Longford Town 2
St Patrick’s Athletic 2
ST PAT’S STAGED a commendable comeback after going 2- 0 down with just 16 minutes gone at the City Calling Stadium.
Kevin O’Connor got the home side off to the perfect start with a goal on seven minutes, but within 20 minutes of the net rippling the Saints were reduced to 10 men when Ian Bermingham was given his marching orders by referee Neil Doyle.
By the time the red card flashed the game had already seen three goals, Town’s lead doubled after Bermingham picked up his first yellow to give Mark Salmon a 16th minute penalty.
The loss of Bermingham for a second bookable offence would have been an even tougher blow for the Saints to take had Chris Forrester not already pulled a goal back, a sweeping team move reducing the arrears in the 23rd minute.
After a tumultuous opening 28 minutes of the game, the red card brought some order to proceedings until the sides went in with the score 2 – 1 at half-time.
Both sides had their Conor O’Malley and Paul Hunt to thank for keeping the scores as they were, the ‘keepers making fine saves as the game opened up into an end to end contest.
When the fourth goal did come, it came for Saints. Christy Fagan acted as supplier, swinging in a cross for Conan Byrne to power pas Hunt.
As the clock ticked down the 10 men were still able to create chances, but the hosts remained dangerous with more men to counter attack and they almost took all three points in the fourth minute of stoppage time when substitute Ayman Ben Mohamed rattled the crossbar.
It was not to be, however, Saints hung on for a superb point and stay two points clear of their midland rivals in mid-table of the early Premier Division table.
