Latest news with #StPatricksAthletic
Irish Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Mason Melia nets brace in St Pat's win over 10-man Sligo Rovers
Premier Division: St Patrick's Athletic 3 (Mulraney 49, Melia 56, 60) Sligo Rovers 0 Mason Melia scored a striker's brace inside five minutes as St Patrick's Athletic put their European disappointment firmly behind them. While the 17-year-old Tottenham Hotspur-bound striker was central to most of the game's highlights, Sligo were rightly livid at Patrick McClean's sending off just before half-time which ruined what had been a competitive game. All but out of Europe ahead of the second leg following their 4-1 home defeat to Turkish giants Besiktas last Thursday, St Pat's got their quest for European qualification next year back on track here. Stephen Kenny 's side remain sixth in the table but are now just five points away from second-placed Bohemians. READ MORE Back-to-back defeats for Sligo sees them remain in trouble second bottom of the table. The chief talking point of a pretty uninspiring first half arrived on 42 minutes when Sligo were astonished in being reduced to 10 men. Referee David MacGraith shows Sligo Rover's Patrick McClean a red card. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Centre-back McClean, who was having a very solid game, certainly tripped Melia as the teenager tried to skip by him. But despite there being obvious cover there from Sebastian Quirk, referee Damien MacGraith incensed Sligo by brandishing a straight red card to McClean for a last-man challenge in what looked an horrendous decision. 'I think everyone in the ground, bar the man in the middle, could see it was never a red card,' said Sligo manager John Russell of the decision. 'There was a covering defender. That changes the game, there is no doubt about it. 'It ruined it. It's very frustrating, we've come up here to try and get a result. 'We are fighting for our lives and it has changed the game, and we have ended up coming down the road with a 3-0 defeat.' The manager added that he spoke to MacGraith afterwards. 'I did, just briefly, at the very end of the game and he said, 'I'll have to have a look back, but for me it was a red'.' Having recently had a decision regards Sam Sargeant overturned on appeal, Sligo will do the same again. 'Yes, we have to,' said Russell. 'Thankfully we did get one overturned last week. Mason Melia heads home his first goal of the game for St Pat's. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho 'But it's hard as a manager because you don't want to be complaining all the time about decisions. 'You want the game to be played in the right manner, and we want to play the right way and Pat's want to play the right way. But the game was spoiled by the decision. 'You are coming up here this time last year we conceded a penalty in the 97th minute, and it was never a penalty and we ended up losing the game 4-3. 'It was a year to this day or something. But you are coming up today thinking, hopefully it will turn for us and we might get decisions, and then this happens. It's hugely frustrating.' Sargeant would rescue Sligo from Brandon Kavanagh's resultant free kick with a stunning save to tip the effort on to the crossbar. But the night got worse for Sligo within four minutes of the restart when St Pat's took the lead. St Pat's Jake Mulraney rounds Sligo goalkeeper Sam Sergeant to score the first goal of the game. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Sargeant was guilty of racing too far off his line from a Chris Forrester ball over the top. The goalkeeper never got there ahead of Jake Mulraney, who walked the ball into the net as Sergeant collided with his captain Will Fitzgerald for a really soft goal. Sligo were then at sixes-and-sevens as they somehow survived conceding a second goal on the double. First Sargeant saved well from Melia who had nicked the ball a little too easily off Sean Stewart. Simon Power looked set to score from the rebound but for a terrific goal-line clearance by Ollie Denham. But there was no such reprieve a minute later when St Pat's did extend their lead with another soft goal. Kavanagh's floated corner was met by the totally unmarked Melia who found the bottom corner with a downward header. Murlaney shot wide when he should have found the net before Melia added a brilliant solo goal. Sligo lost the ball cheaply with Kavanagh threading it through for Melia. Accelerating past Denham, the teen sensation nonchalantly rolled the ball with his stud beyond Sargeant before casually side-footing to the net for his ninth league goal of the season. ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Anang; Sjoberg, Redmond, Turner, McClelland; Lennon (Baggley, h-t), Forrester (Robinson, 79); Mulraney (Leavy, 79), Kavanagh, Power (Garrick, 71); Melia (Carty, 71). SLIGO ROVERS: Sargeant; Quirk, Denham, McClean, Stewart; Harkin (Wolfe, 65), McManus; Fitzgerald, Elding (Manning, 80), O'Kane; Waweru (Kavanagh, h-t). Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo). Attendance: 3,190.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Abraham nets first-half hat-trick as Besiktas beat St Pat's
UEFA Conference League St Patrick's Athletic 1 - 4 Beşiktaş FT Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham scored a first-half hat-trick as Besiktas beat St Patrick's Athletic 4-1 in their Uefa Conference League third qualifying round first-leg tie in Dublin. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's visitors were rampant in the first half with Joao Mario opening the scoring after eight minutes. Abraham, who has 11 England caps, then scored a 29-minute hat-trick to give the Turkish side a commanding 4-0 lead at the break. Simon Power pulled one back for League of Ireland St Pat's early in the second half, but they have a mountain to climb in the second leg in Istanbul in seven days' time. The winner of the tie will meet the victors between Lausanne and Kazakhstan's Astana in the play-off round, with the Swiss club 3-1 ahead after the first leg. Abraham steals the headlines in Dublin drubbing Any local optimism in Dublin was quashed after just eight minutes as Portugual midfielder Mario's effort from just outside the area was deflected past Joseph Anang in the Pats goal. The visitors doubled the lead six minutes later as Jonas Svensson's cross from the left was bundled home by Abraham. The 27-year-old English striker was causing the Irish side real problems and he grabbed his second on 23 minutes, when Mario turned provider and played the Abraham through before he dinked over Anang to extend their lead. The former Chelsea and Roma striker completed his hat-trick two minutes before the break from the penalty spot. St Pat's, managed by former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny, refused to throw in the towel and pulled a goal back three minutes into the second half as Power beat Mert Gunok at his near post. The Dublin club could have got a second minutes later as Tottenham-bound striker Mason Melia showed quick feet to work some space but had his effort saved by Gunok. Despite a stronger second-half showing, the Saints could not add a second goal, leaving them needing a minor miracle to progress beyond next week's second leg in Istanbul.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
