Pats through - good for them

[deco]

St Pat's stage fairytale comeback

Krylia Sovetov 3 St Patrick's Athletic 2 (aggregate 3-3 St Pat's win on away goal rule): St Patrick’s Athletic progressed to the play-off stage of the Europa League after securing a thrilling away-goals victory over Krylya Sovetov in today’s third qualifying round, second leg at Metallurg Stadium in Samara, Russia.

Jeff Kenna's travelled to the outer reaches of Russia protecting a 1-0 lead after Declan O’Brien’s lone strike at Richmond Park was the only difference between the two sides after the first leg.

The League of Ireland side may have been flanked by a heavyweight total of three supporters but this was always going be a tough assignment as they travelled more in hope than expectation.

The Saints held their own for much of the first half but the aggregate contest was level after 41 minutes when Krylia's Anton Bober put the home side ahead.

Within 10 minutes of the restart the fixture looked all but over for the the Saints after the Russian side scored twice through Yevgeni Savin in a four minute period.

However, this would only serve as the preamble to St Pat's well-scripted European adventure.

First signs of a comeback came when Krylya's Bober afforded the visitors an own goal after 73 minutes. Amid the confusion Stuart Byrne laid claim to the goal but Uefa deemed it an own goal.

Six minutes later O'Brien was the hero once more as he left the hardcore supporters in a frenzy after his fourth goal of the campaign on 79 minutes left it 3-3, but crucially gave St Pat's an away goal advantage and on the brink of the club's greatest success in Europe.

Kenna's side admirably held on for the final whistle and will go into tomorrow's final qualifying round draw in Geneva where they could face the likes of Premier League sides Everton or Aston Villa plus European heavyweights in the form of Villarreal, Valencia or Ajax.

Krylya Sovetov: Lobos, Kalachev, Shishkin, Bober, Taranov, Savin, Adzhindzhal, Ignatjev, Budylin, Belozerov, Ivanov

St Patrick's Athletic: Rogers, Partridge, Harris, Lynch, S Byrne, Ryan, O'Connor, Gavin, Guy, Stevens, O'Brien

Referee: Tommy Skjerven (NOR)