A last minute goal from Richie Purdy salvaged a point from a game Shamrock Rovers will kick themselves for not having won.

Ironically much the better side throughout a roller-coaster of a game, Purdy's late intervention, when powerfully heading home a Marc Kenny cross, gave them a draw they ultimately had to be thankful for.

Paddy McGrenaghan's audacious third goal for Finn Harps 11 minutes from time, when he cleverly caught Tony O'Dowd off his line to chip him from 20 yards to make it 3-2, had deserved to win any game, but it would have been harsh on Rovers who had created by far the better chances.

James Mulligan, full of confidence having scored twice in both cup games with Longford Town, put Harps in front against the run of play after 23 minutes.

And it was no more that Fergal Harkin's sublime through ball deserved as Mulligan outpaced Purdy to finish with an almost casual side-foot shot beyond Tony O'Dowd.

Thankfully, that gave the game the life it had previously lacked and Rovers awoke from their slumber to lay virtual siege to the Harps goal before equalising in first-half injury time.

Marc Kenny, who had hit a post with one of his trademark free-kicks on 33 minutes, punished a foul by Jonathan Minnock on Matt Britton to deliver a delightful ball across the Harps goal leaving Sean Francis the task of helping the ball into the net.

Having waited over five hours for a league goal, the Rovers faithful had plenty of cause to cheer again within four minutes of the restart when Brian Byrne stabbed the ball home from a Kenny corner to put them in front.

Byrne then fired a shot just wide six minutes later before Harps equalised on the hour with a soft goal direct from a free-kick.

O'Dowd appeared to be hampered by the strong sun in his eyes as he tipped Minnock's free-kick onto the underside of the crossbar with the ball bouncing down over the line.

Shamrock Rovers: O'Dowd; Britton, Brazil, Purdy, Dunne; Byrne, Colwell, Kenny, Woods; Francis, Lawlor. Subs: Robinson for Byrne (69 mins), Stewart for Britton (87).

Finn Harps: McKenna; Mohan, Dykes, D Boyle, Minnock; Kenny, Harkin, Tierney, McGrenaghan; Mulligan, Turner. Subs: McHugh for Kenny (half-time).

Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).