St. Patrick's defender Stephen Brennan dived full stretch to head off the line from Rovers' striker Tadhg Purcell's header from a David Tyrrell corner on 54 minutes.

Saints then thought they'd taken the lead on 67 minutes when Mark Quigley connected with Anto Murphy's cross from the right. But Rovers' keeper Barry Murphy made a terrific save with one hand to somehow keep the ball out of the net.

Though St. Pat's enjoyed a good deal of possession in the first half, it was Rovers, who got the ball forward very early, who created all the chances.

Saints' keeper Barry Ryan clawed away a David Cassidy cross as early as the second minute before Stephen Paisley had to make a last-ditched tackle to take the ball off the toe of Tadhg Purcell.

Ryan's goal continued to be the busier as the Saints' keeper had to save with his feet at the butt of a post from David Tyrrell's shot.

Ger Rowe was then guilty of the miss of the half on 26 minutes. A mistake by Paisley gifted the ball to Cassidy who picked out Rowe in acres of space inside the box, but the striker couldn't keep the ball down and volleyed well over the top.