St Patrick's Ath 1 Shamrock R 1:CHAMPIONS SHAMROCK Rovers missed the chance to move back to the top of the Premier Division after being held to a draw at Richmond Park.
With Derry City drawing at home to Drogheda United, Rovers would have returned to the summit with a win. Stephen O’Donnell set them on their way with a terrific shot on 19 minutes but substitute Danny North equalised on 69 minutes.
Rovers looked that bit more hungry early on and duly went ahead. Gary McCabe’s corner kick wasn’t properly cleared and the ball fell perfectly for O’Donnell to smash a terrific shot from about 20 yards, which sailed through a cluster of bodies and into Gary Rogers’s net.
Rovers continued to dominate and nearly doubled their advantage on 34 minutes. Billy Dennehy’s corner was knocked down by Craig Sives for Dan Murray in the box but the former Cork City man hammered his shot over the bar.
Seconds later Enda Stevens’s shot took a deflection off Murphy and rolled toward goal but Rogers was alert and intercepted.
Pat’s were much improved for the second half and Ryan Thompson in the Rovers goal did well to deny Conor Kenna, who headed on target on 48 minutes.
McCabe was proving a real threat for Rovers down the right and he tested Rogers with a rasping effort on 51 minutes but the Pat’s goalkeeper saved.
Pat’s continued the good work and went close to opening their account on 64 minutes. Dave Mulcahy’s low ball slid across the goalmouth to the right post but the inrushing North was a fraction of a second too late and sent the ball wide.
The home side finally got the goal their play deserved on 69 minutes. North got in behind Stevens on the right to meet Ian Bermingham’s cross and he tucked the ball past Thompson.
MONAGHAN United manager Roddy Collins last night lost his appeal against an FAI independent disciplinary committee which found him guilty of making disparaging comments about the association. Collins made the comments on RTÉ radio about the disclosure of FAI accounts.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Bermingham, Kenna, E McMillan, Pender; O’Connor, Bradley, Mulcahy, Murphy (Doyle 61 mins); Kavanagh, Daly (North 61 mins).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Thompson; Stevens, Sives, Murray, Gannon; Dennehy (Finn 77 mins), O’Donnell, McCormack, McCabe (Ricketts 77 mins); Twigg, Kilduff.
Referee: N Doyle (Dublin)
Attendance: 2,420.
