go one step further. 'I wouldn't call anything a free hit in football anymore.' The man known as the baby-faced assassin from his playing days recognises pedigree in Mason Melia, the teen striker he branded a 'good signing' for Tottenham at €1.9m. 'We saw his movement for his goal against Waterford at the weekend' he said of his scouting duties. 'He spun the centre back and timed his run. He's a proper No. 9, he can play off the shoulder, can come short too and is a good finisher as well. 'He's got the world ahead of him and I wish him all the best — after our two games against them finish in eight days from now.' Saints must move to Tallaght due to the limitations of their Richmond Park home but are anticipating most of the 8,500 seats to be occupied. The full away allocation of 500 was taken up by Besiktas.
Irish Daily Mirror
8 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Shamrock Rovers missing key players through injury for Ballkani clash in Kosovo
Stephen Bradley is adamant Shamrock Rovers can reach another European League phase - by doing it the hard way. But the Hoops' cause in Kosovo on Thursday won't be helped by the absence of key figures from their will face Ballkani without Graham Burke, Jack Byrne, Matt Healy, Aaron McEneff and Trevor Clarke who all have injury Healy and Clarke are all registered in Rovers' squad that had to be submitted to UEFA for this tie, meaning they can feature in the home leg next week if Byrne and McEneff are not on the UEFA list, so they won't be available for the second-leg at Tallaght Bradley feels there is such strength in depth to his squad these days that the absence of those leading lights doesn't constitute an injury crisis. Their absence just opens the door for the likes of new midfielder Connor Malley - snapped up on loan from Sligo Rovers - who made his debut against Derry on Sunday. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . Bradley said in Kosovo: 'They're top players and if it was the last game of the season and you're going for the league, or a cup final, I'm sure they would all be available. Aaron McEneff, seen here in action against St Joseph's of Gibraltar in the previous round, is out of Shamrock Rovers' European game in Kosovo (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) 'But we're in a position that we've got a really good squad and everybody's ready to play, and we don't need to take silly risks with players.'Last year, we had to do that. We were forced into that because of the injury situation and, as a result, we kept re-injuring the players.'That's not fair on them or the group or the team and right now, we're in a place where the squad is healthy and everybody's looking to play.'We don't need to take chances with players that have niggles or who are borderline fit. We don't need to take those chances and sit on a plane for three-and-a-half hours.'Rovers want to get back to the Conference League league phase, having reached the playoff round in February only to lose on penalties to having missed out on the Premier Division title last season, they don't have the benefit of the 'champions path' in Europe, currently being enjoyed by this tie, and Rovers will be sent packing but Bradley feels the experience his team has gained in Europe will stand to said: 'We knew it was going to be hard but our aim is to get into the group phase, the league phase. Can we do it? Time will tell, but for now it's about getting ready for a tough tie and getting through that.'Shamrock Rovers defender Dan Cleary echoed Bradley, by insisting the players can rise to the challenge of securing another prolonged run in said: 'We don't have the champions path, so it's everything or nothing. Mentally, it's obviously different, but we're still doing the same thing. 'We want to win tonight, bring it back to Tallaght next week and take them on. We can't look too far ahead because it's a big game tonight and these are a good side.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Independent
9 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
‘We had some good chats' – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirms FAI approached him about succeeding Stephen Kenny
And as the former Manchester United manager returns to Ireland for a Europa Conference League tie between his Besiktas outfit and St Patrick's Athletic, he has dismissed any suggestion that the third round tie is a "free hit" for the Dublin club, with the Tottenham-bound Mason Melia a threat to his team, he fears. The Norwegian was one of the names in the frame in the long wait between the end of Kenny's reign as Ireland coach and the recruitment of Heimir Hallgrimsson, and while sources close to Solskjaer played down the reports at the time, he said in Dublin on the eve of that clash with Kenny's outfit that he was in touch. "After him [Kenny], the Irish FA asked me if I wanted to be their coach. I had some good conversations. It didn't turn out that way, I am happy where I am now. We had some good chats," he said of his dealings with the FAI. Solskjaer had the perfect outcome the last time he managed a team against Irish opposition, wins home and away with two clean sheets when his Molde outfit knocked Sligo Rovers out of the Champions League 12 years ago. But he has done his homework on the Saints, having studied their tussle with Istanbul rivals Basaksekir last year, and is wary. St Pat's are hoping that ticket sales, at the 7,000 mark on the eve of the game, can edge closer to a 10,000 sellout. Besiktas took up their allocation of 500 tickets for home-based fans but many more are expected to attend, from the Turkish community in Ireland and the UK. 'Well, if you think we think we are better than them, you're wrong, because we respect absolutely every opponent, I'm sure they want to win, expect to win. At Manchester United, Cardiff City, Molde, Besiktas, I expected my players to win, whoever they played against and I am sure they will feel the same. "Last year, they [St Pat's] got one step further than this, I am sure they want to do that, I wouldn't call anything a free hit in football anymore," he said when asked by the Irish Independent if the tie was indeed a free hit for Besiktas. The former United man also backed Melia (17) to prosper at Tottenham when he moves over in January, Solklsjaer having spied on Melia as recently as last Sunday's win away to Waterford. "When you perform at that level at 17, definitely, of course," he said when asked if Melia had Premier League quality. "You see a mature finisher, a good finisher, his movement, his goal against Waterford, the way he spun off the centre back and timed his run. I don't want to put pressure on him, I follow him as I always follow young players, when you see them early you follow their careers. I've got a few decent players from Ireland that I played with, so I am fond of Irish players," he said. 'He is a proper No. 9, he can play off the shoulder, very good at link play, he can come short as well, he's a good finisher. He's got the world ahead of him, I am sure he will have a very good career. I wish him all the best after eight or nine days from now." Solskjaer came into the tie under scrutiny back in Turkey after a 6-2 aggregate loss to Shakhtar Donetsk, which dumped Besiktas out of the Europa League with a drop into the Conference League but he says he can deal with it. 'Pressure is a privilege, it's something we thrive on underneath, we need it to play at our best," he said, his club with a new signing in the last 24 hours with the €9m purchase of Wilfried Ndidi from Leicester City. "When results go against you, you don't enjoy that period but it's a chance to show character, show individual character, and it's a bumpy road, football and you have to manoeuvre it and accept it. If you don't get results, there will be criticism, if you win every day you are still not perfect. We are in all the tournaments to win, every single game, we want to go as far as we possibly can, going to the final, that is our dream."
