IN A league desperately trying to market itself more effectively this could be the start of something big. A Supersaints Satisfaction Guarantee. A Richmond Park Dublin Derby provides thrills, spills and a handful of goals or your money back. Last night it wouldn't have cost them a bob.
Six weeks ago it was three apiece against title rivals Bohemians. This time, on the face of it was an easier task to pick up the points. But Rovers made it look like a life and death struggle and neither the fans nor the managers had cause for complaint after the 90 minutes.
Alan O'Neill, who came across the city with a 100 per cent record as a manager, saw the best and worst of his side during a frantic first half as the Hoops combined rugged tackling and neat passing to some effect only to show terrible nerve in front of both goals.
The usually dependable manager was, on more than one occasion, the cause for concern himself, most notably when he slipped under a long Paul Campbell corner which was headed back for Ricky O'Flaherty only for the former Galway man to uncharacteristically freeze while almost on the line.
It was one of several occasions when the visitors' goalkeeper got his team into hot water by failing to take clean possession from set pieces around the area.
In the 27th minute even a superb stop by O'Neill wasn't enough to keep his side level. The goalkeeper got down to his right to block John Byrne's low drive only to look on as Paul Campbell availed of the time and space afforded him to fire into an open net.
The goal clearly caused as much distress to the three gardai charged with keeping the rival fans apart behind the Rovers area, and within minutes reinforcements had been sent for as the visitors silenced the local gloating, and heightened the tension, with a fine equaliser.
Derek Tracey it was who started the move, but it was a fine, 30 yard ball from Peter Carpenter which made it with the pass setting up Mark Reid who controlled perfectly with his chest before beating off pressure from Dave Campbell to lob the out coming Garret Byrne.
For Rovers there must have been relief that the chance fell to Reid rather than his striking partner, Sean Francis, for when good work by Eoin Mullen and a great pass by Reid had sent the former Cobh man clear seven minutes earlier he had hesitated endlessly before been relieved of the ball by the retreating Campbell.
To be fair to the out of sorts striker, though, there was nothing wrong with his 52nd minute effort which Byrne could only push wide for John Toal to thunder in from close range.
This time the lead was to last a bit longer for it took the locals all of eight minutes to get back on terms, although it might have been fractionally less had Brian Morrisroe got the penalty he appeared to deserve when Toal nudged him over inside the box.
So important against Fanad last week, Morrisroe's contribution was never quite so central against the more powerful and controlled Rovers midfield. Nevertheless it was from his pressure on the left that the equaliser sprang with Jason Byrne eventually crossing low for a terrific finish by O'Flaherty from the centre of a busy area.
