Bohemians -v- St. Patrick's Athletic

BOHEMIANS

Bohemians enter this testing home fixture against St. Patrick's Athletic in high spirits and buoyed by recent results (kick-off 7.45pm).

Manager Aaron Callaghan was pleased after their last-gasp equaliser in Tallaght Stadium last Friday and their 4-2 win over Bray Wanderers in the EA Sports Cup.

“Those last two results give us added confidence and self-belief,” said Callaghan. “But the mood in the squad was always good, even when we had to deal with difficult defeats, games that we felt we deserved a lot more from”.

Callaghan didn’t mince his words when it came to referee Neil Doyle’s contentious decision to award Rovers a penalty for a supposed handball with eight minutes remaining, describing it as being “as bad a referee’s decision as I’ve seen anywhere in the game.”

But the Bohs manager was keen to praise the resolve of his players in coming back from that blow.

“To come back from that and get a goal in injury time was brilliant. But it would have been one hell of an injustice if we hadn’t got something from that game.”

In a sign of Bohs distinctly youthful make-up, Callaghan has decided to entrust 19-year old Luke Byrne with the captain’s armband this Friday and the manager was gushing about his new skipper.  

“I saw leadership qualities in Luke the first week I trained with him. Asking him to skipper the side is just reward for Luke’s attitude, effort and dedication.” 

Captain Owen Heary has been ruled out with a hip injury and Conor O’Brien is also out through illness. Keith Buckley serves out the second of his two game suspension this week.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

St. Pat’s go into this game as one of the form teams in league.

The Inchicore side were clinical in their second-half demolition of an admittedly out-of-sorts Shels, a victory which took Liam Buckley’s men level on points with Sligo Rovers at the top of the Airtricity Premier Division.

In the wake of Bohemians battling display in Tallaght last week, Buckley is wary of the challenge posed by Aaron Callaghan’s men.

“They played very well against Shamrock Rovers last week and got a point late on so we know we’ll have to be at it for the full 90 minutes to get a result in Dalymount.”

One player on a high is striker and ex-Bohs man Christy Fagan. Emerging from the shadows last week in place of the injured Anto Flood, Fagan nabbed a brace setting Pat’s on their way to an impressive win.

“Bohs are on a nice little run at the minute and with it being in Dalymount, their fans are going to get behind them…. The last time we played them it was tough and I think they’ve a few players back now since then.  We’re on a nice run ourselves at the minute, and we want to keep that going.  I think results breed confidence so we want to get the three points on Friday and stay at the top end of the table.” 

Referee: Alan Kelly.

MATCH STATS

The two sides drew 1-1 when they met at Richmond Park last month.

The last time St. Pat’s lost in Dalymount Park was in October 2009 when current Saints midfielder Killian Brennan helped Bohs to a 3-1 win

St. Pat’s are unbeaten in their last 11 games in all competitions

BETTING

Bohemians 11/2; Draw 13/5; St. Pat’s 8/15.

PREDICTION

Bohs 1-2 St. Pat’s: An in-form Pat’s to keep their run going against a spirited but still inexperienced Bohs side.

Bohemians

Injured: Owen Heary (hip), Conor O’Brien (illness).
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Keith Buckley.

St. Patrick’s Athletic

Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.