Latest news with #Spurs-bound
The Irish Sun
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
More frustration for St Patrick's Athletic as Waterford overcome Mason Melia brace to gain a point
MASON MELIA followed up passing his driving test with a brace for St Pat's but Conan Noonan salvaged a deserved point for Waterford with a late leveller. Melia's brilliant first-half double looked to have got Stephen Kenny's side motoring again after Monday's 4-0 mauling at Shamrock Rovers. But having taken an early lead, John Coleman's Blues came to play and Saints hit a road block when the impressive Noonan netted ten minutes from time at Richmond Park. When Grant Horton's deep cross was not dealt with, the ball ran for midfielder Noonan who rifled a low shot to the corner of Joseph Anang's net from a tight angle. Still without the injured Romal Palmer, and with Jamie Lennon suspended, Saints were boosted by the earlier-than-expected returns of midfielders Chris Forrester and Kian Leavy in five changes from Monday's loss in Tallaght. With the return of fullbacks Axel Sjoberg and Anto Breslin, they also reverted to what manager Kenny referred to as their 'identity' 4-2-3-1 formation. Read More On Irish Football Rowan McDonald and Noonan came back in for the Blues in two switches from their defeat at home to Rovers last Friday, which ended a run of four straight wins. Poor defending was the hallmark of Saints' defeat in Tallaght and they carried it on here to find themselves behind as early as 70 seconds. Blues keeper Stephen McMullen's clearance went right to the other end and Pat's skipper Joe Redmond's clearing header bounced off the back of team-mate Barry Baggley's head. Noonan hooked the loose ball into the St Pat's penalty area where former Saint Tommy Lonergan initially failed to control it. Most read in Football But the danger remained when Seán Hoare failed to clear with the ball falling to Horton. And his shot came back off Sjoberg to tee up Lonergan for his fourth goal of the season. Wild scenes in Naples as fans celebrate after Scott McTominay wins Serie A for Napoli How things change as 18 months ago he was scoring for Pat's as they won the FAI Cup final. Clearly rattled, Pat's survived going 2-0 down from Waterford's second corner of the game. McDonald was not tracked from Noonan's delivery and should have done better than bounce his header over. Anang then rescued the hosts with a stunning save when tipping over Noonan's acrobatic bicycle kick. Pat's needed something special to get them back into it and it arrived on 28 minutes from 17-year-old Spurs-bound Melia. Redmond was given far too much space to advance from deep to rifle a shot at goal. It was never going to go in but Melia showed his striker's instinct to cleverly get in front of Darragh Leahy, nick the ball around him and drill it past McMullan. And four minutes later, the young gun proved that he is well and truly no longer a learner as he put Saints in front with another stunning strike. 1 Simon Power reacts during the 2-2 draw at Richmond Park Sjoberg's long clearance from a Waterford corner was poorly controlled by James Olayinka on the halfway line. And showing power and pace beyond his years, Melia bustled past the sluggish Olayinka to race through and fire to the corner of the net for a brilliantly composed fourth goal in four games and fifth of the season. The game remained entertainingly open into the second half. Jake Mulraney's free-kick shaved a post for St Pat's at one end before Lonergan's header from a Noonan corner was saved by Anang at the other. Another Noonan corner almost brought a leveller when coming off Hoare to strike a post before Waterford got their due reward on 80 minutes. SUN STAR MAN Mason Melia (St Pat's) ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Anang 7; Sjoberg 6, Hoare 6, Redmond 7, Breslin 7; Forrester 6 (McLaughlin, 57, 6), Baggley 6; Elbouzedi 7, Leavy 7 (McClelland, 73, 6), Mulraney 6 (Power, 57, 6); Melia 9 (Keena, 76, 6). WATERFORD: McMullan 7; McDonald 7, Leahy 6, Burke 7; Horton 7, Olayinka 6, Glenfield 6 (McMenamy, 85, 6), Noonan 8, White 6 (Dempsey, 63, 6); Lonergan 7, Amond 6. REFEREE: R Hennessy (Clare) 6.
RTÉ News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Kerr McInroy strikes at the death as Shelbourne defeat St Patrick's Athletic
Shelbourne came from behind to win their first SSE Airtricity Premier Division game in six as St Patrick's Athletic lost their fifth away game of the season, with a Kerr McInroy goal in the 90th minute securing a 2-1 victory for the hosts. St Pat's dominated the opening 45 and deservedly led 1-0 at the break through Mason Melia's third goal of the season. But Shels manager Damien Duff worked the oracle at the break, making a triple substitution which transformed his side. Goals from Harry Wood and a late late second goal from McInroy gave the home side a much-needed three points after a recent run that saw the champions pick up only three points from a possible 15. On a perfect night for football, Sean Gannon dropped out of the Shels side that lost to Waterford, with Sam Bone coming in, as did Tyreke Wilson on the wing. St Pat's defender Sean Hoare replaced Tom Grivosti, while Chris Forrester, John Martin and their leading goalscorer Aidan Keena also came in from the side that lost in Derry. There was plenty of early action. However, Keena's left-foot shot from the edge of the area in the fifth minute didn't really put Conor Kearns to the test. At the other end, Shels skipper Mark Coyle tested the fingers of visiting keeper Joe Anang as he pushed Coyle long-distance effort over the bar. But it was the home keeper who was the busier in a hectic opening spell as Kearns then saved a goal-bound Zax Elbouzedi shot with his feet, with the keeper denying Kenna's 22-yard free-kick and Forrester's similar effort with diving saves to his right as St Pat's hunted for the opener. But Kearns had no chance as the visitors took the lead just before the half-hour mark as Spurs-bound Melia (above) picked up a loose ball in the area and his curling shot hit the net via the post. It was the 17-year-old's third league goal of season and was just reward for all their early pressure. Kian Leavy fizzed a shot over the Shels bar before the half against a side lacking intensity, an aspect that their manager Damien Duff had alluded to with their recent poor run over the last five games. Duff rung the changes after the half-time break, bringing on Sean Gannon, Ellis Chapman and James Norris for Wilson, Martin and Bone, and it paid off instantaneously as Shels equalised just two minutes after the restart. With Forrester lying on the ground with what looked like a hamstring injury, Shels played on as Gannon fed Evan Caffery on the right and his ball across the area was turned into the net by Harry Wood. The goal transformed Shels and McInroy was just off target with a thumping drive from the edge of the area in the 54th minute. Damien Duff was booked just after the hour mark for pitch encroachment by referee Kevin O'Sullivan as the intensity increased, with tackles flying in from all angles and with the officials at time struggling to keep control at times in the rarefied atmosphere. It seemed as if the game was heading for all-square but a poor Joe Redmond header went straight to McInroy, who had time to steady himself and thump the ball past Anang to send the home fans into raptures, while there was disappointment for the healthy travelling support in a sell-out crowd Shelbourne: Conor Kearns, Mark Coyle (captain), Sam Bone (James Norris 45), Kameron Ledwidge ; Evan Caffrey, Kerr McInroy, JJ Lunney, Tyreke Wilson (Sean Gannon 45); John Martin (Ellis Chapman 45), Harry Wood (John O'Sullivan 79) ; Mipo Odubeko (Daniel Kelly (90+5) St Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Anang; Carl Axel Sjoberg,(Conor Carty 90+2) Sean Hoare Joseph Redmond (captain), Anthony Breslin; Chris Forrester (Barry Crowe Baggley 51), Jamie Lennon, Kian Leavy (Brandon Kavanagh (90+2; Zachary Elbouzedi (Jake Mulraney 79), Mason Melia Aidan Keena (Simon Power 79)
