Frustration for profligate Pat’s

St. Patrick’s Athletic 0 Shamrock Rovers 0

Rovers were on the back foot from the off and fortunate not to have conceded as early as the third minute.

A slip by a defender allowed Chris Forrester possession to turn and shoot, but Rovers’ captain Pat Sullivan got across to take the sting out of the shot to allow Barry Murphy save.

Murphy was there again two minutes later to get down well to save a low drive from Christy Fagan.

Another brave block by Derek Foran prevented Fagan’s effort hitting the target on 20 minutes.

Fagan ought then to have put Pat’s ahead on 29 minutes but he hurried his shot over the top.

Pat’s frustration in front of goal mounted after the break as Killian Brennan was just over the bar with a set-piece on 70 minutes.

Six minutes later Rovers almost snatch the lead, Danny Ledwith’s 30-yard drive parried away by Brendan Clarke. Ciaran Kilduff, on the pitch a minute, fired the rebound wide.

Ledwith soon limped off leaving Rovers to play the last 10 minutes with 10 men.

St. Patrick’s pressed to take advantage, with Kenny Browne’s header at the back post from a Brennan free-kick bringing a save from Murphy.

Successive corners then brought no joy as Rovers held out, the happier to take a point.

ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Clarke; O’Brien, Kenna, Browne, Bermingham; Russell, Bolger, Brennan; Byrne (Kelly, 79 mins.), Fagan, Forrester.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy; Sullivan (Robinson, 51 mins.), Foran, McGuinness, Ledwith; Chambers (Kilduff, 75 mins.); Finn, Rice; O’Connor, Sheppard, Dennehy (McCabe, 58 mins.).

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork) (Replaced by Tom Connolly, ht.