St Pat’s title hopes in tatters after Dos Santos nets Derry winner

League of Ireland: Derry City 1 (Dos Santos 62) St Patrick’s Athletic 0St Patrick’s Athletic’s title aspirations have been left in tatters after two defeats in three days to put Stephen Kenny’s side third in the Premier Division, six points adrift of Shamrock Rovers with two games remaining. A subdued contest at the Brandywell came to life in the 62nd minute when Darragh Burns scurried down the right to plant a cross on the head of Portuguese winger Kevin Dos Santos. The contrast between this game and last Monday’s thrilling Dublin derby between Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians was stark. Flat, slow paced and riddled with miscued passing, St Pat’s looked jaded after their full-court press against Shelbourne on Friday night.The 2-1 loss at Richmond Park will torture them through the winter rather than what transpired here. The opening 45 minutes last Friday was when Kenny’s side let slip their chance to end a 13-year wait for a League of Ireland title. READ MOREThree days on, they were devoid of energy. Even when Kian Leavy tiptoed into the Derry box after just three minutes, his shot lacked any venom and the excellent Patrick McClean sent the ball for a corner. Three minutes later and Leavy burst through again, only for Jamie Stott to get across with another block. Derry listed Michael Duffy and Adam O’Reilly as injured, but 20 days out from the FAI Cup final against Waterford, interim manager Mark Connolly would be forgiven for taking no chances with his best players. Mired in the mid-table, and with only one route into Europe remaining, there’s no need to risk the pair until November 8th.St Patrick's Athletic’s Anto Breslin and Derry City's Conor Barr. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho Asked if James McClean can return to the Derry squad ahead of the final, his younger brother Patrick said: “I’m not sure. I don’t know. I would love to see it. It would be an honour to share the pitch with him. I wish him well in whatever happens. I’m going to be there to support him. It is obviously a sad after.”Burns, a former St Pat’s winger, had an interesting first half. Despite looking dangerous dribbling off the right, he was yellow carded for a blatant dive moments before he wasted a clear sight of goal. After Barry Crowe-Baggley was blocked from retaining possession by referee Aaron O’Dowda, Burns exchanged with Tyler Smith only to shoot straight at Joey Anang. The visitor’s lack of tempo suggested they had nothing in the tank. Kenny has already criticised how the recent international break left his squad idle for 27 days. Around the hour mark, Derry seemed to realise that some form will be required before they meet Waterford in the Cup decider. Their goal came after St Pat’s skipper Joe Redmond’s bullet header missed the target from a Zack Elbouzedi free kick. It began with James Clarke switching the play with the outside of his right boot. Brandon Fleming and Dos Santos injected pace into the attack down the left before play went back right where Burns skinned James McClelland and sent a dangerous cross into the St Pat’s six-yard box. Dos Santos had continued his run, keeping hold of Elbouzedi’s shirt, and he let the ball bounce off his head to nestle in the far corner. Derry City's Ellis Chapman is challenged by St Pat's Jamie Lennon. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho Kenny flung Ryan Sheridan and veteran playmaker Chris Forrester into the fray instead of Crowe-Baggley and Leavy. But the damage had been done last Friday, this was just the killer blow to the former Republic of Ireland manager’s plan to bring silverware back to Inchicore in his third season. Sheridan almost saved the day. The teenager picked up the ball 40 yards from goal, gliding between two Derry players and evading another with a deft back heel before a left-foot shot went straight at goalkeeper Thomas Norcott. The Kildare midfielder could shine at the under-17 World Cup in Qatar next month. Romal Palmer had two late chances to beat Norcott and secure a point that would have given St Pat’s a mathematical chance of catching Rovers, but the Englishman’s effort hit the goalkeeper’s leg before he put a tap-in wide. Meanwhile, the top goalscorer in the Premier Division has become a battle between Waterford strike partners Podge Amond and Tommy Lonergan as Graham Coughlan’s side eased out of the relegation playoff spot with a dramatic 3-2 win over Galway United at the RSC.Amond scored twice before half-time to bring his tally for the season to 13 goals. Galway drew level with goals from Lee Devitt and Stephen Walsh, only for Lonergan to hit his 15th of the campaign in the last minute. The result brings Waterford level on points with Drogheda United, but ahead of them on goal difference with two games remaining. DERRY CITY: Norcott; Lyons-Foste (Barr 46), P McClean, Stott, Fleming; Twisk (Dummigan 79), Clarke; Dos Santos (Markey 72), Chapman, Burns; Smith (Doherty 85). ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Anang; Redmond, Hoare, Turner (Palmer 75); Elbouzedi, Crowe-Baggley (Sheridan 64), Lennon, Breslin (McClelland 57); Leavy (Forrester 63), Keena (Edmondson 57), Olunsanya. Referee: A O’Dowd.