FAI National League Premier Division: Shamrock Rovers fended off rivals St Patrick's Athletic to keep themselves just a point adrift of league leaders Shelbourne thanks to a late Tony Grant goal at Richmond Park last night.

Rovers were on the back foot for most of the evening, but Grant popped up to toe-poke home the winner after St Pat's goalkeeper Chris Adamson was unable to claim a James Keddy corner.

St Pat's dictated the early exchanges, with Paul Osam looking as assured as ever in the centre of the park and Charles Livingstone asking the vital questions down the left flank.

One such Livingstone probe led to their opening chance after just eight minutes.

He picked out David Freeman, but the Ugandan international's header from the return pass was easily dealt with by Barry Ryan in the Rovers goal.

The Hoops were struggling to get a foothold on the proceedings with their only real opportunity being an Alan Reynolds shot that blazed well over the bar.

They did begin to discover a rhythm of sorts to their play after Keddy combined with Tony Grant before sending a powerful drive straight at Adamson. But Osam was just shading his midfield duel with Reynolds and, on the half hour, he stepped neatly inside him before firing agonisingly wide.

Yet, it was the trickery of Livingstone that continued to be the main attacking threat.

Kharim El Khebir almost sent St Patrick's in at the break a goal to the good, but after a one-two with Tony Bird, his shot curled to just the wrong side of the post.

The St Patrick's domination continued after the break and, six minutes in, Bird had the ball in the Rovers net. However, the whistle had already sounded for offside on Khebir, who had supplied the ball.

Substitute Trevor Molloy almost broke the deadlock with his first touch, but Barry Prenderville did well to get in a goal-line clearance.

But, as is so often the way, Rovers punished their Richmond Park landlords for not making use of their greater possession with Grant's late opportunistic strike.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Ryan, Gough, Keddy, Palmer, Byrne, Robinson, Colwell, Reynolds, Fitzpatrick, T Grant, S Grant. Subs: T Molloy for Robinson (64 mins); G Lacey for Fitzpatrick (79); P Deans for T Grant (89).

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: C Adamson, Donnelly, El Khebir, Prenderville, Maguire, Fahy, Murphy, Osam, Bird, Freeman, Livingstone. Subs: Casey for El Khebir (66 mins); George for Freeman (79); Dunne for Donnelly (87).

Referee: D McKeon.