Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Mason Melia scores the opener.Ryan Byrne/INPHO FreeFoursome St Pat's and Shamrock Rovers serve up four-goal cracker to share spoils Lee Grace gave Hoops 2-1 lead on 87 minutes before Joe Redmond salvaged a draw in 91st minute. 9.57pm, 18 Apr 2025 Share options David Sneyd reports from Richmond Park St Patrick’s Athletic 2 Shamrock Rovers 2 TWO SCISSOR KICKS and two headers tell the story of this thrilling Dublin derby between St Patrick’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers. The Hoops thought they won it in the 87th minute when Lee Grace rose in the box to hit the sweet spot of his forehead. Stephen Bradley’s side had to quickly regroup to try and hold on to a lead that would have seen them top of the Premier Division after a round of fixtures for the first time since they were champions in 2023. They couldn’t keep the Saints out, and in the first minute of five in stoppage time captain Joe Redmond saw Grace’s header and raised it, as well as rising above him to head in a brilliant equaliser. It led to a mini pitch invasion from some Pat’s fans waving pyro in delight to conclude a dramatic night. And this all took the shine away from two superbly technical acrobatic goals from Mason Melia and Jack Byrne in the first half. Everything really is up in the air with the title race this season. Bradley must have thought Grace’s header was the moment to end a chaotic week in the best way possible after minority shareholder Dermot Desmond had felt compelled to write an open letter detailing his concerns about how some non-executive board members were operating. It’s only fair use some Dublin slang to describe this Dublin derby. It was possin. “Absolutely bleedin’ possin” to use the full vernacular, and it became clear very quickly that both sides were going to make it worthwhile for those fans who were left exposed to the elements and had to stand or sit while soaked to the bones. Advertisement The rain didn’t quite lash but it was incessant, and it swirled. It was the reason this sold-out clash ended up with a few hundred opting to stay at home instead. Lee Grace celebrates his goal.Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO The 4,723 that did turn up were rewarded right until the very end with those dramatics. The pace and the intensity of some of the football was dizzying at times, too, and the first half set up a tantalising second 45 with the sides level at one apiece after those acrobatic goals from Melia and Byrne. Rovers were the more coherent in possession, sustaining pressure with possession and creating opportunities in the final third that were either denied by solid goalkeeping, defending, or lack of end product. There were battles all over the pitch, rivals for the league title testing each other’s mettle. Graham Burke, as he so often does, was able to somehow drift around the pitch while at the same time maintaining a presence around the Pat’s penalty box. It was his driving run on 37 minutes after and a neat reverse pass from Rory Gaffney that forced Joey Anang into a superb save, only for Byrne to adjust his body and convert the rebound to draw the away side level after falling behind against the run of play five minutes previously. A set-piece was their undoing, Zach Elbouzedi’s corner ricocheting off Roberto Lopes into the air. The ball spun, the rain swirled and the wind howled. Melia’s eyes remain fixed as it dropped, he had more time to think about his finish than Byrne and swivelled his body to make a connection that went under Ed McGinty’s body and couldn’t be kept out on the line by a couple more Rovers defenders. Rovers were not thrown off course, when they could so easily have let the game drift away from them. Perhaps last season they would have but the deposed champions have got into more of a stride in 2025. Since beating the Saints 1-0 at Tallaght Stadium on 7 March they have won five and drawn one of their six Premier Division games. Understandably, the tempo eased off a little bit in the second half and it wasn’t until Pat’s captain Joe Redmond glanced a near post header just wide on 65 minutes that either goal was threatened. Graham Burke (left) with Chris Forrester.Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO Both sides made substitutions for inspiration. Kian Leavy and Jake Mulraney replaced Brandon Kavanagh and Jason McClelland, respectively, while Bradley had former Pat’s teenager Michael Noonan on for the last quarter of an hour. Related Reads Dermot Desmond shines a spotlight behind the scenes at Shamrock Rovers 'We’re time critical'- FAI detail refined plans for €8m League of Ireland academy funding Grassroots says FAI has 'uncorked overwhelming anger and created an atmosphere impossible to work in' Aaron Greene joined him, with Dylan Watts forced off through injury and replaced by Darragh Nugent. Just before Burke made way for Greene on 78 minutes he was almost put through on goal by Byrne only for the midfielder to overhit the pass. Mistakes were being made and tired bodies were joined by those eager to make their mark. Byrne’s resurgence after a dreadful time with injuries was clearly evident as he continued to pull the strings for Rovers, delivering the cross for Grace to send the away side wild. The madness wasn’t over and after Byrne made a block in the box that led to penalty appeals, Mulraney maintained his composure to deliver an equally inviting cross. Redmond was there to meet it and earn a point to leave one side singing in the rain and the other drying their eyes. But when they clear them they’ll see their locked together on 18 points just one adrift of leaders Drogheda United. St Patrick’s Athletic: Joey Anang; Axel Sjoberg (Ryan McLaughlin 89), Joe Redmond (captain), Sean Hoare, Anto Breslin (Conor Carty 89); Jason McClelland (Jake Mulraney 71); Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester, Brandon Kavanagh (Kian Leavy 71); Zach Elbouzedi; Mason Melia. Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Dan Cleary, Roberto Lopes (captain), Lee Grace; Danny Grant, Matt Healy, Dylan Watts (Darragh Nugent 57), Jack Byrne, Graham Burke (Aaron Greene 78), Josh Honohan; Rory Gaffney (Michael Noonan 63). Referee: Neil Doyle. Attendance: 4,723. 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