Football: Another own goal lets City off the hook.. ST PAT'S 1 DERRY 1.

Byline: By DANIEL McDONNELL

ANOTHER week and another fortunate late equaliser from Derry City to keep their title ambitions alive.

Last week, it was an own goal from Bray centre half Brian McGovern that rescued a point for Stephen Kenny's men, and this time around it was the turn of Saints' centre half Darragh Maguire.

Just when it seemed that Derry's striking sensation Mark Farren was going to have an off-night, he escaped the Pat's defence with just four minutes remaining and Maguire's last-gasp tackle only succeeded in diverting the ball past Barry Ryan.

When the honours are handed out at the end of the season, Derry will figure out if this was a point gained or a case of two points dropped against the strugglers.

They laid siege on the Pat's goal after levelling, with both Farren and O'Flynn coming close to snatching late, late winners.

Derry could have moved within a point of leaders Cork but despite grabbing a late point this result will still be greeted with glee down Leeside way.

The Candystripes turned in an uncharacteristically flat display in the first half and trailed to a 34th minute goal.

Robbie Doyle released Ian Maher who then skipped past his marker and set up Chris Armstrong to score.

Derry handed Pat McCourt a start on the right side of midfield and he displayed some of the skills that made his signature a prized one.

The visitors had the ball in the net on 62 minutes through Farren but referee Alan Kelly had already blown up.

Any hard feelings about that decision will have been erased by Farren's late intervention and, of course, the luckless Maguire.

ST PAT'S: Ryan, Prenderville, Frost, Maguire, Donnelly, Caffrey, Maher, Reilly, O'Connor (Rowe 90), Doyle (Quigley 82), Armstrong.

DERRY CITY: Forde, Molloy, Hutton, Delaney (McGlynn 80), McChrystal (Cash 63), Higgins, Martyn (O'Flynn 80), McCourt, K Brennan, Beckett, Farren.

CAPTION(S):

SAINTS ALIVE: Chris Armstrong celebrates scoring for St Pat's