St Pat’s level it late on come from behind to share the spoils with Waterford

SSE AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC 1 (Brandon Kavanagh 65) 

WATERFORD 1 (Maleace Asamoah 13) 

If – as it seems – Waterford survive their first season back in the top-flight, lording it away to Leinster teams will be recalled as pivotal.

They couldn’t hold onto their lead at Inchicore but extracting a point had to be progress after beating Bohemians on their last trip to Dublin.

They also hammered Drogheda United and drew with Dundalk in the wee country, both big results when a promoted team is in consolidation mode.

What they certainly won’t want to gift from Munster is their manager Keith Long, as the Blues rejected an approach this week from Dundalk to fill the vacancy at the basement club.

St Pat’s – on a run of two wins and two draws, including victory over Shamrock Rovers in their last home assignment – began with a spark.

Aaron Bolger had to be patient to dislodge club legend Chris Forrester in midfield but this was the third start in a row for the pre-season recruit from Cork City.

He displayed his threat after just two minutes by unleashing a 20-yarder that took a deflection on its way to spinning a yard wide of the upright.

Waterford were content to spring on the counter, availing of the pace on either flank of Maleace Asamoah and Conor Parsons.

Asamoah, who along with Harry MacAdam was loaned in from sister club Fleetwood Town, made his presence felt after 12 minutes by earning a corner he’d snaffle the breakthrough from.

Ben McCormack was once tipped to be convert his precocious teen talent into a mainstay of the Saints but he left Inchicore behind this season to start afresh at Waterford.

The 21-year-old floated in his outswinging corner for Darragh Leahy to nod on at the