SLIGO ROVERS were Cian – but St Pat’s were Keena.
Aidan Keena scored twice against his former club as St Patrick’s Athletic won a thriller at Richmond Park.
But Sligo Rovers will feel unlucky as former Saint Cian Kavanagh scored twice and had a penalty saved.
It was a game that produced some mad moments that St Pat’s looked to be cruising to their first win of the season on several occasions only for the Bit O’Red to keep coming back.
And it was ultimately settled on 78 minutes by the seventh goal of the game when Keena fired past a wrong-footed Sam Sargeant from inside the area from a Chris Forrester pass.
It guaranteed the Saints their first three points of the season and confined Sligo Rovers to a third defeat in three games.
But they never led, and were 2-0 and 3-1 down on occasions before Cian Kavanagh scored an equaliser just 60 seconds before Keena’s winner as their defence keeps conceding.
They conceded three to both Waterford and Drogheda and now four to a St Pat’s side that could have scored more with better finishing as they should have been out of sight.
But they were clinging on in injury time when midfielder Barry Baggley was sent off for a second bookable offence.
The goal rush started with two in 120 seconds after 36 minutes as Zack Elbouzedi scored with a crisp left-foot finish when picked out unmarked on the left by Bradon Kavanagh.
And the celebrations had barely died down and Sligo kicked off before former Bit O’Red striker Keena doubled the advantage with a stunning strike.
The striker was the creator too as he plucked a punt forward out of the sky midway inside the Sligo half and raced forward before beating Sam Sargeant with an unstoppable drive from 20-yards.
Keena could have added a third moments later with a left-foot volley crashed against the crossbar only for Sligo to score against the run of play moments later.
Baggley put through his own net though Sligo striker Cian Kavanagh would almost certainly have scored himself had he not done so as both raced onto a Will Fitzgerald right-wing cross.
But the Saints were quick out of the blocks after half-time too as Forrester gave them a two-goal cushion again on 50 minutes.
Again, it was a lovely goal as he fired home from inside the area after Anto Breslin, Elbouzedi, and finally Brandon Kavanagh found him in space.
But Sligo Rovers never gave up and could have pulled a goal back on 55 minutes when Cian Kavanagh won a penalty when bundled over in the area by Axel Sjoberg.
The striker had a spot kick saved a fortnight ago against Waterford but stepped up again, only to – again – see his effort saved as Joe Anang dived to his left.
But Kavanagh then atoned for that miss ten minutes later when he beat Anang at his near post with a free header from Will Fitzgerald’s free kick.
And he thought he had rescued a point 13 minutes from time when he bundled a low Fitzgerald cross from the left into the net.
Yet Keena scored 60 seconds later, and the Saints held on.
Sun Star Man – Aidan Keena (St Pat’s)
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang 7; McLaughlin 5 (Sjoberg 16, 6), Redmond 5, Grivosti 5, Breslin 6; Baggley 7, Palmer 6 (Forrester 28, 7); Elbouzedi 8, Kavanagh 8 (Melia 71, 6), Mulraney 6 (McClelland 71, 6); Keena 9.
Sligo Rovers: Sergeant 6; Lintott 6 (Van Hattum 81, 6), McElroy 5, Mahon 5, Hutchinson 6; Wolfe 6 (Elding 60, 6), Doyle-Hayes 6 (Manning 81, 6); Hakiki 5, Malley 6, Fitzgerald 8; Kavanagh 7 (Lomboto 81, 6).
Referee: P Norton (Dublin) 6.
