Shamrock Rovers failed to get their irons back in the fire of the title race as they battled from behind to salvage a draw against European chasing Galway United, who had led through a sweet Patrick Hickey second-half strike.
Much like earlier in the season at Tallaght when Johnny Kenny was needed to grab a late equaliser to rescue a point, it was the turn of Danny Mandroiu to level in the dying embers for the four-in-a-row champions.
The game started in expected fashion with the home side looking to dominate possession as the visitors looked threatening with every set piece and long throw.
Bar a couple of dangerous crosses from the hosts, who made five changes from the side that fell to a 4-0 defeat in the first leg of their Europa League play-off with PAOK on Thursday, both keepers remained relatively untested early on as a crowd of 3,017 watched on expectedly.
The in-form Dylan Watts began pulling the string for Rovers, looking to the pacey Darragh Burns in behind Greg Cunningham. If this looked the most likely avenue for the home side to make the breakthrough, the aerial bombardment from Ed McCarthy's throw in’s looked even more threatening for the visitors.
Midway through the half it almost paid dividends when McCarthy’s fourth long throw was only half dealt with, and as it dropped to Patrick Hickey, the big man cleverly poked the ball to Jimmy Keohan on the edge of the area who then bent a lovely left footed effort off the inside of the post and somehow across goal away to safety.
This let-off served as a major wake up call for The Hoops as Burns should have opened the scoring minutes later when he did well to cut inside and fashion a yard of space before scuffing a shot straight at Brendan Clarke.
Five minutes before the break Jack Byrne went agonisingly close with a delightful 25-yard effort that came crashing off the crossbar as the game came to life.
With a draw no real use to either side's ambitions, Stephen Bradley waited until 10-minutes into the second half before he called on the cavalry with a triple substitution. Aaron McEneff, Neil Farrugia and Danny Mandroiu were called upon.
Farrugia almost made an immediate impact as he rose highest at the back post to guide a Darragh Burns cross down through the legs of Clarke, only to see Garry Buckley somehow hook the ball clear off the line.
With the game opening up, it was the visitors turn to go close as their front four put together a slick passing move, eventually falling to McCarthy who showed good feet to get past Cleary only to be denied by an excellent Pohls save from point blank range.
And with a quarter of an hour remaining the visitors got their noses in front. Killian Brouder picked up a loose ball in the middle before playing a defence splitting pass to Walsh, who controlled beautifully before teeing up man-of-the-match Hickey (above) who proceeded to smash the ball low across goal and in off the far post.
With time running out, Rovers quality came to the fore when Mandroiu got on the end of a Jack Byrne free-kick from the right side to guide a delightful header past the full-stretch Clarke for his first goal since arriving back to the club.
There was still time for one more huge chance, as Farrugia thought he had won it in injury time when his header, that had beaten Clarke all ends up, drifted inches wide of the far post as the flying winger and teammates were left with their heads in their hands in disbelief as both teams were forced to settle for a point.
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Sean Hoare, Roberto Lopes, Daniel Cleary; Joshua Honohan (Neil Farrugia, 56’), Dylan Watts (Aaron McEneff, 56’), Gary O’Neill (Aaron Greene, 73’), Jack Byrne, Darragh Burns; Graham Burke, Marc McNulty (Danny Mandroiu, 56’)
Subs not used: Lee Steacy, Sean Kavanagh, Richie Towell, Markus Poom, Cory O’Sullivan
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Jeannot Esua (Colm Horgan, 90’), Garry Buckley, Killian Brouder, Greg Cunningham; Vincent Borden (David Hurley, 71’), Conor McCormack, Jimmy Keohane, Patrick Hickey (Maurice Nugent, 81’), Ed McCarthy (Robert Burns, 71’); Stephen Walsh (Karl O’Sullivan, 90’)
Subs not used: Jack Brady, Conor O’Keefe, Rob Slevin, Francely Lomboto
Referee: Gavin Colfer
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