Honours even between Sligo and St Pat's in entertaining draw

Goals from Aidan Keena and Darragh Burns at the Showgrounds

Darragh Burns scored the equaliser for St Patrick’s Athletic on Saturday night. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Sligo Rovers 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 1

A well-matched tie at the Showgrounds on Saturday saw Sligo Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic play out an entertaining one-all draw.

Goals from Sligo’s Aidan Keena and St Pat’s Darragh Burns ultimately settled the contest, but the result offered little inspiration to either side in their battle to close in on the top three.

Keena finished superbly on 35 minutes for his seventh goal of the campaign, curling into the bottom corner after David Cawley flicked Ed McGinty’s long delivery into his path.

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McGinty was passed fit to return between the sticks for the home side, having missed last Monday’s defeat to Shamrock Rovers, but he was beaten by the once-again impressive Burns just six minutes into the second period.

The lively attacker was perfectly placed to finish from Eoin Doyle’s pass as the Saints made a bright start to the half.

Both sides had chances in the 40 minutes that followed, but had to settle for a point in the end.

Sligo Rovers: McGinty, Banks, Buckley, Blaney, Kirk, Morahan, Bolger, Fitzgerald, Cawley, O'Sullivan, Keena (Heaney 79).

St Patrick's Athletic: Anang, Grivosti, Redmond, Breslin, Curtis, Burns, McCormack (Robinson 88), Forrester, O'Reilly, King (M Doyle 72), E Doyle.

Referee: R Harvey.