Waterford United 1 St Patrick's Athletic 1:WATERFORD UNITED were only 20 minutes away from booking a place in the semi final of the FAI Cup on Saturday night, but a former Blues player, Gary Dempsey, popped up with an equaliser to set up a replay in Richmond Park tomorrow night.

The home side dominated the first 45 minutes and the Premier League outfit had to play second fiddle for long spells but St Pat’s battled back after the interval.

Waterford’s Willie John Kiely broke the deadlock on 17 minutes.

A long ball played forward by Kenny Browne broke on the edge of the penalty area to Stephen Grant, and he played the ball back into the path of Kiely who cracked an unstoppable shot high into the roof of the net from 18 yards.

St Patrick’s Alan Cawley, another ex-Waterford player clipped the top of the crossbar with a 20-yard free after 28 minutes. Kiely squandered a great chance to score his second goal of the game after 33 minutes when he raced on to a headed pass from Graham Cummins but then fired straight at Gary Rogers from close range.

Rogers then did well to keep out Kevin Waters’ firm header. The final chance of the opening period fell to St Pat’s as Dempsey took a pass from Ryan Guy but dragged his shot across goal.

The visitors came out after the interval determined to get back into the game and it took some fine saves from the Waterford goalkeeper Michael Devine to deny efforts from Dempsey and Damien Lynch.

The equaliser arrived on 70 minutes. Bobby Ryan’s ball ball from the right broke to Dempsey in a crowded penalty area and he somehow found a little bit of space to fire home from eight yards.

Waterford took control during the closing stages but St Pat’s held out to secure a replay.

WATERFORD UNITED: Devine, Carey, Browne, Long, Murray, Mulcahy ( Warren 68) Grant, Waters, Kiely ( Sullivan 78) Cummins. Kearney.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: G Rogers, S Maher(Ryan 65), Lynch, Gavin, Stevens, Ryan, Cawley, Byrne, Dempsey, Guy, Fitzpatrick (Leech 57).

Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).