Foley ensures Pats safety

eleven-a-side.com St Patrick’s Ath 1-0 Cork City
A dramatic last-minute winner from St Patrick’s Athletic centre half Colm Foley against Cork City at Richmond Park on Friday night put Pat Dolan’s side in the glow of Premier Division safety.

Dolan’s band of under-achievers have blazed a trail in the wrong direction during the latter half of a bitterly disappointing season, but this victory ensures their Premier Division status for another year.

Pats are now six points ahead of Drogheda United, who fill the relegation play-off place, and the Drogs’ vastly inferior goal difference means that Pats’ fans can at last rest easy, and contemplate a completely different season starting in April.

The defeat is a huge blow to Cork City’s Intertoto Cup hopes, although it must be said that a side who have taken just one win from their 15 away games in all competitions this season hardly deserves an end-of-season award in the shape of European competition. Indeed, they have failed to score on their last FIVE excursions away from Turners Cross.

City are now a point behind rivals Shamrock Rovers going into the last game of the season, and must win to have any chance of upstaging the Hoops.

Former Irish youth international Ryan Casey made his long-awaited debut for pats after joining the club in October, and he helped set up an early chance for Liam Kelly. Kevin Doyle, who joins Brian Kerr’s Irish under-20s in the UAE today, controlled Casey’s cross well but his pass to Kelly just missed its target.

Then, before ten minutes had elapsed, Cork City could twice have taken the lead, with first John O’Flynn missing an excellent chance and then Greg O’Halloran was unable to finish off a loose ball in the Pats box.

Both sides were searching the win, and Cork goalkeeper Michael Devine saved well from a Michael Holt shot before, at the other end, Billy Woods’ cross went just over Seamus Kelly’s crossbar.

The game wore on, and looked likely to end scoreless when centre half Jamie Harris headed a good chance wide four minutes from the end. But just two minutes later, Foley, his central defensive colleague, rose highest to power a header home from Casey’s deep floated free.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Éanna
Indeed, they have failed to score on their last FIVE excursions away from Turners Cross.

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:mad: :( :rolleyes:

fai site

Cork’s European hopes in the balance

Cork City's Inter-Toto Cup credentials remain hanging by a thread after St Patrick's Athletic defender Colm Foley popped up for a late winner in the Inchicore team's 1-0 victory at Richmond Park on Friday night.

A win would have leapfrogged City above Shamrock Rovers into third position and left their destiny in their own hands - now it appears the death knell to their European ambitions may have been clearly sounded.

Cork are now a point behind Shamrock Rovers in third place and must hope they can beat UCD on the final day at Turners Cross and that Rovers to slip up against Longford Town at Richmond Park.

It would have been so much easier on City had they managed to arrest a poor run of form that¹s now yielded three losses in their last five.

As it happened basement battlers Pat¹s should have gone in at the break at least a goal to the good after a better first half.performance.

Early on Kevin Doyle almost left City stopper Michael Devine red faced as the 'keeper spilled his initial shot dangerously before gathering at the second attempt. Then Greg O¹Halloran had a volley deflected wide.

Home fans appealed for a handball on 13 minutes when Alan Carey found it difficult to control Tony Bird¹s close range header but got short shrift from referee Declan Hanney.

For City an away win always appeared a step too far and with Pat¹s needing three points equally as much Pat Dolan¹s men continued to up the ante.

On 27 minutes Paul Osam¹s free-kick was poor but Michael Holt picked up the scraps and forced a great save from Devine with a 16 yard drive. Tony Bird should have done better with a poor back post shot from the resulting corner.

Ironically, City almost took a bizarre lead when wide man Billy Woods curled a wayward left-wing cross inches over Shay Kelly¹s crossbar minutes before the break.

Cork opened the brighter in the second-half too and ex Port Vale striker George O¹Callaghan was surprisingly off target with a free header on Billy Woods¹ 47th minute corner.

But true to form they were quickly on the back foot as the home crowd pushed Pat's on and on. Michael Holt had a couple of efforts batted away before Bird had a header just about tipped over by Devine on 76 minutes.

It looked for all the world like points apiece until than man Foley popped up to stage his very own late, late show. Ryan Casey floated in the long range free from the left-back position and Foley rose unmarked in the box to head past a despairing Devine.

St Patrick¹s Athletic: Kelly; Croly, Harris, Foley, Casey; Kelly, Donnelly, Osam, Holt; Doyle, Bird.
Subs: Griffin for Doyle (90 mins.), Livingston for Bird (84 mins.)

Cork City: Devine; Carey, Daly, Murray, Horgan; O¹Halloran, Bennett, Reynolds , Woods; O¹Flynn, O¹Callagahan.
Subs: Warren for Reynolds (72 mins), O'Brien for O'Callaghan (80 mins.).

Referee: Declan Hanney (Dublin)