St Patrick's Athletic fight back for derby win to end Hoops hoodoo

Alex Nolan's first goal for St Patrick’s Athletic proved a welcome winner to deliver a first victory over Shamrock Rovers in two years at a raucous Richmond Park.

Jon Daly’s Saints had to come from behind to do so against the champions, whom they had not beaten in their previous eight encounters.

St Pat's had been second best in a first half that saw Rovers troop off reasonable value for Darragh Nugent’s early lead goal.

But they stormed back into the game in the second half, scoring twice inside as many minutes. Captain Joe Redmond headed them level before Nolan’s winner, which moves St Pat's up to third place in the table.

A second defeat of the season ended Rovers three-match winning streak as they sit fifth in the table.

Rovers started with intent, forcing three successive corners inside the first minute.

And they soon punished negligent defending to take the lead three minutes later.

Roberto Lopes and Graham Burke worked the ball to Darragh Burns on the right flank.

The ex-St Pat’s midfielder’s arced cross picked out Nugent who out-jumped Redmond to find the bottom corner with a well placed header in front of the big travelling support.

It marked Rovers’ first goal in the first half of a match this season and they worried St Pat’s again within two minutes.

Josh Honohan cut in on the left to feed Burke who got the ball on to his left foot to rifle a shot wide across goal.

And it wasn’t long before St Pat’s defence was breached a little too easily once again.

The impressive Honohan outfoxed Luke Turner on the left to cross low into the area where Dylan Watts’ flick shaved the top of the crossbar.

It was the 17th minute before a sluggish St Pat’s threatened.

Ruairi Keating and Anto Breslin combined on the left. The latter’s cross