ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC and Shamrock Rovers shared the spoils in their absorbing Airtricity League Premier Division encounter in Richmond Park.

That included a complete new midfield quartet with Gary McCormack and Stephen O’Donnell anchoring the centre while Gary McCabe and Billy Dennehy were selected on either flank.

In contrast, the hosts made just a single change from their 3-0 win in Bray with surprisingly Danny North dropping to the bench in place of Ian Daly, who joined Darly Kavanagh up front for the Saints.

Naturally, there was a lively start to proceedings given the proximity of the sides both geographically and in terms of the table with David Mulcahy’s early challenge on Conor McCormack indicative of the stakes on offer.

The first opening arrived as early as the 3rd minute when Gary Twigg headed a Craig Sives clearance into the path of strike partner Ciaran Kilduff but the former UCD player blazed high and wide from 25 yards.

Within three minutes, Anthony Murphy spurned an even more presentable chance as he dragged his volleyed effort wide across Ryan Thompson’s goal following neat approach play from Kavanagh.

Gary McCabe was booked a minute later for a trip on Sean O’Connor just outside the penalty area but Thompson’s resultant save from Stephen Bradley’s free kick was of academic interest as referee Neil Doyle had penalised Kavanagh for an infringement inside the box.

A 12th minute snapshot from Twigg aside, there was little else of note to report prior to the visitors taking the lead in the 19th minute through Stephen O’Donnell.

It arrived when Derek Pender needlessly conceded a corner under minimal pressure from Billy Dennehy and when McCabe’s corner was only half-cleared, O’Donnell struck a sweet, low left foot shot which arrowed into the bottom left hand corner of Gary Rogers’ net.

The force was with the Hoops at this stage and they should have doubled their lead in the 34th minute from a well-worked corner routine with Dennehy finding Sives at the back post with the latter’s knockdown hammered over the bar from eight yards by Dan Murray.

Within a minute, Enda Stevens tried his luck from 30 yards with his shot deflecting off Murphy and Rogers did well to scramble across his goal and palm the ball to safety.

The hosts couldn’t fail but improve on their lethargic opening-half showing with captain Connor Kenna forcing a save from Thompson as he met an outswinging Stephen Bradley corner in the 49th minute.

North and Derek Doyle were introduced on the hour to give St Pat’s an added dimension in attack and the former should have scored in the 64th minute but he failed to follow up in time after Mulcahy’s weak effort beat Thompson but also the left hand post. 

After Rogers had kept the hosts in contention with a superb sprawling save to deny Sives from Dennehy’s corner, North made amends for his earlier error with a sublime strike across Thompson from just inside the area after Stevens had misjudged a crossfield ball from Ian Bermingham.

Rovers brought on both Rohan Ricketts and Roan Finn as the half progressed and both came close to restoring the Hoops’ lead with cracking strikes upon their introduction but it was the Saints who carried the greater threat as the match reached a gripping conclusion.

In the 85th minute, North appeared to be dragged down by Sives as they chased a hopeful punt upfield but referee Neil Doyle allowed play to continue with North’s scrambled effort inching narrowly wide.      

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Pender, Kenna, McMillan, Bermingham; Murphy (Doyle, 61), Bradley, Mulcahy, O’Connor; Daly (North, 61), Kavanagh.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Thompson; Gannon, Sives, Murray, Stevens; McCabe (Ricketts, 77), O’Donnell, McCormack, Dennehy (Finn, 77); Twigg, Kilduff.

REFEREE: N Doyle (Dublin)