St. Patrick's Athletic 2 Tralee Dynamos 2
Padraig Harnett - Tralee Dynamos Media Officer
A goal in the first and 90th minutes by the home side earned them a point but two goals in between, by Wayne Conway, on his 19th birthday, and James Sugrue saw Dynamos also take a point in their first draw in 12 games. They now have 22 points from 12 games and with games to come against Rovers away next week and then Cobh Ramblers and Bohs at home and Bray Wanderers away the coveted top three finish is well within our reach.
Dynamos lost Jamie McIntyre before kick off with a groin strain and Wayne Conway came in his place. However Dynamos were caught cold in the first minute when Mark Leech latched onto a loose ball and cracked his shot into the top corner.
Dynamos did settle down and played some good football Sugrue almost set up Eddie Duggan. David Hayes and Wayne Conway were trying hard around the middle and in the eight minute Hayes and Cassidy combined to set up Duggan but Graham Dooley put in a great tackle to deny the Dynamos player.
In the 10th minute Jonathan Burrows put Adrian Quirke in but he pulled his shot wide. At the other end Stephen Fitzpatrick was causing a lot of trouble with his crosses. Birdshall in the Dynamos goal did very well to push one away and Eoin Fitzgerald managed to get an important head on another dangerous ball.
Dynamos began to turn the screw and in a five minute period from the 17th minute set up some dangerous opportunities without really troubling the Pat’s keeper.
Sugrue and Maurice O’Rahilly firstly combined well and when the latter was fouled Peter McCarthy cracked his free kick off the wall.
An Adrian Quirke then crossed to Peter McCarthy but he was closed down while an Eoin Fitzgerald through ball to James Sugrue whose shot was well saved.
Dynamos kept up the pressure and McCarthy again got in behind the Pat’s defence and looked to be fouled but no whistle came.
Sugrue was then denied by the keeper who was quick off his line while Cassidy and McCarthy both just off target after good approach work.
In the 33rd minute Pats went on a rare attack and the same player who scored in the first minute, Mark Leech was on the end of the move and Birdsall did very well to keep his low drive out, diving to his left and touching the ball onto the post.
However in the 42nd minute
the breakthrough finally came. Conway, Hayes and McCarthy were all involved and
when McCarthy let fly with a great shot the Pats keeper, Brendan Chawke could
only parry it away.
The second half start was almost a carbon copy of the first but thankfully this time, Freemanus who had come at the end of the first half, shot over.
However Dynamos again took over and in the tenth minute they got the lead goal. Cassidy played in David Hayes and when he was fouled on the edge of the box Sugrue stepped up to take the free and he curled a beauty into the bottom left-hand corner.
2-1 to the away side. Pats were playing second fiddle at this stage and it looked for long periods as if Dynamos were going to be the only team to score again.They controlled the ball and players like Sugrue, Fitzgerald and Cassidy were combining well. Dynamos manager Jason Fitzgerald brought on ‘the other’ Peter McCathy and David O’Leary to freshen things up, but with time running out were hit by a sucker punch. In the 44th minute the ball fell nicely for Stephen Fitzpatrick and he cracked his shot off the under-side crash bar. It looked for a minute that it would bounce out to play but it didn’t and rolled the ball over the line.
And so both sides shared the points which overall was a fair result and reward for a very creditable performance.
St. Pats- Brendan Chawke, Noel Herrety, Graham Dowling, John Lester, Gavin McCandle, Alan McCann, Kevin Kernan, Stephen Lawless, Andy Haran, Stephen Fitzgerald, Mark Leech. Subs on Luke Bray, Ginus Freemanis.
Not used Alan McGrath, Kyle Moran and John Long.
Wayne
Conway who scored Dynamos first goal & James Sugrue with the second goal.
Jamie
McIntyre with St.Patrick's Athletic manager Jeff McKenna
Leanne
Garvey, Simon Jones & Cathy White enjoying the match.
Peter
McCarthy congratulates James Sugrue on scoring. David Hayes & Wayne Conway
Damien
Diggins, Glenn Dinner, Brian Fitzgerald. Glenn resides in Dublin and is a
regular visitor to our games in the capital.
Robert
Birdsall made his goalkeeping debut in the A Championship.
John
Lester (St. Pat's) gets cautioned by U.E.F.A. referee Hilda McDermott
Eoin
Fitzgerald on his knees gets treated by Sean O'Sullivan. Pete keeps an eye on
the ball
Jonathon
Burrows goes highest. Adrian Quirke is the covering player.
Dynamos
on the line!!!!!!!!!!!!
Water
break!!!!
Next game away to Shamrock Rovers, Tallaght Stadium, Sunday 6th of September, 2.00p.m.
Many thanks to the supporters who made the long journey to the capital.