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Keane downs Saints in friendly

Thursday 12th July 2007, 9:52 pm

Robbie Keane in action at Richmond Park tonight.

Photo by Tom Carey.

English Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur defeated Saint Patrick's Athletic 1-0 at a packed Richmond Park tonight in a pre-season game for the English side.

An overall passable game considering nothing was at stake, the first half was better than the second as both teams made use of substitutions.

There was huge disappointment though for the Saints when skipper Colm Foley was carried from the pitch on a stretcher. Only on the pitch fifteen minutes, Foley went down with a painful leg injury after team-mate Billy Gibson collided with him shortly before the hour.

A dry humid night in Dublin, Spurs made their superiority count although the Saints were far from outclassed considering the important competitive games that lie on their horizon.

Alan Kirby gets away from Didier Zakora.

Photo by Tom Carey.

The visiting London club came up against some inspired goalkeeping from Barry Ryan. He saved early from Robbie Keane after good work by Adel Taarabt and was off his line to deny Darren Bent on the quarter hour.

Ryan pulled off a stunning save to claw Taarabt's shot around the post as he fired in a dangerous low attempt.

He saved again from Bent before the half hour while the home goal somehow survived after Stephen Paisley blocked Bent and Keane was then denied by Ryan.

The Saints came up against a tough Spurs defence but did ask a few questions with Mark Quigley stretching defenders' legs more than once.

Taarabt continued his show-piece of step-overs but did force another save before Darragh Maguire blocked from Steed Malbranque.

Younes Kaboul tackles back against Mark Quigley.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Michael Keane was one of a number of new faces in the Saints line-up and although visibly lacking some fitness, he looked well capable against the English side.

Danny Murphy almost snatched a fortuitous opening goal when his flick into the box got past everyone until namesake Anthony got back to flick off the Saints line.

The only goal of the game arrived as Irish international captain Robbie Keane angled in on goal before firing past Ryan into the far corner of the net four minutes before the break.

Half-time signaled six changes for St. Pats with Spurs also changing a couple of personnel.

Slow to get going, the first real effort at goal saw Anthony Murphy almost slide the ball past goalkeeper Brendan Clarke as he tackled back at Bent.

More substitutions came and as is always the case, the match quality suffered. Keane still looked lively for Spurs while David Mulcahy wasn't taking anything easy as he assumed captaincy and drove on the home side.

Didier Zakora clears from Keith Barker.

Photo by Tom Carey.

One slip-up by the stand-in skipper did almost produce a second goal as Jamie O'Hara chased in and forced a save from Clarke. Although his match time at the Saints has been very limited, Clarke coped well with what he had to do.

He saved again in the dying moments as Lee Barnard headed at goal from Philip Ifil's dangerous cross into the box.

Overall, a non competitive game in mid-season is never going to be much more than a money spinner for a League of Ireland side and with the Inchicore venue packed tonight, that objective should have been achieved.

St. Patrick's Athletic : Ryan, Rogers, Paisley, Maguire, Brennan, A Murphy, Gibson, Keane, Kirby, Barker, M Quigley.
subs : Clarke for Ryan 46, C Foley for Maguire 46, Guy for Kirby 46, Mulcahy for Brennan 46, Macek for M Quigley 46, Frost for Rogers 46, S Quigley for C Foley 60, M Foley for Keane 65, P Murphy for Barker 65, Haverty for Paisley 84.

Tottenham Hotspur : Cerny, Rocha, Bale, Zokora, Kaboul, Gardner, Malbranque, Murphy, Taarabt, Bent, Keane.
subs : Maghoma for Taarabt 46, Dawson for Gardner 46, O'Hara for Murphy 57, Barnard for Bent 65, Ifil for Bale 81.
Not used : Robinson, Daniels.