St Patrick's Athl. were left frustrated by a late equaliser as they drew 1-1 with Derry City in the League of Ireland Premier Division. The Saints took the lead through Aidan Keena's penalty but were pegged back by James Clarke's 73rd-minute goal.
What happened?
St Patrick's Athl. started positively, with Darragh Nugent shooting wide after just 20 seconds. However, Derry City soon settled and Joseph Anang made his first appearance on eight minutes. Ex-Saint Darragh Burns cheekily nutmegged Luke Turner on the right to cross for Clarke, whose header was tipped over for the game's first corner.
Why it matters for St Patrick's Athl.
The draw means St Pat's once again failed to make up significant ground on leaders Shamrock Rovers, who remain seven points ahead of them. With just six wins from 26 games now, pre-season title pretenders Derry remain sixth and well off the European qualification places.
What comes next?
St Patrick's Athl. will look to bounce back from this disappointment when they face Shelbourne away on August 9th. The Saints currently sit 2nd in the Premier Division, with 44 points from 26 games, and will be looking to maintain their unbeaten run in their next fixture.
St Patrick's Athl. 1-1 Derry City (2026-08-02) was the last result for the Saints, who are currently on a recent form of 1W-3D-0L (DDDW). They will be looking to continue this form and push for a top-two finish in the Premier Division.
League standing: 2nd in Premier Division, 44 pts, 12W-8D-6L from 26 games, recent form DDDWL. Goals this season: 41 scored, 22 conceded (+19 goal difference). Title race: 7 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. Next fixture: vs Shelbourne (away, 2026-08-09) (5th in the table).
