St Patrick’s Athletic 1 Waterford FC 1

Waterford FC forced a deserved draw against St Pat’s to keep their hopes of avoiding a relegation playoff alive into the final week of the season.

Matt Lawlor made four changes to the side that lost to Derry City a week ago with Nav Bakboord coming in for his first start since mid April following the suspension of Grant Horton. Darragh Leahy returned from injury to replace Ronan Mansfield in the back three while Jesse Dempsey was preferred to Kyle Whyte on the left. Sam Glenfield also retuned in place of Dean McMenamy as the Blues look to consolidate their defensive capabilities.

And despite some early pressure with Mason Melia causing problems for the Blues defence they held firm with Conan Noonan having an excellent chance to put the visitors ahead on 21 minutes but Joseph Anang saved from a tight angle.

However, the Saints got their breakthrough five minutes before the break when Jason McClelland crossed a perfect low ball into the path of Melia who rounded Stephen McMullan to score. The Blues were level deep in injury time when Ryan Burke popped up for his first goal of the season as he met a Noonan corner with a powerful header that gave Anang no chance.

The second half saw Waterford grow in confidence and in their best move of the game on 67 minutes Matt Smith found Padraig Amond at the top of the penalty area who teed it up for Tommy Lonergan but his placed effort flashed wide of the upright.

A frustrated Stephen Kenny made four substitutions in final twenty minutes in a bid to get the three points but the Blues held firm to secure a vital point in their quest for Premier Division survival.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang, McLaughlin, Redmond, Grivosti, McClelland, Lennon, Forrester (Mulraney 71′), Baggley (Palmer 71′), Leavy(Keena 82′), Power (GArrick 59′), Melia,

Waterford FC: McMullan, Bakboord(Smith 64′), Radkowski, Leahy, Burke, Dempsey (Whyte 64′), Glenfield(McMenamy 70′), Olayinka, Noonan, Lonergan (Coyle 82′), Amond

Referee: Paul Norton