Sligo Rovers kept their hopes of qualification for European football next season on track with a hard-earned point against title chasing St. Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park on Friday last.

Just days after their epic win over Shamrock Rovers in the semi-final of the EA Sports League Cup, Rovers were engaged in another enthralling contest as both teams went in search of the full compliment of points.

Pat’s needed a win to stay on the heels of leaders, Shams, while Rovers were anxious to keep their unbeaten record intact. The result was an actionpacked encounter which produced plenty of incident at both ends.

Rovers dominated the first half and were unlucky not to be ahead at the break but the Dubliners stepped up the pace after the interval and put Rovers under a lot of pressure as they tried all they knew to break the deadlock.

Given that it was Rovers second game in four days, it was inevitable that they would show signs of fatigue in the closing stages but they displayed admirable battling qualities to hold out for a deserved share of the spoils.

Rovers had by far a much better start than the home side with Richie Ryan shooting over the bar in the second minute. Ryan was involved again on nine minutes when his ball found Gary McCabe in the penalty area but excellent defending from _Shane Guthrie saw the ball knocked out for a corner.

On 18 minutes Guy should have done better for Pat's when he met Stuart Byrne's cross field ball but he failed to get a decent connection and hammered his effort way off target.

Ndo was close to opening the scoring for Rovers 23 with a strong free kick but the ball flew agonisingly over the bar. Pat's showed great creativity on 31 minutes with a cracking move involving Byrne, Ian Bermingham and Derek Doyle but at the vital moment Gavin Peers nipped in to clear.

Rovers fought back immediately and Eoin Doyle headed over a Ryan free a minute later while on 40 an excellent passage of play involving McCabe and Doyle ended with a diving save from Rogers to deny Boco's header.

Ndo showed superb individual skill on 52 minutes when he snatched the ball from the feet of O'Connor and let fly from 25 yards but his final touch let him down and he sent the ball wide of Rogers' righthand post.

In many ways it was a game of two halves with Pat's in control of the second after Rovers dominated the first. Sligo goalkeeper Kelly was the difference between the sides for a spell with a sequence of important saves. Arguably the best was from Faherty on 57 following a quality pass from O'Connor.

Faherty, Guy and Bermingham were among the Pat's men who had a pop on goal in a terrific period of play from the home side around the hour mar but Kelly, the woodwork and some poor finishing left Kelly's sheet clean. Guy had another chance on 83 when he darted onto Brian Cash's ball but Jim Lauchlan was in he right place at the right time to clear the ball.

At the end of an entertaining scoreless draw, a point each kept the respective ambitions of both sides alive and Rovers will now turn their attention to this week-end’s eagerly awaited FAI Cup showdown with Finn Harps at Ballybofey.

Rovers boss, Paul Cook, expressed satisfaction with the result, stating that Rovers were the better side in the first half but admitting that Pat’s got stronger as the game went on. ‘It was a long hard week for us and overall we were satisfied to take a point from Richmond Park’, he said.

St Patrick's Athletic: Rogers; Bermingham, Kenna, Guthrie, Pender; McAllister, Byrne, Guy, Mulcahy (O'Connor 20 mins), D Doyle (Cash 75 mins); North (Faherty 51 mins).

Sligo Rovers: Kelly; Davoren, Lauchlan, Peers, Keane; Ryan, McCabe (O'Grady 67 mins), Boco, Ndo, E Doyle (Dillon 75 mins); Amond (Blinkhorn 61 mins).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).