1. Pat’s on top

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC moved to the top of the league thanks to a hard-earned 1-0 win over Bray Wanderers at Richmond Park, with other results helping them to the summit.

Danny North scored the decisive goal for the Saints and their 14th league game without defeat finally sees them move above Shamrock Rovers, who fell to Sligo.

This was North’s 12th goal of the season and he has been invaluable to Pete Mahon’s team.

Considering their poor start to the season, losing three of the opening five games, they’ve recovered brilliantly and since then have improved with every performance.

Their only defeat in all competitions since early April came against Cork City in the EA Sports Cup, though they also fielded a slightly weakened side on that occasion.

2. Hoops fall

Of course Pat’s wouldn’t have reached the top without the help of Sligo Rovers, who dealt Shamrock Rovers a big blow with a 2-0 triumph at The Showgrounds.

Goals from Gavin Peers and Eoin Doyle gave the Bit O’Red a vital victory to move them within four points of the top.

A defeat to Rovers would have seen Sligo fall ten points behind, so it was imperative that they won last night.

Most importantly, this finally ended the hoodoo the Hoops have had over Sligo. Michael O’Neill’s men had defeated the westerners on four occasions already this season, twice in the league and twice in the Setanta Cup.

3. Europe Awaits

While the summer has been typically Irish to date in terms of the weather, it doesn’t really start in LoI circles until Europe comes around.

St Pat’s take their good form to Iceland on Thursday night to face IBV in Reykjavik in the Europa League first qualifying round, with Sligo Rovers and Bohemians set to join in later rounds.

Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, have been seeded in the Champions League qualifiers next month.

That game on Thursday means Pat’s league game with the Hoops scheduled for Friday has now been moved to next Sunday afternoon.

4. Transfer window

The transfer window for League of Ireland sides opens on Friday and although some free agents have already been snapped up – namely Joe Gamble and Denis Behan at Limerick – it will be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks.

Expect to see a decimation of Galway United’s squad because it now seems that they’re resigned to finishing bottom after another 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Dundalk on Friday.

With six teams still in with some chance of finishing top come the end of the season, whoever strengthens substantially is likely to have a big say in the outcome at the top of the table.

Shamrock Rovers already have an impressive squad, and are unlikely to stengthen too much, but if the sides around them can acquire a couple of decent additions, then we should be in for a brilliant finish to the season.

5. Last unbeaten record falls

Cork City said goodbye to the last unbeaten record in the country on Friday night after losing 3-2 to Waterford United at  Turner’s Cross in desperate circumstances.

All three goals were because of defensive errors – Mark McNulty made a clanger for the first, Derek O’Brien brought down Conor Sinnott for a spot-kick, and Davin O’Neill made a fool of himself in the lead-up to the winner 12 minutes from time – and City boss Tommy Dunne was seething afterwards with his team’s defensive performance.

His problems were increased further as Shelbourne moved seven points ahead of them with a game in hand, while Monaghan United defeated Longford Town on Saturday to move into second place.