Ethan Boyle grabs last minute equaliser to deny St Pat's

Ethan Boyle headed in a 96th minute equaliser as never-say-die Finn Harps came from 2-0 down late on to grab a sensational draw against St Patrick’s Athletic

Fri, 24 Jun, 2022 - 22:12

Chris Ashmore

Finn Harps 2 Carrillo 87, Boyle 90+5 St. Patrick’s Athletic 2 King 6, 63

Ethan Boyle headed in a 96th minute equaliser as never-say-die Finn Harps came from 2-0 down late on to grab a sensational draw against a St Patrick’s Athletic side that appeared to have had the game sewn up.

Two goals from Billy King - including a stunner just past the hour mark - had put Pat’s on the road to victory, But substitute Jose Carrillo pulled one back for Harps in the 87th minute and incredibly Boyle was the hero as he got a second for Ollie Horgan’s men to give them a share of the spoils.

Gavin Mulreany was given the nod to play in goals for Harps in preference to regular choice Mark Anthony McGinley, and made only his second appearance for the Donegal club.

And he was in action within two minutes to produce a decent save to thwart Darragh Burns.

From the resulting corner Sam Curtis rose to head just over the target.

But Pat’s were ahead on six minutes when Mark Doyle capitalised on a slip by Ethan Boyle and advanced down the left before playing the ball into the path of the in-rushing King who deftly tucked it past Mulreany from close range.

Tim Clancy’s side doubled their tally in the 63rd minute as King skipped past a number of players before letting fly with a cracking shot from outside the box that flew past Mulreany into the corner of the net.

But Harps showed their battling qualities with the two late goals to snatch a point.

The gutted Saints now have to lift things for Monday’s clash with leaders Shamrock Rovers in Inchicore.

Finn Harps: Mulreany; Boyle, Tourish, Slevin, Donelan; N’Zeyi (Carrillo, 71 mins); Rainey, Duncan (Timlin, 62 mins), McNamee (Mahdy, 90+1 mins); Mihaljevic (Rudden, 71 mins); McWoods.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang; S. Curtis (Abankwah, 81 mins), Redmond, Grivosti; Breslin; O’Reilly, King, Forrester (McClelland, 81 mins); Burns (McCormack, 81 mins), M. Doyle; E Doyle.(Robinson, 81 mins).

Referee: J. McLaughlin (Kildare)