Scorer:-
Keane, 41

Referee: - Mr Damien HANCOCK

Attendance: - Est. 5,000

Teams:-
St. Patricks (4-4-2):- Ryan (sub Clarke, 46); A. Murphy, Maguire (Capt.) (sub C. Foley, 46), Rogers (sub Frost, 46), Paisley (sub Haverty, 83); Brennan (sub Mulcahy, 46), Gibson, Keane, Kirby (sub Macek, 46); Barker (sub M. Foley-Sheridan, 69), Quigley (sub Guy, 46)

Spurs (4-3-1-2):- Cerny; Rocha, Kaboul, Gardner (sub Dawson, 46), Bale (sub Ifil, 81); Malbranque, Murphy (sub O’Hara, 57), Zokora; Taarabt (sub Maghoma, 46); Bent (sub Barnard, 69), Keane

Sub not used: - Robinson

There were no bookings on either side.

It was a social occasion more than anything. For Chris Hughton there was a reunion with his former Republic of Ireland colleague Brian Kerr, who made a pre-match presentation to Martin Jol’s assistant. For Robbie Keane there was welcome return to Dublin, and for the many Spurs fans who made the trip to help the game become a sell-out, there was of course plenty of Guinness to be sampled before and after the match. There was also the attraction of seeing the debuts in a Spurs shirt of summer signings Gareth Bale and Younes Kaboul.

St. Patricks are in the middle of their own League campaign, and have a league match this week-end, so whilst they are perhaps more tuned up, their players were probably happy simply to be facing Premiership opposition. The scoreline of course is not convincing, and it wasn’t (quite) all one way traffic, but Spurs – in a brighter first half – had many chances to knock up a bigger score. First half goalie Barry Ryan made many good saves.

Spurs fielded a stringer starting line-up than at Stevenage, with Zokora also in action, and Taarabt once again caught the eye with his runs through the middle, and several attempts on goal. Kaboul looked impressive, and both he and Gardner had to be strong at times against the twin attack of new signing Keith Barker and Mark Quigley. Anthony Murphy made many good runs down the right flank too, to give Gareth Bale plenty to think about, whizzing one particularly threatening ball across the Spurs area during the first half. Kaboul also had to deflect an on-target shot wide for a corner.

Apart from that though, it was pretty much all Spurs, as they tended to strike through the middle, with Malbranque, Murphy and Zokora all feeding Taarabt and Keane in particular. Darren Bent did not get onto the score sheet, but he and Keane switched positions at various times and gave their red-shirted opponents plenty to worry about. Bale looked more impressive going forward, and after 7 minutes passed inside from the touchline for Taarabt, who held the ball for a little too long, but then did unleash a decent right footed effort just over the bar. Two minutes later Taarabt was on the left of the area, and the ball was cleared as far as Bale who lofted his 25 yard effort. Taarabt was the provider for Keane’s first shot, and the first of many saves by Ryan.

Murphy, who used to provide plenty of goals for Bent at Charlton, hit a good ball to the left side of the box, and Darren’s left foot effort was held at the foot of the post. Ryan had to save an 18th minute deflected shot by Taarabt from 25 yards. Mid-way through the half, Malbranque passed to Robbie from the half-way line on the right. Keane was deep and quickly sent the ball forward where Bent hit a shot from an angle, saved again. Taarabt again supplied Keane who went down inside the box as he hit the ball, and then Taarabt had a great run from deep, and another shot saved by the keeper.

The Murphy – Bent combination came to the fore again after 34 minutes, Darren got a slight touch, and the keeper was beaten, but St. Patricks’ Murphy cleared off the line. Robbie Keane demonstrated Berbatov-type skill down the left channel as he turned the defender, and chased into the area, forcing a corner. Keane was then fouled just outside the box, and we saw Bale’s first free kick attempt for Spurs. He lifted the ball over the wall but into Ryan’s hands. Then came the goal, and it was another Murphy pass, finding Keane in space, played on the by the left back. From the inside of the box, Robbie curved the ball round Ryan into the far corner.

There were numerous substitutions after the break, and the game rarely had the momentum we had seen in the first half. Malbranque hit a shot wide, and Keane fed Bent, who was forced out to an angle and hit a weak shot. St. Patricks’ Colm Foley was stretchered off after an unfortunate collision with Gibson, as the two of them had tried to sandwich Jacques Maghoma. St. Patricks will miss Foley, as he is the usual centre-back partner for Maguire.

O’Hara and Maghoma were busy, and Maghoma gave Kaboul a chance as Spurs were still on attack following a corner. Kaboul hit a powerfully driven low shot, but substitute keeper Clarke was beginning to prove as difficult to beat as Ryan. O’Hara found that with a couple of shots, one from a free kick. Spurs nearly doubled the score in the last minute, as Barnard headed Ifil’s cross from short range, but Clarke made a great reflex save.

The Spurs first team will be off to South Africa next week, whilst a Spurs XI have a match at Dartford next Monday evening

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