National League / Wateford 1 St Patrick's Ath 1: Neither Waterford United nor St Patrick's Athletic could gain outright advantage in this crucial, "six-pointer" relegation battle at the RSC last night.
With both sides desperately needing the points, the home side led from midway in the first half. The game was extremely hard-fought but, on the balance of play, the visitors deserved their equaliser that came with just five minutes remaining.
United opened the scoring on 19 minutes following a corner from the right by Kevin Waters. It was cleared by Barry Prenderville but only as far as Waters who floated over a perfect cross into the path of the in-rushing Vinnie Sullivan.
The striker didn't break his stride and volleyed a glorious shot into the roof of the net from 14 metres for his third league goal this season.
The late equaliser came when Barry Prenderville drove a huge ball upfield and the St Patrick's top-scorer, Robbie Doyle, volleyed a shot to the net from 14 metres which screamed past goalkeeper Patrick Holden.
In fact, both goals came from almost the same spot and were very similar in execution.
The two sides had opportunities to score in a second half where the visitors took over at midfield. Sullivan and Dave Mulcahy went close for United but Michael Foley, Doyle and Glen Larsen should really have found the net for St Patrick's before the equaliser.
The Dublin side might have snatched all three points five minutes into added-time but Stephen Caffrey's header, from an Alan Reilly corner, shaved the top-side of the crossbar.
The visitors almost got off to a dream start when Larsen played Gerard Rowe through from the kick-off but his close-range shot went over the bar when he should have hit the target.
A Waters free on 11 minutes resulted in three successive corners for United but St Patrick's withstood the pressure and swept upfield on the break.
Larsen split the United defence to create an opening for Vinnie Perth but his aim was just off and his attempt to chip Holden went over the bar.
Paul Crowley went close to increasing United's lead with a diving header on 27 minutes while, at the other end, former Waterford captain John Frost tried his luck with a 25-yard shot that was well held by Holden, who got his body behind the ball.
Two minutes into the second half, United broke out of defence following a corner by Foley. Kevin Doherty provided the cross-field pass for Sullivan but former schools international and debutant goalkeeper Brendan Clarke was quickly off his line to smother the danger.
Six minutes later, St Patrick's went within a whisker of scoring when Foley connected with a cross by Rowe but his low shot went just inches wide of the near post.
On 65 minutes, Holden did well to tip a flashing header from Doyle out for a corner off the crossbar.
WATERFORD UNITED: Holden, Breen, Hayes, Mulcahy, Doherty, Purcell, Crowley, Grant, Sullivan, Waters, Heffernan. Subs: Andrews for Hayes (18 mins), Lester for Crowley (88 mins), Jack for Grant (90 mins).
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke, Prenderville, Frost, Caffrey, Maguire, Perth, Brennan, Foley, Larsen, Rowe, Doyle. Subs: Reilly for Rowe (63 mins), Quigley for Brennan (72 mins). O'Connor for Perth (84 mins).
Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).
