St Patrick's Athletic will take a slender lead to Azerbaijan next week but rather than travel in the comfort their dominant performance deserved, this UEFA Conference League third qualifying round tie hangs in the balance.
Romal Palmer’s first half finish sent the home fans into delirium but that became second half frustration and, after the full time whistle sounded, it’s arguable that the 1-0 scoreline is a better result for Sabah who lived a charmed life while defending their goal for most of the second half with ten men.
Stephen Kenny tasted the heady heights of group stage football with Dundalk in 2016 and he took another step towards achieving the same feat with St Pat’s on his first European foray in Tallaght in eight years.
Palmer turned home Mulraney’s superb cross ten minutes from the break but despite countless opportunities, Pat's couldn’t find a crucial second goal and their first European win in Tallaght may be tinged with regret.
Azerbaijan club side Sabah looked to be in control early on with Saints stopper Joseph Anang on alert to brilliantly claw a Jon Irazabal flick off his goalline in the third minute.
Sabah’s healthy financial backing means they boast a sprinkling of international players including nine cap Jamaica winger Kaheem Parris who blazed over with the goal at his mercy after a swift counter attack.
Kenny has always had a preference for natural wingers in his side and one of the early success stories of his reign is the rejuvenation of Mulraney who is enjoying his best spell for Pat's and he inspired his side by tearing the Sabah backline to shreds.
Despite forcing a flurry of corners, eight in all, Pat's were reluctant to deliver into the box but threatened from second balls.
Yusif Imanov pulled off a brace of spectacular saves to deny Mulraney and Zach Elbouzedi before Joe Redmond glanced another corner narrowly wide.
Eager to make their pressure count, Mulraney danced inside Joy-Lance Mickels and whipped a magnificent cross into Palmer who darted across the front post and finished.
Palmer’s song rang out throughout the break and the Saints fans were in chorus six minutes after the restart when the midfielder drew a foul on the edge of the area that saw Ivan Lepinjica dismissed for a second yellow card.
Mulraney, looking to repeat his Vaduz heroics, stung the palms of Ismanov, before Forrester flashed wide after an amazing piece of skill.
Sabah, who seemed quite slick early in the game, now looked devoid of any ideas of how to throw a punch at Pat's who peppered the opposition goal with a series of threatening crosses while Mulraney and Forrester went close.
Tallaght Stadium gasped in disbelief when substitute Mason Melia was denied twice in a matter of seconds. The 16-year-old headed Elbouzedi’s cross against the far post which trickled agonizingly along the goalline before a glancing header was hooked off the line by Irazabal.
Joe Redmond headed over from point blank range with the game ticking towards the 90 and he was denied moments later by another superb save from Ismanov who has kept his side in this tie.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang, Anthony Breslin, Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti, Jamie Lennon (Bolger 87), Chris Forrester, Romal Palmer (McClelland 87), Aidan Keena (Melia 46), Jake Mulraney (Leavy 70), Axel Sjoberg, Zach Elbouzedi (B. Kavanagh 78)
Sabah: Yusif Imanov, Amin Seydiyev, Jon Irazabal, Elvin Jamalov, Bojan Letic, Kaheem Parris (Dashdamirov 70), Ivan Lepinjica, Pavol Safranko (Kuposovic 82), Joy-Lance Mickels (Alaskarov 70), Soufiane Chakla, Jesse Sekidika (Aliyev 82)
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