Windsor Park Saturday, March 13th, 2010   Setanta Shield         Linfield 1-0 St Patricks Athletic
2009 /10

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Peter Thompson grabbed a last gasp winner to see of St Patrick’s Athletic in a less than entertaining game at Windsor Park. The Northern Ireland International took advantage of a Shane Guthrie slip to ensure Linfield finished as group winners in Group 3 of this season’s Setanta Sports Cup. Linfield began the game with several no fewer than 7 changes to the side that beat Dungannon 4-1 on Tuesday night in the Carling Premiership. Steven Douglas, Michael Gault, Aidan O’Kane, Jim Ervin, Chris Casement, Mark McAllister and young midfielder, Marcus Kane were drafted into the starting eleven against the full time Dubliners. The first chance of the game came on 12 minutes when Jamie Tomelty tricked his way past his marker on the left before delivering a low cross which was nervously deflected over the bar by a St Pat’s defender. On 16 minutes, Mark McAllister worked his way into a bit of room on the right before cutting the ball back for Damien Curran who was lurking on the edge of the box and the Linfield midfielder’s powerful left foot shot was deflected just wide of Gary Rogers’ goal. After 23 minutes, Alan Blayney had to be on his toes after St Pats forward Vincent Faherty hit a snap shot from the left hand corner of the box. The big Linfield shot stopper got down well to turn the ball round the post for a corner kick. Jamie Tomelty almost created the opening goal of the game on 26 minutes when he evaded the challenge of Ian Bermingham on the right before delivering a delicious right foot cross towards Marcus Kane. The young Linfield midfielder who was lurking at the back post, flashed a left footed shot from a tight angle across the face of goal only for Mark McAllister to prod the ball agonisingly over the cross bar from 2 yards out – an astonishing miss from the Linfield striker. St Pats almost snatched the lead a minute later. Ryan Guy delivered a great cross from the left which beat the head of Aidan O’Kane and fell to Vincent Faherty, but the striker could only blaze over Alan Blayney’s cross bar from 12 yards out. Half Time: Linfield 0 – 0 St Patrick’s Athletic The early exchanges of the second half took on much the safe feel as the opening 45 minutes. Linfield were the team with the majority of the possession whilst not really threatening Gary Rogers in the St Pat’s goal. Marcus Kane’s tame right footed effort on 66 minutes was their only notable effort in the opening period of the second half. David Jeffrey made the bold move of making a triple substitution on 70 minutes. Robert Garrett came on for Marcus Kane, Mark Miskimmin came on for Jamie Tomelty, and Paul Munster replaced Mark McAllister up front. On 72 minutes, St Pat’s David Mulcahy lobbed a great ball through to Vincent Faherty but the striker’s half volley from the left hand side of the box went high and wide of Blayney’s goal. A minute later, David McAllister had a chance to open the scoring for the visitors. His initial shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Chris Casement but he regained possession of the ball and shot well wide of Blayney’s left hand post. Linfield’s best chance of the game came on 75 minutes. Michael Gault fed Jim Ervin on the right and the right back’s pin point cross was headed straight at Gary Rogers by Peter Thompson. The Linfield striker really should have done better with his effort having been found unmarked in the centre. Just when the game looked to be heading for a drab scoreless draw, it sparked to life on 90 minutes when Aidan O’Kane whipped in a menacing ball from the left. Shane Guthrie attempted to head the ball clear but instead handed it on a plate to Peter Thompson who kept his cool and slid the ball home, left footed, from 12 yards. It was no more than both sets of supporters deserved given how dull the game had been up to that point. Into injury time, Paul Byrne fired his shot from 20 yards straight at Blayney but Linfield held firm in the closing stages to finish as the winners of Group 3. A highly credible result given the number of changes made to the starting eleven. Full Time: Linfield 1 – 0 St Patrick’s Athletic Linfield Team : Blayney, Douglas, Gault, Curran, Thompson, O’Kane, Tomelty (Miskimmin 70’), Ervin, McAllister (Munster 70’), Casement, Kane (Garrett 70’). Linfield Subs not used : Murphy, Bailie, BJ Burns, Addis, St. Patrick's Athletic Team : Rogers, Lynch, Bermingham (Pender 78’), Kenna, Guthrie, Byrne, Guy, Mulcahy, McAllister (Coughlan 85’), Williams (Byrne 74’), Faherty. St. Patrick's Athletic Subs not used : Sinnott, Doyle, Harney, Conner.