Friendly Report: Bluebell United 0 - 5 St Patrick's Athletic

Two first-half headers from Gavin Peers sent St Patrick's Athletic on their way to a comfortable 5-0 victory over Bluebell United in their opening friendly of 2017 at John Hyland Park.

Another new arrival, Kurtis Byrne, added a third on the stroke of half time before substitutes Aidan Keena and Graham Kelly completed the rout with goals early in the second period in front of a small crowd at the Baldonnel home of St Francis FC.

Reigning Leinster Senior League Senior Sunday champions Bluebell were always on a hiding to nothing having battled from behind to beat Killester United at Haddon Park just two days earlier, and they struggled to cope with the pace and power of Liam Buckley's Saints.

Both sides lined out at near-full strength, with former Saint Ryan Coombes leading the line for the Bell following his recent move from Cherry Orchard and League of Ireland experience behind him in the form of Keith Quinn and Sean Byrne.

Conor O'Malley and Christy Fagan missed out completely for Pat's, meaning early chances to impress for Barry Murphy and Kurtis Byrne, while former Liverpool trainee Alex O'Hanlon lined up in a roving midfield role.

The game – played in chilly but relatively tranquil conditions – began at a quick tempo as the Inchicore outfit looked to impose their passing game on their intermediate opponents, and Bluebell were forced to sit deep and absorb pressure.

Their defensive effort proved fruitful in the early exchanges as wayward passes from the lively JJ Lunney and O'Hanlon saw promising passing movements break down, but Shane Stritch found himself isolated up top despite the efforts of Coombes and Sean Byrne to keep in touch.

Kurtis Byrne had Bluebell keeper Graham Bedford at full stretch just four minutes in when, his free kick attempt having cannoned back off the wall, his furious 20-yard drive started to dip just under the crossbar.

Bedford did well to cut out a Michael Barker cross and easily saved a curling shot from O'Hanlon before his goal was breached just after the quarter-hour as Peers stooped at the back post to head home O'Hanlon's cross.

The best Bluebell could muster in that opening period was a long punt from Bedford that sought to put Coombes in behind Peers but the former Sligo Rovers skipper scrambled to head the ball into Murphy's arms.

Kurtis Byrne should have doubled the advantage when played one-on-one with Bedford but placed a poor shot straight at Bedford, while Shane Stritch did brilliantly to direct Gary Seery's cross on target but, unfortunately, straight at Murphy.

Just beyond the half-hour, Peers grabbed his second with a spectacular diving header from Kurtis Byrne's right-wing corner.

Strong hold-up play from Stritch presented Bluebell with their best chance three minutes before the break as he teed up Sean Byrne on the edge of the D, and he shot marginally wide with Murphy beaten.

And the game was finished as a contest on the stroke of half time as Bedford, who had shown good skill to deceive Kurtis Byrne on a couple of occasions, was caught out when Conan Byrne intercepted his clearance and squared for Kurtis Byrne to tap into an empty net.

Liam Buckley made nine changes at half time, with Murphy and Ian Bermingham the sole survivors, and they had to wait just five minutes to extend their lead as Aidan Keena ran onto Keith Treacy's exquisite through-ball to wrong-foot Bedford for a simple finish.

And Bedford was offered no let-up as Graham Kelly's 25-yard free kick flew past him to increase the gap to five before he was one of a number of players replaced half-way through the second period.

Replacement keeper James O'Brien did well to keep the score respectable as he denied Jack Bayly and further efforts from Kelly and Keena, while Gary Curran saw Murphy do well to snatch a potential consolation from under the crossbar.

Bluebell United: Graham Bedford (James O'Brien 65); Karl Russell, William McDonagh (Gilmar Mandiangu 46), John Cleary (Brian Curran 65), Anthony Costigan (Sean Gleeson 46); Keith Quinn (Stephen Larkin 65), Gareth Cooney (Ciaran Nangle 46), Sean Byrne, Gary Seery; Ryan Coombes (Gary Curran 65), Shane Stritch (Dean Lawrence 46).

Subs not used: None.

St Patrick's Athletic: Barry Murphy; Michael Barker (Shane Elworthy 46), Gavin Peers (Darren Dennehy 46), Lee Desmond (Rory Feely 46), Ian Bermingham; Pat Cregg (Keith Treacy 46), JJ Lunney (Graham Kelly 46), Darragh Markey (Sam Verdon 46); Conan Byrne (Jack Bayly 46), Alex O'Hanlon (Billy Dennehy 46), Kurtis Byrne (Aidan Keena 46).

Subs not used: Pat Jennings (gk), Graeme Buckley.

Referee: Robert Harvey.

Attendance: 100 (estimate).

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Gavin Peers (St Patrick's Athletic).