- Dave Donnelly
- Sat, Jun 03 2017
Shamrock Rovers missed the chance to move above Bray Wanderers and within three points of second-placed Dundalk as they were held 1-1 by St Patrick's Athletic at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night.
Graham Burke had given the Hoops the lead in the first half with a fine finish from inside the box before Christy Fagan levelled in spectacular fashion shortly after the break.
The game was marred by the behaviour of Burke, however, as he was sent off for a wild kick off the ball at Pats midfielder Pat Cregg inside his own management team's technical area.
It was Burke's second such dismissal this season, having been sent off for kicking former Saint Jamie McGrath moments after scoring in Rovers' opening game of the season against Dundalk in Oriel Park.
The visitors had slightly the better of a cagey opening period as first JJ Lunney and then Rory Feely had efforts on goal, the latter forcing a smart save from Rovers keeper Tomer Chencinski.
It was from the counter-attack following the latter that Rovers opened the scoring as confusion in the Pats defence allowed Burke in on goal and, ignoring Brandon Miele in a position to tap in, he finished confidently past Conor O'Malley.
Fagan tried to do his best Conan Byrne impression just before the half-hour when Lee Desmond pickpockets Rovers captain Ronan Finn in midfield, but he was off target.
Conor O'Malley pulled off a terrific double save, first to palm out Graham Burke's free kick and second to get low to deny the follow-up from Ryan Connolly with the midfielder preparing to celebrate.
Fagan spured a glorious chance to level against the run of play three minutes from the break after more good pressing from Desmond of a hospital pass from Chencinski put Fagan through, but with the keeper to beat his effort was uncharacteristically poor, bouncing a long way wide.
The former Bohemians striker did get his goal ten minutes into second half however, as Conan Byrne drove towards the Rovers defence and worked the ball to Fagan in acres of space, and he set himself up for an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Pats seized the initiative and Fagan was at the centre of the action again moments later as he played in Conan Byrne with a precise pass that the winger hit first time narrowly past the far post.
Then, just as Rovers appeared to be assuming control in the final 15 minutes, Burke had a rush of blood to the head and swung a boot at Cregg to earn Rovers their sixth red card of the season and second in two games against Pats.
Bradley indicated after the game he was just about to take Burke off. Instead he brought on Michael O'Connor and Sean Boyd for Shaw and Miele as the Hoops looked to make light of their disadvantage by grabbing a winner.
Pats came closer to grabbing the decisive goal as Conan Byrne forced the backtracking Chencinski into a save with an audacious effort from 70 yards that channeled his wondergoal in Dalymount Park earlier this season.
Lee Desmond shot straight at Chencinski in the latter stages but both teams seemed happy to settle for a draw that, while not ideal for either, lifts Pats off the bottom of the table as the midseason break kicks in.
Shamrock Rovers: Tomer Chencinski; Simon Madden, David Webster, Daniel Devine, Luke Byrne; David McAllister, Ronan Finn, Trevor Clarke (Darren Meenan 66), Brandon Miele (Sean Boyd 84); Graham Burke, Gary Shaw (Michael O'Connor 80).
Subs not used: Kevin Horgan (gk), Daniel Devine, Sam Bone, David McAllister.
Booked: Graham Burke (24).
Sent off: Graham Burke (78).
St Patrick's Athletic: Conor O'Malley; Michael Barker, Gavin Peers, Rory Feely, Ian Bermingham; Pat Cregg, Lee Desmond, Darragh Markey (Kurtis Byrne 84), Conan Byrne, JJ Lunney (Alex O'Hanlon 89); Christy Fagan.
Subs not used: Barry Murphy (gk), Sam Verdon, Graham Kelly, Aidan Keena, Josh O'Hanlon.
Booked: Pat Cregg (35), Michael Barker (42), Ian Bermingham (80).
Referee: Robert Hennessy.
Attendance: 3,500 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Lee Desmond (St Patrick's Athletic).
