More dropped points and their 100 per cent record at Richmond Park up in smoke, but it was another of those nights when the champions had to be content with small mercies. Over the 90 minutes it was a game they should have won, but in the end it took a Jonathon Minnock own goal, deep into time added on, to salvage even a point for the home side at Inchicore.
The manner in which the victory was surrendered clearly hurt Harps manager Charlie McGeever. That the referee had the free kick that led to the goal re-taken twice was obviously a problem, too.
The longer-term implications of the late slip-up were the visiting manager's most pressing concern, though. McGeever admitted that on the way to Dublin he had feared a defeat would end his side's chances of closing the gap on the two top teams, but that on the way home "we'll know that we passed up a golden opportunity to cut the gap to eight points".
In fact, the Donegal club surrendered the lead twice over the course of a hectic contest. The home team enjoyed the bulk of possession for most of the game, but having scored against the run of play to lead and allowed an equaliser, Harps made the most of their best spell of the game late in the second half to edge in front again.
The goal was hardly well crafted, Eamon Kavanagh's long free from the right making it into the top corner after Trevor Wood mistakenly thought the incoming Shane Bradley was about to redirect the shot. Potential winners are scarce commodities around Richmond Park and Harps knew well at the end that they should have looked after it more carefully.
Although St Patrick's edged it in terms of possession through the first half, they really didn't do much with it until after Harps took the lead. Early on it was all kick, run and fumble.
James Mulligan was the biggest threat to Wood's goal through the bulk of the opening half hour. The first away goal at Richmond Park for two months came from a more unexpected quarter, though, with Pascal Vaudequin meeting a headed clearance 25 yards out well enough, but not so well that it should have beaten Wood at his near post.
Once the goal went in Liam Buckley's side finally got down to some real work and in what remained of the half they produced the game's best football. The highlight, seven minutes before the break, was a fine equaliser that arrived after Packie Lynch got his side moving in the right direction with an excellent 30yard ball, played low into the box. Trevor Molloy and Martin Russell exchanged a couple of neat passes, Brian McKenna got down well to Molloy's shot but failed to hold it, and Colin Hawkins stepped up to finish.
That looked certain to be the springboard for yet another home win, but by the time the final whistle arrived there weren't too many complaining about the single point.
St Patrick's Athletic: Wood; Moody, Lynch, Hawkins; Croly, Gormley, Osam, Russell, Doyle; Gilzean, Molloy. Subs: Campbell for Gormley and Reilly for Gilzean (73 mins), Devereux for Molloy (88 mins).
Finn Harps: McKenna; Vaudequin, Boyle, Dykes, Minnock; McGettigan, Harkin, Kelly, Kavanagh; Speak, Mulligan. Subs: McGrenaghan for Kelly and Bradley for McGettigan (79 mins), O'Brien for Harkin (88 mins).
Referee: T Tully (Cork).
