Soccer

St Pat’s have young goalkeeper to thank for point in Tallaght

Conor O’Malley got his side out of a hole on a number of ocassions in dull Dublin derby

St. Patrick’s Athletic goalkeeper Conor O’Malley makes a save in their Airtricity League clash with Shamrock Rovers. Photo: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
St. Patrick’s Athletic goalkeeper Conor O’Malley makes a save in their Airtricity League clash with Shamrock Rovers. Photo: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Fri Sept 02 2016 - 22:26

Shamrock Rovers 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 0

Man-of-the-match Conor O’Malley earned St Patrick’s Athletic a point with an exemplary goalkeeping display at Tallaght Stadium.

Lacking a spark early on, it was the 28th minute before this Dublin derby came to life as the visitors blew the chance of the lead.

Up from right-back, Michael Barker made the end line to cross to set up Graham Kelly who contrived to side foot over the crossbar with the goal gaping.

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That enlivened Rovers as they went on to dominate until the interval.

Tenacious defending was required from St Pat’s Lee Desmond to block a shot from Simon Madden after Dean Clarke got free in the area to cross.

O’Malley was then worked for the first time on 36 minutes, tipping Sean Boyd’s header from a Madden cross onto the bar and out for a corner.

Three minutes later O’Malley excelled again, getting a good hand to Patrick Cregg’s shot after the Rovers midfielder worked a one-two with Boyd.

Rovers maintained the initiative into the second half with Dean Clarke firing wide before forcing O’Malley into a more comfortable save with a low drive.

Well on top now, Rovers carved another fine chance on 6 1minutes. McCabe delightfully touched down a diagonal ball from Dave Webster into the path of skipper Stephen McPhail whose low right-foot shot was again brilliantly saved by O’Malley.

Ironically, it was Rovers who then needed rescuing with a remarkable save on 81 minutes. Kelly found space on the edge of the area to shoot. Substitute keeper Barry Murphy brilliantly touched the rising left-foot shot over his bar.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Hyland (Murphy, 13); Heaney, Cornwall, Webster; Madden Cregg (Miele, 70), McPhail, McCabe, T. Clarke; D. Clarke (Shaw, 78), Boyd.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: O'Malley; Barker, Feely, D. Dennehy (O'Brien, 49), Bermingham; Kelly, Desmond; Byrne, Timlin, B. Dennehy (Kinsella, 70); Corcoran (McGrath, 78).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).