St Patrick’s Athletic completed a hat-trick of wins against Galway United this season as their march to the title entered the crucial final phase.
Pats brought their goals scored tally against the Tribesmen to 10 goals but this time United managed to get on the scoresheet and give the Saints a good deal more to worry about than in the earlier fixtures.
It required two second-half goals - in an outstanding five minute spell - from Paul Osam and substitute Ger McCarthy to finally see off a spirited fight by Tony Mannion's men.
The win sees the Inchicore side move to the top of the table on points, two ahead of Shelbourne - if they get back the nine points they were deducted earlier in the season for playing an ineligible player. A decision is expected from the independent arbitrator, Liam Reidy SC, on Monday.
Charles Mbabzi Livingstone's excellent opener for the home team seemed to signal the way for yet another rout of the relegation threatened United but that goal was cancelled out by Alan Murphy. The Saints increased the tempo in the second half to claim all three points.
Michael Holt and Osam had already gone close before Osam restored their advantage in the 63rd minute, with a typically powerfull header from a perfectly-flighted Martin Russell free kick.
The points were secured five minutes later when Galway goalkeeper Robert Forde could only parry Livingstone's well-struck shot into the path of substitute McCarthy, who blasted home from six yards. McCarthy's running for the goal was exceptional as he started the move from deep in the Saints half.
To compound Galway's discomfort defender Adrian Carberry was red-carded in the 80th minute for a foul on McCarthy. Carberry became the second United player to be red carded against the Saints this season.
Livingstone's early goal came when he played a one-two with the resurgent Michael Holt before drilling his shot low past Forde to become the league's top scorer.
Galway didn't lie down however and Murphy had already gone close on a couple of occasions before his and Galway's efforts were rewarded with the equaliser 10 minutes before the break when he found space before firing past Pats new keeper James Gallagher from 16 yards.
However the second-half strikes from Osam and McCarthy deservedly secured the points to the home side.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Gallagher, Burke, Croly, Maguire, Foley, McGuinness, Osam, Russell, Livingstone, Holt, Mannion. Subs: McCarthy for Mannion (60 mins); Griffin for Russell (89 mins); Harris for Livingstone (89 mins).
GALWAY UNITED: R Forde, Sheridan, Carberry, Silke, Carter, Fortune, A Forde, Herrick, O'Shaughnessy, Murphy, Quirke. Subs: Brennan for O'Shaugnessy (73 mins); O'Brien for A Forde (73 mins); Malee for Murphy (90 mins).
Referee: D Hanney (Dublin).
LATEST NEWS:
Saint Pats are now top of the league as Shelbourne were comprhensively beaten by relegation threatened Monaghan United on Sunday. The Independent Arbitration on the issue of the deducted 9 points is expected to rule in favour of the original decision of the League authorities to fine the club. It is hoped that this will involve the full re-instatement of the 9 points in line with Roy Dooney's original decision.
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