National League Premier Division/St Patricks Athletic - 1 Drogheda Utd - 1: Neither side could be too displeased at the end of a pulsating game either of them could have won.

Early goals promised a thriller, and though the game ebbed and flowed thereafter, the crowd's attention was never allowed to wane.

St Patrick's, needing a win to confirm their Premier Division status for next season, were rewarded for their positive start with the lead goal after just five minutes.

The pace and aggression of Robbie Doyle caught Drogheda unawares down the middle as he raced onto Stephen Quigley's hopeful ball. Doyle got between Aidan Lynch and Danny O'Connor and put the ball past Tony O'Dowd.

The somewhat sluggish Drogheda back three were caught out again on nine minutes. Keith Fahey's first-time ball put Doyle in behind the visitors. But Doyle totally miscued his shot which ran across goal. The danger remained, though, as the ball was retrieved by team-mate Aidan O'Keeffe whose shot was blocked by John Flanagan.

The equaliser came on 11 minutes when Mark Rooney fed Jermaine Sandvliet whose cross was headed inside the far post by Andy Myler.

The game remained alive and kicking into the second half with Drogheda injecting much of the urgency and on 63 minutes Quigley had to clear off the St Patrick's goal line as John Lester dived low to get a header on Alan Reilly's cross.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; Prenderville, Foley, Maguire, Bell; Quigley, Donnelly, Fahey, O'Keeffe; Doyle, Markey (Dunne, 85 mins).

DROGHEDA UNITED: O'Dowd; O'Connor, Lynch, Gray; Flanagan, Freeman, Lester, Reilly, Sandvliet (Cronin, 83 mins); Rooney (O'Brien, 54 mins), Myler (Bird 73 mins.).

Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).