Saints Grind out Victory
Friday, August 24th, 2001

Saint Patrick's Athletic 1 - Derry City 0
Liam Kelly 32

St Patrick’s Athletic continued their good start to the season but it was a hard earned three points this time out against a Derry side that proved stubborn opponents. The tie was decided by a piece of individual magic by Liam Kelly who headed a Babaz free over Derry 'keeper Russell Payne after 32 minutes of a scrappy contest.

It was helter skelter stuff with little pattern in either sides' play as few players had time to dwell on the ball and create good play in a hard fought game.

The game did have its moments, with St Pat's winger Mbabazi Livingstone turning in yet another impressive performance down the right. The crowd's generous applause at his substitution suggests that the Ugandan is already a firm favourite with the Richmond Park faithful.

And it was easy to see why as Derry found it difficult to cope with the skill of Mbabazi and his direct runs into their defence.

Nevertheless it was St Pat's manager Pat Dolan who was feeling the heat as his midfield continually gave away needless possession. Pat made the first of his substitutions on 39 minutes switching Ger McCarthy for the strength of Robbie Griffin as it became apparent that the Saints had to get a hold of the midfield. The real talking point was the substitutions involving Michael Holt, as Pat brought Holt on for Babaz on 67 minutes only to take him off again with 8 minutes to go. It was a bizarre decision and humiliating treatment for a player that is very popular in Inchicore.

The opening exchanges did not provide much in terms of goalmouth action but St Pat's nonetheless came reasonably close to an early score when McCarthy just failed to get on the end of a Kelly shot after the former Home Farm striker had initially miscued.

In St Pat's next attack on 29 minutes, a sweeping move started by Martin Russell on the left saw the play eventually switched to the opposite wing to Livingstone, who quickly sent a ball over to Kelly. Fortunately for Derry, Darren Kelly managed to get in the way of the shot.

But the signs were not heeded by Derry when two minutes later Livingston delivered an inch-perfect cross to Kelly.

His glancing header gave Russell Payne no chance in the Derry goal, with the ball going straight into the roof of the net.

As for ground developments, work has progressed on the terracing of the Camac side nearest the Shed-end.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: L Kelly: Burke, Maguire, Foley, Croly; Russell, Osam, Marney, Livingstone (Holt 67, Harris 85), McCarthy (Griffin 39), Kelly

DERRY CITY: Payne: McCallion, Kelly, McLaughlin, Hargan; Beckett, T McCallion, Doherty, Phillips (Moran 54), Hughes, Parkhouse (Coyle 48)

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