SETANTA CUP GROUP TWO Linfield 1 St Patrick's Athletic 1: A LATE Jamie Mulgrew strike denied St Patrick's Athletic a place at the top of Group Two.
The Dubliners looked to be hanging on for their second success over Linfield this year after Keith Fahey had given them a deserved lead in the first half, but Mulgrew's last-minute deflected free-kick kept Linfield at the top of the table.
In the end, St Patrick's had goalkeeper Barry Ryan to thank for earning a point after he made a string of late saves to deny the Irish League champions.
St Patrick's would have had no fears ahead of their trip to Windsor Park after giving the Irish League champions a footballing lesson in the corresponding fixture in April.
But Linfield almost made the perfect start when Michael Carvill latched on to a Mark Miskimmin ball from the left, but his header landed inches wide of the far post.
The visitors were dealt a blow on 12 minutes when winger Bobby Ryan was forced off with a dislocated shoulder after an innocuous incident.
Ryan's injury failed to disrupt the visitors' game, however, and Mark Quigley should have opened the scoring on 19 minutes.
Quigley was given the freedom of Windsor Park after Alan Mannus punched Stephen Brennan's dangerous cross to the edge of the box, but he dragged his shot wide of the target.
The visitors could have been made to pay minutes later but Barry Ryan was equal to Winkie Murphy's powerful header and Carvill's long-range shot.
St Patrick's went ahead five minutes before the break. Quigley broke the offside trap and crossed into the centre where Fahey powered a downward header past Mannus.
Glenn Ferguson wasted a chance to draw Linfield level two minutes into the second half when he blazed over after good work from Mulgrew and they were almost made to pay when a minute later Quigley teased the home backline before curling a left-foot strike just wide of goal.
On 51 minutes Fahey stung the hands of Mannus with a rasping long-range strike as St Patrick's threatened to double their lead.
Back came Linfield. Carvill went down under the challenge of Jamie Harris but referee Mark Courtney waved away his claims for a spot-kick.
Linfield captain Noel Bailie had a late strike saved by Ryan, and Munster crashed a header off the bar before Murphy's rebound effort was again saved by Ryan.
It was frantic stuff but Linfield sensed an opening and Mulgrews deflected strike in the final minute kept them level with Derry at the top of Group Two.
LINFIELD: Mannus, W Murphy, Hagan, Curran, Ferguson (Munster 75), Carvill, Bailie, Burns, Lindsay (McAreavey 83), Miskimmin, Mulgrew.
ST PATRICK'S ATH: Barry Ryan, Lynch, Harris, Paisley, Brennan, Fahey, Dempsey, Bobby Ryan (Guy 14), Kirby, Quigley, Fitzpatrick (J Murphy 77) (O'Brien 83).
Referee: Mark Courtney (Dungannon)
