Longford Town leapfrog opponents to stay in the hunt for third place

St Patrick's Athletic - 1 Longford Town - 2 Not really a year for the scrapbook, as St Patrick's managed to waste ample opportunities to finish the season on a high last night.

Deep in injury time Alan Kirby rubbed salt into the wound when he slipped the ball into the net, after rounding Chris Adamson, to leave Longford Town still in the hunt to finish third in the league table and at the same time quash the home side's European aspirations.

Longford should have had the lead after just 12 minutes, but striker Seán Francis contrived to send a header - from point-blank range - straight at Adamson, after Kirby had supplied an excellently weighted cross.

For the remainder of the first half St Patrick's dictated the tempo, with a Gary McPhee effort only being denied by the feet of Stephen O'Brien. It mattered little, as two minutes later they were in front.

The goal was part class, part comedy. Clive Delaney picked up a weak clearance, 40 yards from goal, and with not much on he scooped the ball into the edge of the area, where Aidan O'Keeffe, on his home debut, executed a poor attempt at an overhead kick.

Nevertheless, Longford goalkeeper Stephen O'Brien was sufficiently off his line for the ball to dip into the net.

With the visitors clearly off the boil, Rovers really should have capitalised - in fact they could have had a three-goal cushion by the interval. O'Keeffe spurned a free header from six yards, and then, a minute before the break, Keith Dunne found himself clear on goal but his tame shot was easily stopped by O'Brien.

The one-way traffic continued early in the second half when Anthony Murphy, a replacement for Paul Osam, was unlucky not to double the lead when his volley rebounded off the post after centre back Barry Ferguson failed to clear.

And then, ojust their second genuine attack of the evening, Longford equalised - Brian Byrne finishing at the back post after 64 minutes.

Eamon Collins's men continued to press, but appeared to be devoid of ideas in breaking down the side that also had their number on cup final day.

All in all it was a case of an opportunity lost as Kirby finished in style to ensure his side leapfrogged their opponents into fourth.

ST PATRICK'S: Adamson; Maguire, Delaney, Foley, Foy; McPhee (Freeman, 77 mins), Prenderville, Osam (Murphy, 45 mins), Dunne; O'Keeffe, Rose (Bird, 65 mins).

LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien; Murphy, McGovern, Ferguson, Silke (Prunty, 77 mins); Kirby, Keogh, Perth, Byrne; Kelly (Lavine, 61 mins), Francis (Mulvihill, 85 mins).

Referee: I Stokes (Dublin).