St Patrick\u2019s Athletic 1
\nDerry City 1<\/p>\n
Paul Buttner reports from Richmond Park<\/p>\n
JAMES CLARKE SALVAGED a big point for Derry City as they came from behind to frustrate St Patrick\u2019s Athletic at Richmond Park.<\/p>\n
St Pat\u2019s enjoyed much of the ball for long periods of the game but failed to build on Aidan Keena\u2019s first-half penalty.<\/p>\n
Though he committed the foul for that spot kick, Brian Maher made several big saves between their post as Derry rallied late on to score a fine 73rd minute equaliser.<\/p>\n
A third successive draw means St Pat\u2019s once again failed to make up significant ground on leaders Shamrock Rovers who remain seven points ahead of them.<\/p>\n
With just six wins from 26 games now, pre-season title pretenders Derry remain sixth and well off the European qualification places.<\/p>\n
James Clarke, take a bow! \ud83d\ude80<\/p>\n
Derry are level at Richmond Park. pic.twitter.com\/L83Rfy0Cb6<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) August 2, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Following his social media comments after Thursday\u2019s exit from Europe to Croatian side Rijeka, veteran winger James McClean was left out of the Derry squad and didn\u2019t travel to Dublin.<\/p>\n Asked to comment on the situation after the game, Derry head coach Tiernan Lynch was non-committal.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job is to concentrate on what\u2019s going on on the field,\u201d said Lynch.<\/p>\n Pressed on whether he felt undermined by the comments, Lynch refused to say whether McClean had a future at the club or whether he would be disciplined.<\/p>\n \u201cSee this group of players, they\u2019re a fantastic group of players in that dressing room and that\u2019s my concentration, that\u2019s my commitment and that\u2019s what I\u2019m here to talk about.<\/p>\n \u201cI am going to talk about the group that\u2019s in there. Anybody who wants to talk about anything other than today\u2019s game, I\u2019ve not any interest in it.\u201d<\/p>\n St Pat\u2019s started positively, Darragh Nugent shooting wide after a Jay McClelland shot had been deflected to him.<\/p>\n That came after just 20 seconds. Less than a minute later Kian Leavy went on a slalom run, hurdling several challenges before his drive was blocked by the well-positioned Brooklyn Lyons-Foster.<\/p>\n Moments later Derry defender Jamie Stott\u2019s header from a Keena free-kick had to be tipped over the top by his own goalkeeper Maher, though referee Rob Harvey had already whistled for a foul by Luke Turner.<\/p>\n Derry soon settled to work Joseph Anang at the other end for the first time on eight minutes.<\/p>\n Ex-Saint Darragh Burns cheekily nutmegged Turner on the right to cross for Clarke whose header was tipped over for the game\u2019s first corner.<\/p>\n In a lively opening, Maher soon saw action on the double back at the Kilmainham end.<\/p>\n First the Derry keeper made a fine save to deprive Leavy after a surging counterattack by Keena and Nugent.<\/p>\n Leavy then teed up Keena with a pullback on the right. The striker never got hold of his shot which was comfortably saved.<\/p>\n Having rescued his side, Maher would contribute to St Pat\u2019s taking a deserved lead on 27 minutes.<\/p>\n Keena\u2019s free kick into the area deflected into the path of Nugent. And though Maher was quickly off his line, he tripped the St Pat\u2019s midfielder to concede a penalty which Keena blasted straight down the middle.<\/p>\n Maher did make a terrific save to deny Ryan Edmondson three minutes before half-time following Turner\u2019s galloping run from deep, even if an offside flag had gone up anyway.<\/p>\n St Pat\u2019s began the second half as they did the first, James Brown rifling into the side netting when he should have doubled their lead, Maher having parried McClelland\u2019s shot into his path.<\/p>\n A loose clearance then gifted Jamie Lennon sight of goal. The midfield anchor\u2019s shot arced just past a post.<\/p>\n Keena then put Edmondson in behind with Maher getting down smartly to save.<\/p>\n Maintaining the pressure on the visitors\u2019 goal, Maher yet again rescued his side with a diving stop from a Kenna free kick as St Pat\u2019s couldn\u2019t believe they hadn\u2019t added to their lead.<\/p>\n Having survived, Derry made a quadruple substitution just past the hour mark, as they chased the game.<\/p>\n It worked as they were rewarded on 73 minutes, though St Pat\u2019s felt there was a handball in the build up.<\/p>\n Joe Redmond and Lennon couldn\u2019t properly clear Lyons-Foster\u2019s ball into the area.<\/p>\n It dropped for Clarke on the edge of the area, the attacking midfielder taking a touch to drive a rising shot past Anang to the net.<\/p>\n St Patrick\u2019s Athletic: Anang; Redmond, Hoare, Turner; Brown (Breslin, 64), Lennon, Nugent (Sheridan, 82), McClelland; Leavy (Baggley, h-t); Keena (Olusanya, 73), Edmondson.<\/p>\n Derry City: Maher; Lyons-Forster, Barr (Smith, 66), Stott, Fleming (Slevin, 90+1); Twisk, O\u2019Reilly; Chapman (P. McClean, 66); Burns (L. Boyce, 66), Clarke (Olayinka, 80), Duffy (Cotter, 66).<\/p>\n Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).<\/p>\n ****<\/p>\n Written by Paul Buttner and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won\u2019t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women\u2019s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n