Drennan nicks victory for Saints

MIKEY DRENNAN came back to haunt his former club as St Patrick’s Athletic grabbed an injury-time winner to keep the good vibes going for new boss Harry Kenny.

The build-up to this game centred around two stories. There was Sligo Rovers supremo Liam Buckley coming up against the club he had managed for the previous seven seasons.

And then there was the ill-feeling surrounding the return to the Showgrounds of Drennan and Rhys McCabe who exploited loopholes in their contracts to secure winter moves to Dublin.

They came to the fore towards the end of a horrible game, with driving wind and a congested midfield taking the enjoyment out of an occasion that Sligo Rovers had billed as fun for the family.

Like a lot of reunions, this was awkward at first. Regrettably, it didn’t really get any better for the 3,314 in attendance.

Buckley’s pre-season has been challenging, and a point would have been a respectable return with a first-half injury to Johnny Dunleavy further weakening his hand. His key winter recruit Ronan Murray is still on the sidelines.

Buckley was prepared for Kenny’s new shape, with the visitors’ 3-5-2 – although it was really closer to a 3-6-1 – nullified by a solid Sligo rearguard protected by midfielders Kyle Callan-McFadden and Jack Keaney.

Chris Forrester’s shot over the crossbar was the only visiting effort of note.

The breeze was aiding the hosts, though. After the interval, the momentum swung although Pat’s rode their luck when Dave Webster felled Kris Twardek at the edge of the box.

They began to turn the screw with a McCabe dead ball coming off the bar and sub Brandon Miele also threatening before Drennan wriggled free at the death to power a header into the bottom corner.