Galway United shock St Patrick's Athletic in Premier Division on another disappointing night for Stephen Kenny's men
AFTER being Shels-shocked at home on Monday, Stephen Kenny and St Pat's were stunned by Galway United in Eamonn Deacy Park.
The home team won all the battles around the park and could have had more in a rampant first half.
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Galway Utd beat St Patrick's Athletic
Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
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It was another disappointing night for St Pat's
Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
They got big performances all over the pitch. Evan Watts, Jeannot Eusa and Patrick Hickey have all impressed this year and were excellent on a brilliant night for their team.
If it was Galway's best night of 2025, it must have been the worst of a disappointing season for Pat's.
They looked out of it after only 11 minutes. Two howlers from the visitors gave United a dream start.
Keeper Watts bombed a kickout 80 yards.
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It was a pass to Ed McCarthy who was all on his own — and he shot home with class for 1-0 after two minutes.
David Hurley did his best
Joseph Anang botched a clearance. It fell at the
Cork
man's feet and he curled from 60 yards into an empty net.
It could have been worse as the home team dominated and came close again and again.
Pat's finally settled and Mason Melia brought a brilliant save from Watts.
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Two minutes later,
Simon
Power finished a lovely move with a classy finish to give the Inchicore side hope.
But it was short-lived. A quality corner from Hurley was nodded in by Rob Slevin in the 35th minute.
Watch Stephen Kenny's one-liner aimed at son Eoin after he scored for Dundalk against St Patrick's Athletic
The Tribe deserved the two-goal lead.
Saints were better in the second half. Seán Hoare brought calm when he came on.
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Power started to get on top of Esua, a hard thing to do.
Melia thought he did enough to win a penalty. So did the Pat's bench but the man that mattered, Rob Harvey, waved play on.
Brandon Kavanagh and Chris Forrester came off the bench. Both looked lively.
Kavanagh lined up a couple of frees from the edge of the box in the last ten minutes. Watts saved both. The second save was outstanding.
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From the corner that followed, the young Welsh stopper saved brilliantly again.
Even though Kenny's men got seven additional minutes to chase a goal, United were the ones who attacked.
And they saw it out easily for a big three points.
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STAR
MAN
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Evan Watts (Galway)
GALWAY UNITED
: Watts 9; Esua 8, Buckley 7, Slevin 8, Cunningham 7 (Burns 81, 5); Hurley 8 (McCormack 90, 5), Borden 7 (Walsh 90, 5), Byrne 7, Hickey 8, McCarthy 7 (Brouder 90, 5); Dyer 7 (Shaw 70, 6).
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC
: Anang 5; Sjoberg 6 (Kavanagh 70, 7), Redmond 6, Grivosti 4 (Hoare 45, 7), McLelland 6; Elbouzedi 6, Lennon 7, Baggley 6 (Carty 82, 5), Power 8; Melia 7, Keena 6 (Forrester 70, 6).
REFEREE
: R Harvey (Dublin) 7.
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