St Patrick's Athletic 1 - Sporting Fingal 1St Patrick's Athletic moved to the top of the Premier Division table on goal difference thanks to a late Dave Mulcahy goal against Sporting Fingal at Richmond Park. Conan Byrne, playing his 110th consecutive game for Fingal, put the visitors ahead on 66 minutes with a cracking drive following sloppy Pat's defending. Mulcahy then pounced with two minutes left on the clock to head on Stuart Byrne's ball over the advancing Brendan Clarke and into the unguarded net, rescuing a draw for the Saints. Looking to bounce back from their Europa League exit, Fingal manager Liam Buckley handed a start to Eamon Zayed, who came off the bench on Thursday and scored twice in the 3-2 defeat to CS Maritimo. Fingal were dealt a blow before kick-off when defender Kenny Browne was injured in the warm-up. He was replaced by Brian Gannon with former Saint John Frost taking Gannon's place on the bench. Both sides started well as would be expected from a cross-city clash involving sides placed second and fourth in the table. Pat's Ryan Guy caused problems with a couple of deep throw-ins into the box but Fingal cleared the threat each time. Stuart Byrne had a shot on 12 minutes but blasted his effort high and wide off target. Alan Kirby more than matched that for Fingal on 19 minutes when his wayward strike cleared the stand at the Inchicore end. A frenetic passage of end to-end play then saw Ronan Finn go close for Fingal on 21 minutes before his goalkeeper Clarke dived to save at the feet of Paul Byrne a minute later with the assistance of Gannon who helped shield the ball. The high-octane action continued apace and Pat's keeper Gary Rogers saved from Zayed in the 26th minute. Byrne then rifled wide right of Clarke's goal on 27, as did Derek Doyle on 29 before Lorcan Fitzgerald cleared off the line from Doyle. Pat's finished the half with a flurry and Clarke rose highest on 42 to meet Doyle's corner before the inrushing Mulcahy could get his head to the ball. Pat's boss Pete Mahon made a double substitution for the second half, replacing front men Paul Byrne and Doyle with Brian Cash and Danny North. The move looked positive with both involved in the early second half action. Cash met a Gareth O'Connor cross on 59 but Clarke was well placed to save his header. North tried a neat overhead kick a minute later but his effort flashed wide of Clarke's left hand post. Fingal took the lead on 66 minutes. Finn's shot in took a deflection off Alan Kirby toward goal and bounced back into the mix off Rogers' face before falling neatly for Byrne to slam home a confident finish. Pat's were nearly back in it on 78 but Mulcahy's header struck the crossbar while referee Anthony Buttimer waived away appeals when Pat's felt the ball had then struck a Fingal hand. The equaliser came on 88 when Stuart Byrne's cross was met by the head of Mulcahy and with Clarke advancing out Mulcahy looped the ball up high, out of his reach and into the unguarded net. © rte.ie
