St Pat's held by Dundalk as Hoare header cancels Horgan penalty, Saints go second but trail Rovers by seven
A 57th-minute Seán Hoare header cancelled out Daryl Horgan's first-half penalty as St Patrick's Athletic drew 1-1 with Dundalk at Richmond Park, moving above Bohemians into second place but remaining seven points adrift of leaders Shamrock Rovers.
Match summary
St Patrick's Athletic and Dundalk played out a 1-1 draw at Richmond Park on Friday night, a result that lifted Stephen Kenny's side into second place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division but left them seven points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. Daryl Horgan gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot after Anto Breslin was adjudged to have fouled Trevor Clarke in the 34th minute. Former Dundalk defender Seán Hoare headed the equaliser in the 57th minute, ensuring the points were shared. The draw ended Dundalk's three-game losing streak, while St Pat's missed an opportunity to cut the gap to the champions.
Key incidents
The home side had strong claims for a penalty waved away in the eighth minute when Aidan Keena's shot struck the arm of Aodh Dervin, but referee Kevin O'Sullivan saw no infringement. Keena then missed a glaring chance from close range after being found unmarked by Anto Breslin's cross, and on 16 minutes Ryan Edmondson was denied by goalkeeper Enda Minogue when put through on goal. Dundalk grew into the game and came within inches of taking the lead on 23 minutes when Harry Groome's pass found Clarke, whose shot deflected off Hoare and struck the post. The visitors' pressure told when Breslin's challenge on Clarke resulted in a penalty and a yellow card for the St Pat's defender. Horgan smashed the spot-kick home. After the break, St Pat's pushed for an equaliser and Hoare rose to meet a delivery and head past Minogue to level.
- St Pat's penalty appeal for handball by Aodh Dervin waved away by referee Kevin O'Sullivan.
- Ryan Edmondson denied by goalkeeper Enda Minogue when through on goal.
- Trevor Clarke's shot deflects off Seán Hoare and hits the post for Dundalk.
- Daryl Horgan converts a penalty after Anto Breslin fouls Clarke, giving Dundalk a 1-0 lead.
- Seán Hoare heads the equaliser for St Patrick's Athletic to make it 1-1.
League implications
The point moved St Pat's above Bohemians on goal difference into second place, but with Shamrock Rovers not in action due to European commitments, the champions remain seven points clear having now played the same number of games as both St Pat's and Bohemians. St Pat's had two games in hand but failed to gain ground, having also drawn with Waterford a fortnight ago. For Ciaran Kilduff's Dundalk, the result halted a run of three consecutive league defeats and kept them fourth, still targeting European qualification. The draw was Dundalk's third meeting with St Pat's this season; the Saints won 4-0 at Richmond Park in February, but Dundalk triumphed 2-0 at Oriel Park on Easter Monday.
Team news and form
Kian Leavy returned from injury for St Pat's, while Dundalk handed a debut to Republic of Ireland under-21 international Cian Dillon, signed from QPR on a multi-season deal, and gave Trevor Clarke his first league start at right wing. The visitors had lost strikers Eoin Kenny and Gbemi Arubi to transfers across channel, prompting a reshuffle. St Pat's had won nine of their previous 12 home league games (10 of 13 according to one report) but could not find a winner. The home side's early dominance yielded no goal, and Dundalk's resilience earned them a valuable point.
What they said
While no post-match comments were immediately available, the frustration for St Pat's was evident. They had the better of the early chances, with Keena and Edmondson both guilty of misses, and the penalty decision against them proved costly. Dundalk, meanwhile, will take heart from ending their losing run and matching a title contender away from home.
