ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC and Sligo Rovers shared the spoils in an action-packed SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division encounter at Richmond Park.
A first-half header from Christy Fagan was cancelled out by Michael Leahy inside the final 10 minutes to ensure both sides gained a hard-fought point.
It was the Bit O’Red who created the game’s opening opportunity after eight minutes. A poor pass from Kurtis Byrne allowed Jonah Ayunga to pounce through on goal, however, Conor O’Malley flew off his line to squeeze the space and make a terrific save with his legs.
Rovers again came close on 28 minutes when, after a scramble inside the area, Ayunga found a snippet of space before seeing his shot cleared off the line by Lee Desmond.
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Despite Sligo looking more likely to hit the front foot first, it was The Saints who would break the deadlock on 33 minutes.
Ian Bermingham whipped a delightful ball into the danger area where Fagan was well-positioned to send an impeccable header into the bottom corner.
Rovers began the second half brightly with the sparkling Sadlier inches from levelling on the hour mark when his rasping effort from distance bent just wide of the post.
On 67 minutes, Pat’s had a golden chance to double their advantage. A neat through ball from Kurtis Byrne sent namesake Conan clean in on goal, however, Michael Schlingermann reacted brilliantly to force Byrne away from goal before making the solid stop.
Sadlier continued to dominate the left channel and on 77 minutes he won the ball deep inside the Saint’s half before embarking on a darting run on goal. He cut inside to avert Rory Feely’s challenge before dragging his shot wide of the mark when he should have at least found the target.
Almost immediately after Pat’s broke forward with Conan Byrne again finding himself with acres of space inside the box, however, Schlingermann slapped the shot above his head before Regan Donelon rather spectacularly hooked the dropping ball off the line.
With ten minutes to play, Liam Martin hit a curling shot which cannoned off the cross bar before Martin Russell’s follow-up was stopped by a world-class reaction save from O’Malley.
However, from the resulting corner, Michael Leahy met the ball with a thumping header to tie up the game with nine to play.
Both sides now move to 14 points, with St Pat’s remaining in eighth spot. However, with Galway United overcoming Finn Harps and Bohemians picking up a huge three points away to Bray Wanderers, Sligo drop a spot to now occupy the final relegation position in a gridlocked bottom-six.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Conor O’Malley; Michael Barker, Rory Feely, Gavin Peers (Pat Cregg, 46), Ian Bermingham; Lee Demond, Graham Kelly (Sam Verdon, 90), Darragh Markey; Conan Byrne, Christy Fagan (J.J Lunney, 82), Kurtis Byrne
Sligo Rovers: Mícheál Schlingermann; Gary Boylan, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Michael Leahy, Regan Donelon; Kieran Sadlier , Chris Kenny, John Russell, Liam Martin; Jonah Ayunga, Mikey Place (Martin Walsh, 90)
Fagan back among the goals but Pat's forced to settle for a draw in Inchicore
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Sligo Rovers 1
Harry Manning reports from Richmond Park
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC and Sligo Rovers shared the spoils in an action-packed SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division encounter at Richmond Park.
A first-half header from Christy Fagan was cancelled out by Michael Leahy inside the final 10 minutes to ensure both sides gained a hard-fought point.
It was the Bit O’Red who created the game’s opening opportunity after eight minutes. A poor pass from Kurtis Byrne allowed Jonah Ayunga to pounce through on goal, however, Conor O’Malley flew off his line to squeeze the space and make a terrific save with his legs.
Rovers again came close on 28 minutes when, after a scramble inside the area, Ayunga found a snippet of space before seeing his shot cleared off the line by Lee Desmond.
Despite Sligo looking more likely to hit the front foot first, it was The Saints who would break the deadlock on 33 minutes.
Ian Bermingham whipped a delightful ball into the danger area where Fagan was well-positioned to send an impeccable header into the bottom corner.
Rovers began the second half brightly with the sparkling Sadlier inches from levelling on the hour mark when his rasping effort from distance bent just wide of the post.
On 67 minutes, Pat’s had a golden chance to double their advantage. A neat through ball from Kurtis Byrne sent namesake Conan clean in on goal, however, Michael Schlingermann reacted brilliantly to force Byrne away from goal before making the solid stop.
Sadlier continued to dominate the left channel and on 77 minutes he won the ball deep inside the Saint’s half before embarking on a darting run on goal. He cut inside to avert Rory Feely’s challenge before dragging his shot wide of the mark when he should have at least found the target.
Almost immediately after Pat’s broke forward with Conan Byrne again finding himself with acres of space inside the box, however, Schlingermann slapped the shot above his head before Regan Donelon rather spectacularly hooked the dropping ball off the line.
With ten minutes to play, Liam Martin hit a curling shot which cannoned off the cross bar before Martin Russell’s follow-up was stopped by a world-class reaction save from O’Malley.
However, from the resulting corner, Michael Leahy met the ball with a thumping header to tie up the game with nine to play.
Both sides now move to 14 points, with St Pat’s remaining in eighth spot. However, with Galway United overcoming Finn Harps and Bohemians picking up a huge three points away to Bray Wanderers, Sligo drop a spot to now occupy the final relegation position in a gridlocked bottom-six.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Conor O’Malley; Michael Barker, Rory Feely, Gavin Peers (Pat Cregg, 46), Ian Bermingham; Lee Demond, Graham Kelly (Sam Verdon, 90), Darragh Markey; Conan Byrne, Christy Fagan (J.J Lunney, 82), Kurtis Byrne
Sligo Rovers: Mícheál Schlingermann; Gary Boylan, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Michael Leahy, Regan Donelon; Kieran Sadlier , Chris Kenny, John Russell, Liam Martin; Jonah Ayunga, Mikey Place (Martin Walsh, 90)
Referee: Paul Tuite
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