Mason Melia scored a brace for St Pat’s against Sligo Rovers
Photo by Matthew Lysaght
Rovers and St Pat’s look for a lift
ST PATRICK’S Athletic and Shamrock Rovers both found themselves in League of Ireland action last weekend with the two sides looking to bounce back after both suffered European defeats last Thursday evening.
Shamrock Rovers travelled west where they took on a struggling Galway United side. Rovers looked off their best and it was the home team who had the better chances throughout the first and second halves of the game.
Ed McGinty did well to keep his side involved in the fixture with Rovers securing a point after failing to offer much upfront.
A 0-0 draw is the same score as the last time Rovers played Galway.
Now failing to score in three of their last four games across all competitions, Rovers find themselves in an uncharacteristic draw spell, though manager Stephen Bradley is not worried.
“I think a point is a fair result. We had some half chances and they did too. At times it was a difficult game.
‘I’m delighted with the players and their attitude and how they showed up today. I think a point is a fair result.”
Bradley spoke glowingly off his goalkeeper, Ed McGinty.
“He made a brilliant save on Thursday as well, that’s the reason we want him at the club.
‘He’s a big goalkeeper and shows up in big moments and you can see he’s getting more comfortable with everything we do and how we play and the demands that are asked of him. He was excellent again today.”
Rovers next league game isn’t for another week as they take on Longford Town in the FAI Cup this Saturday evening at 7pm.
Elsewhere in the League St Patrick’s Athletic bounced back brilliantly after a defeat in Europe to Besiktas earlier last week.
They hosted Sligo Rovers at Richmond Park with Jake Mulraney netting and Mason Melia grabbing a brace to ensure they ran out 3-0 winners.
The match brought Melia’s tally for the season to an impressive nine goals so far and has scored three in his last two league games.
It appears more and more like Pat’s have gotten over the hump they faced during the middle of the season and have now regained the form which many expected them to have at the beginning of the campaign.
Currently in sixth place, there is no reason to think they aren’t capable of reaching European spots, particularly given that this stage of the league last year they were in eighth place and actually ended up in third following an impressive run towards the end of the season that could have seen them win the league if they’d picked up their form a little earlier.
Pat’s will be in FAI Cup action this Sunday as they take on Shelbourne at 5pm in Richmond Park. Their next league game will not be until Friday, August 22 when they come up against Drogheda.
