St Pat’s have young goalkeeper to thank for point in Tallaght

Shamrock Rovers 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 0

Man-of-the-match Conor O’Malley earned St Patrick’s Athletic a point with an exemplary goalkeeping display at Tallaght Stadium.

Lacking a spark early on, it was the 28th minute before this Dublin derby came to life as the visitors blew the chance of the lead.

Up from right-back, Michael Barker made the end line to cross to set up Graham Kelly who contrived to side foot over the crossbar with the goal gaping.

That enlivened Rovers as they went on to dominate until the interval.

Tenacious defending was required from St Pat’s Lee Desmond to block a shot from Simon Madden after Dean Clarke got free in the area to cross.

O’Malley was then worked for the first time on 36 minutes, tipping Sean Boyd’s header from a Madden cross onto the bar and out for a corner.

Three minutes later O’Malley excelled again, getting a good hand to Patrick Cregg’s shot after the Rovers midfielder worked a one-two with Boyd.

Rovers maintained the initiative into the second half with Dean Clarke firing wide before forcing O’Malley into a more comfortable save with a low drive.

Well on top now, Rovers carved another fine chance on 6 1minutes. McCabe delightfully touched down a diagonal ball from Dave Webster into the path of skipper Stephen McPhail whose low right-foot shot was again brilliantly saved by O’Malley.

Ironically, it was Rovers who then needed rescuing with a remarkable save on 81 minutes. Kelly found space on the edge of the area to shoot. Substitute keeper Barry Murphy brilliantly touched the rising left-foot shot over his bar.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Hyland (Murphy, 13); Heaney, Cornwall, Webster; Madden Cregg (Miele, 70), McPhail, McCabe, T. Clarke; D. Clarke (Shaw, 78), Boyd.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: O'Malley; Barker, Feely, D. Dennehy (O'Brien, 49), Bermingham; Kelly, Desmond; Byrne, Timlin, B. Dennehy (Kinsella, 70); Corcoran (McGrath, 78).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).