St Patrick's Athletic v Besiktas live updates: Conference League third qualifying round
1 minute ago Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Uefa Conference League third qualifying round between St Patrick's Athletic and Besiktas from Tallaght Stadium. Kick-off is at 7.45pm. Pat's will look to follow in the footsteps of Shelbourne last night in pulling off a big upset in Europe but their task is even greater tonight against one of the big three from Turkey's Süper Lig, with many times the budget. Their manager is the former Manchester United one Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and they have a few recognisable faces – former Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham, and Portugal internationals Rafa Silva and Joao Mario to name a few. St Pat's managed to keep Turkish opposition, İstanbul Başakşehir, to a goalless draw at home in the Conference League qualifiers last year however, and Stephen Kenny will be looking for a similar performance tonight.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Mason Melia central to St Pat's hopes of producing big European shock against Besiktas
Uefa Conference League third qualifying round, first leg: St Patrick's Athletic v Besiktas, Tallaght Stadium, 7.45pm – Live, Solid Sport (stream) Mason Melia 's first media interview briefly took the attention off the enormous task facing St Patrick's Athletic against Turkish giants Besiktas on Thursday night. Ole Gunnar Solskjær brings a star-studded squad to Tallaght with a value of €143 million, according to Stephen Kenny 's side are worth just €4 million, which is a questionable figure considering that Tottenham Hotspur paid an initial €1.9 million transfer fee for Melia. But the point holds. The visitors' threat starts with former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who is on loan from Roma having recently made way for Evan Ferguson. Orkun Kokcu was a key figure for Turkey at Euro 2024. As was Czech left back David Jurasek. There is quality all over the pitch, with Kenny remembering Portuguese pair Joao Mario and Rafa Silva from the Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired 2-1 defeat of his Ireland side in 2021. READ MORE Victory over two legs would trump Kenny's glory days, when he guided Dundalk to the 2016 Europa League group stage. St Pat's bring the experience of being narrowly eliminated last season by another Istanbul side, Basaksehir, which was also the moment a 16-year-old convinced Tottenham he was worth his lucrative five-year contract. 'I think that [Basaksehir] game itself, in isolation, transformed how he [Melia] was viewed,' Kenny concurred. St Pat's manager Stephen Kenny. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Melia moves to north London in January, but the wonder is how much the teenager has developed these past 12 months while commuting from north Wicklow to Inchicore. 'I've grown into more of a man,' said the 17-year-old. 'I feel like I've got a bit bigger. 'I think I've always had my football head. Even the little things I'm learning on and off the pitch, I think I've grown into myself. I'm feeling more physical and ready for a bigger challenge.' The concern around Irish teenagers being denied a move to an English club until they turn 18 is countered by Melia's superb displays in recent European qualifiers. 'I've gained so much experience,' he continued. 'I'm still only 17 but I've played over 80 games in senior football now, and I have nights like tomorrow to look forward to. I think everything has worked out the way I would like it to work out.' The wizard of Richmond Park gave Melia a compliment recently. 'Chris Forrester said to me, 'how are you so relaxed?' I just take everything in my stride, it's what I'm here to do.' Melia, sounding as confidant as a veteran, continued: 'I've always been disciplined. I've known what I want since I was young. I did my Junior Cert and sat down with my Ma [Pamela] and said 'this is what I want to do'. 'I think it's just natural to me now, it's my job. It's what I love doing, which helps, and I think I'm really disciplined. Besiktas head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Photograph:'It's just always been football, ever since I was young, I think I started when I was about four. My family's a big football family because of my uncle [former Ireland international Clive Clarke].' St Pat's have sold over 7,000 tickets for what they hope can be a famous upset against a Besiktas side still mired in preseason. 'You have to draw on all your experiences,' said Kenny. 'They come into play. But, equally, it is a different challenge. We obviously did play Istanbul Başakşehir last year so the players have experience of playing a top Turkish team. 'It would be one of the great victories in Irish football history if we could do it. But obviously it's a big challenge, and Besiktas have a tremendous tradition and are in institution in Turkey, a big club. So we're looking forward to the game.' St Pat's must plan without injured pair Zach Elbouzedi (shoulder) and Aidan Keena for the foreseeable future, but a new signing, Jamaican winger Jordan Garrick, could feature in place of Elbouzedi. The nature of Turkish football sees Solskjær under pressure to keep his job following last week's elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk, 6-2 on aggregate. 'I've been lucky to manage against some really tough international coaches but I don't tend not to get hung up on them,' Kenny added. 'It's more about the teams you play. 'I'm always fascinated by the teams, tactically how they are. They've got a lot of good players and can change tactically. 'Rather than focus on personalities, we're focusing on the team – how it operates, how it plays, attack and defend. Those are the main facets and how we deal with that.'
