St Patrick's Ath -v- Bohemians

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

Third placed St. Pat’s will be looking to reduce the gap between themselves and both Derry City and Sligo Rovers above them in table when they take on Bohemians on Monday evening in Richmond Park (kick off 7.45pm).

A win for Liam Buckley’s men would reduce the gap to league leaders Sligo to just three points as the Saints make up their game in hand with this fixture following its postponement back in March due to a waterlogged pitch. A victory over Bohs would also put Pat’s a point behind second placed Derry, a team they drew with last Friday in Inchicore. The yellow card Greg Bolger picked up in that 1-1 draw means he will miss this Dublin derby.

The Saints are unbeaten against Bohemians in the last seven league encounters between the Dublin sides with three St. Pat’s wins alongside four draws. “Dublin derbies are always big occasions,” said Saints boss Buckley to stpatsfc.com ahead of the match, “and games with Bohs are always special as both sides have good support and add greatly to the occasion.”

“As a result, the group are looking forward to the game as there should be a good crowd and atmosphere in Richmond Park on Monday night. Aaron [Callaghan] has put together a good competitive squad this season and has some very good young players so it’ll be a tricky game for us. They play decent football so it should be a good game watch.  As it’s a back game, it is a chance for both sides respectively to move up the table, so we’ll be looking to take advantage of that.”

BOHEMIANS

The Gypsies go into Monday’s game on the back of a 3-2 home win over Bray Wanderers last Friday.

Dave Mulcahy, who had been a doubt for the game, headed the winning goal from a Keith Buckley free kick. This was after Chris Lyons had got Bohs’ first two goals. Drawing 1-1 at half time, Bohemians put in a spirited second half performance to secure all three points with Andy Mulligan being the standout player for Bohs.

That win put an end to a three game losing streak and if they can make it back-to-back wins, the men from Phibsborough would move above Shamrock Rovers in the table and could put themselves into seventh place in the Premier Division. Callaghan may well deploy a similar 3-5-2 shape to his side for the game against the Saints as he did on Friday night.

“Delighted with the three points,” was Callaghan’s assessment when he spoke to bohemianfc.com in the aftermath of the win over Bray. “It was a tough game in tough conditions. In the second half we showed a bit of character and a bit of commitment. We took our goals really well. We dominated the second half. Dave Mulcahy came back in tonight and he was fantastic. He won so many headers in the last 10 minutes when they threw six lads up front.”

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.

MATCH STATS

St. Pats have six former Bohemians players in their squad that they can call upon on Monday night.

The Dublin derby record for this season reads better for Gypsies than the Saints. Aaron Callaghan’s men have taken seven points from the nine on offer while Pat’s have six points from their three Dublin derbies.

October 2010 was the last time Bohemians defeated St. Pat’s. Raffaele Cretaro scored the only goal of the game following up on a Killian Brennan missed penalty for Bohs.

BETTING

St Pats 1/2; Draw 23/10; Bohs 6/1.

PREDICTION

Home win, 1-0.

St Patrick’s Athletic

Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Greg Bolger.

Bohemians

Injured: Owen Heary, Stephen Paisley, Conor O'Brien.
Doubtful: Derek Pender, Dave Scully.
Suspended: None.