CURRAN CURLER CAPS RICHMOND RAID
IT DOESN’T take long for the hope of a new season to be punctured with St Patrick’s Athletic supporters feeling pretty deflated today after watching their side throw away a lead to Galway United at Richmond Park. The visitors’ resilience after falling behind to Christy Fagan’s 48th-minute header was admirable and indicates that Tommy Dunne has built a squad full of character. There is a bit of guile thrown in for good measure, too, as first Vinny Faherty and then John Sullivan pounced to render Fagan’s effort worthless in a 3-1 victory that sets them up nicely for the campaign ahead. Enda Curran then sent Saints supporters to the exits early with a delightful, curled effort in the 92nd minute. President Michael D Higgins, a keen Galway fan, managed to contain his delight in the directors’ box on a dreadful opening night for the hosts. Galway started positively and pressed high. Winger Gary Shanahan did well to read a David Cawley pass in the fourth before feeding Faherty in the box whose cross just alluded Ruairi Keating at the back post. Billy Dennehy almost opened the scoring with a rasping free-kick but his effort zipped just past the post. Keating then departed on the stroke of half-time in slightly concerning circumstances. With nobody around him the striker sunk to his hunkers with a doctor attending to him. Thankfully he was able to walk off as Tommy Dunne shuffled his pack by introducing Enda Curran. Three minutes after the restart and the Galway boss had some thinking to do when Fagan pounced in the box to guide Billy Dennehy’s cross past Conor Winn. Rather than capitalise on catching their opponents off guard so soon into the second period, St Pat’s allowed Galway to respond in the sort of manner that would suggest they won’t be stuttering towards the lower end of the table. Shanahan threatened down the right wing and glided into the box before the danger was cleared, while his team-mates continued to probe. The equaliser didn’t require a lot, though. A simple throw-in to Faherty on the Pat’s byline and the former Limerick man was able to drift towards goal unchallenged before firing under the body of Brendan Clarke. The goalkeeper was then helpless to prevent Sullivan’s 83rd-minute near-post header, as Galway rubbed salt in the wounds during added time when Curran bent a clever shot into the far corner. Job done for Tommy Dunne. ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Clarke; O’Brien (c), D Dennehy, Hoare, Bermingham; Byrne (Timlin 72), Cawley, S McEleney, Kelly, B Dennehy; Fagan (Corcoran 80). Scorers: Fagan (48). Booked: B Dennehy (55), Hoare (83). GALWAY: Winn; Hogan, Sinnott, Folan, Walsh; Shanahan (Melody 78), Sullivan, Connolly (c), Devaney (Cantwell 85); Faherty, Keating (Curran 45). Booked: Walsh (6), Curran 90, Scorers: Faherty (59), Sullivan (83), Curran (92). Referee: R Harvey (Dublin).