Irish Times
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
St Pat's come from behind against Kalju to set up Besiktas clash
Kalju (Estonia) 2 (Patrikejevs 43, Männilaan 49) St Patrick's Athletic 2 (Redmond 90+1, Mulraney 93) (St Pat's win 3-2 on aggregate) Jake Mulraney and Joe Redmond goals rescued St Patrick's Athletic in Estonia, to earn the right to face Beşiktaş of Turkey next Wednesday in the Uefa Conference League third round qualifying. After a mystifying mid-game collapse, that led to goals for Kalju's Ivans Patrikejevs and Mattias Männilaan, Redmond's 91st-minute strike dragged this trip to Tallinn into extra-time. Mulraney's lucky finish secured a 3-2 win on aggregate that keeps Stephen Kenny's side on course to reach the Conference group stages and bank at least €4 million in prize money. READ MORE Beşiktaş will have something to say about that. For 40 minutes, St Pat's were coasting. Mulraney was threatening to win this second-leg on his own; Kalju could not handle the winger, especially when he turned onto his left foot to whip crosses towards Mason Melia. Uku Korre stretched to deny the Tottenham-bound teenager an easy header at the back post while Mulraney had two, albeit tame, shots on target in the opening 20 minutes. Kristjan Kask picked up where he left off at Richmond Park last week, somehow avoiding a yellow card for stamping on Jamie Lennon before the Cypriot referee Menelaos Antoniou booked him for a silly foul on Mulraney. Melia also shipped a cheap-shot to the ribs that may have contributed to his substitution at half-time. St Pat's looked the better side, by some distance, until an Patrikejevs goal levelled the tie two minutes before the break. Kalju had been struggling with the high press, where the work rate of Melia, Kian Leavy and Simon Power did not allow them to settle into any rhythm. There is no VAR in Conference League qualifiers, which ended up suiting St Pat's despite a legitimate penalty shout when Olek Musolitin bundled over Leavy on the edge of the box. Kalju had a stronger case after Tom Grivosti blatantly pushed Guilherme Smith. The rangy Brazilian collapsed but Antoniou and his officials missed it. Slowly, then all at once, the Estonians took control of the game. Kask drew a save from Joseph Anang as St Pat's concentration levels plummeted; the usually solid Lennon sprayed two passes to nobody before Barry Baggley wasted a third straight possession. Kalju came to life. Kask stormed down the left, cutting the ball back for Patrikejevs, who got his body across Baggley to make it 1-1 on aggregate. Melia attempted the spectacular in first half injury-time but his effort curled wide. It was the 17-year-old's last act on the night as he was replaced by Aidan Keena. Four minutes into the second half, Kenny's side were staring down the barrel of elimination when Männilaan scored from a free header after a cross by Nikita Ivanov. Grivosti never got off the ground. Chris Forrester, who scored a 90th winner in the first leg, was immediately sent on for Baggley. Nothing was going for St Pat's. Keena drew a good save from Maxim Pavlov before the Westmeath striker was also forced off injured. Inspiration would need to come from midfield. Forrester answered the call with some sublime touches to create shooting chances for McLaughlin and Lennon. As St Pat's poured forward, Anang made a superb, two-handed save to deny Smith. It all came down to a Mulraney free-kick in injury-time. Pavlov's tendency to flap at any ball that came near his goal continued as he punched the winger's shot towards Redmond, who finished the rebound like a centre forward. Extra-time was welcomed by a torrential downpour. It also welcomed by St Pat's rediscovering their mojo. Granted, Mulraney's decisive strike three minutes into the first half of extra-time looked like a cross. Late on, Anang showed why he was recently selected by Ghana, with two crucial interventions to send the Inchicore club to Istanbul, where they were knocked out of last season's qualifiers by Başakşehir. Kalju: Pavlov; Tarassenkov, Kõrre, Tambedou, Nikolajev; Musolitin (Orlov 112), Patrikejevs (Baptista 106), Ivanov (Marin 80), Kask (Esono 96); Männilaan, Guilherme Smith (Jabir 87). St Patrick's Athletic: Anang; McLaughlin, Redmond, Grivosti, McClelland (Breslin 96); Baggley (Forrester 51), Lennon; Mulraney (Kazeem 106), Leavy (Kavanagh 72), Power; Melia (Keena 46 (Carty 72)). Referee: Menelaos Antoniou (Cyprus).
