Owolabi set for return to Ballybofey with the Saints

ST PATRICK’S Athletic are coming into this Friday night’s clash with Finn Harps buoyed off the back of an excellent win against SSE Airtricity League champions Shamrock Rovers.

The last time that the Saints travelled to Ballybofey they fell on the wrong side of slick hat-trick when Tunde Owolabi ran amok in a 3-1 victory for Harps.

On that occasion, Forrester was Pat’s only scorer and it came from the penalty spot.

Ollie Horgan’s side have since lost Owolabi to Pat’s and he has made a great start, impressing across his first three games for the Inchicore club and bagging a goal against Sligo Rovers.

Meetings between the two clubs seems to always bring an air of excitement, with 15 goals scored in their four games throughout 2021.

Now, with Tim Clancy at the helm, St Pat’s have played some nice football across the first four leagues game, taking all three-points against the Hoops and Shelbourne.

Forrester was the match winner at Richmond Park last Friday night as the Athletic signalled a statement of intent with a 1-0 victory against holders Shamrock Rovers.

A top-flight champion with the Saints during his first spell at the club in 2013, Forrester’s 55th-minute goal secured all three points for Tim Clancy’s side.

Without a win over their Dublin rivals since May 2018, this success reignites their title challenge following the disappointment of back-to-back defeats against Sligo Rovers and Bohemians.

Rovers were keen to test the resolve of Saints netminder Joseph Anang, but the West Ham United loanee turned away efforts from Rory Gaffney, Jack Byrne and Ronan Finn to keep his side in the frame.

Ten minutes into the second period, the former Peterborough United midfielder, Forrester, rose high from a Darragh Burns corner to head beyond the reach of Rovers goalkeeper Alan Mannus.