REPORT: Bohemians 0 - 1 St Patricks Athletic

A moment of genius from Keith Fahey was enough to give St Patrick’s Athletic all three points in a tempestuous Dublin derby against Bohemians at Dalymount Park, which saw three red cards.

Fahey scored the winner after just 13 minutes when he spotted Bohemians goalkeeper Brian Murphy off his line and unleashed a dipping shot which crashed into the roof of the net.

The home side pressed for an equaliser, with Glen Crowe going close on several occasions. Pat’s had Dessie Byrne dismissed for a second bookable offence on 80 minutes, while Bohs midfielder Killian Brennan and Pat’s goalkeeper Barry Ryan were both sent packing minutes later following an off the ball scuffle which saw all 22 players get involved.

Despite being at a numerical disadvantage for the closing stages, Pat’s held on for a richly deserved victory.

Bohs manager Pat Fenlon made two enforced changes to the side which defeated Galway United last Friday night, with Kevin Hunt and Darren Mansaram replacing injured duo Glenn Cronin and Neale Fenn. Mark Rossiter continued to deputise for Conor Powell at left back, while close-season signing Jason Byrne again had to make do with a place on the bench.

Pat’s boss John McDonnell showed the strength of his squad by leaving Ryan Guy on the bench, despite the American scoring two goals in the 3-3 draw with Glentoran in the Setanta Cup in midweek. He was replaced by Dessie Byrne, while David Partridge, Damien Lynch and Stephen Paisley came in for Damien Lynch, Gary Dempsey and the suspended Stephen Brennan.

Following a turgid opening, the game shot to life after 13 minutes when Fahey blasted St Pat’s into the lead with a shot from nothing, which Bohs keeper Murphy might feel he could have dealt with better.

It took the home side until the twentieth minute to have their first shot at goal. Owen Heary’s searching ball from the right touchline found Glen Crowe in space on the edge of the 18 yard box and his perfectly timed volley looked destined to nestle in the bottom corner until the right hand of Ryan tipped the ball around the post.

That seemed to spur Bohs into life and Mark Rossiter was next to try his luck, but his half volley from distance sailed harmlessly wide after his initial free-kick had been blocked by the Pat’s defensive wall.

Gary O’Neill almost doubled the away side’s advantage just before the half hour mark, his shot going narrowly wide after a neat turn on the edge of the six-yard box. The chances were starting to come thick and fast at both ends. Crowe was again the main threat for Bohs, with the former-Shelbourne striker heading a dangerous Brennan free kick wide just after the half hour mark. Owen Heary then prevented Fahey from grabbing his second of the game, when he threw himself in front of a fierce shot following a neat cut-back from O’Neill.

Just five miuntes before the break, Bohs best move of the half almost brought them level. Brennan miscontrolled the ball on the corner of the box but the ball somehow found its way into the path of Crowe eight yards out, but his shot on the turn ran across the face of the goal but agonisingly wide.

Two minutes after the re-start, Pat’s almost grabbed a lucky second. Quigley fired a driven cross in from the right and Ken Oman’s attempted clearance struck O’Neill on the back before bobbling wide.Bohemians felt they should have had a penalty just moments later when John Paul Kelly’s floated free-kick appeared to strike the hand of Joe O’Cearuill in the Pat’s defence. However, referee Dave McKeon waved away the protests of the Bohs players and awarded the home side a corner.

While Bohs kept looking for a way back into the game, the away side continued to make chances with Byrne blazing over from the corner of the box and O’Neill miss-cuing his lob from 16 yards with just Murphy to beat having beaten the offside trap.

With Bohs struggling to create anything of note, Fenlon rung the changes just after the hour mark with Jason Byrne replacing the ineffectual Mansaram in attack. Nevertheless, the Saints defence continued to frustrate the home side.

Bohs looked to have been thrown a lifeline with just ten minutes remaining when Dessie Byrne sent off after receiving a second yellow card for an alleged elbow. The Gypsies almost equalised from the resulting free kick when the ball broke to Ken Oman on the edge of the box, but his shot flashed just inches wide of the far post. The game threatened to spill over on 85 minutes when a scuffle in the middle of the park resulted in Brennan and Ryan both seeing red. Brennan, clearly incensed, had to be restrained as he left the field with both he and Ryan still arguing.

Despite being down to nine-men, St Pat’s held on to maintain their 100% start to the League campaign. Next up for them is Galway United at home next Friday night, while Bohs face a trip west to take on Sligo Rovers.

Bohemians: Brian Murphy; Owen Heary, Liam Burns, Ken Oman, Mark Rossiter (Jason McGuinness 85); Kevin Hunt,  John Paul Kelly, Chris Turner (Stephen O’Donnell 68), Killian Brennan; Glen Crowe, Darren Mansaram (Jason Byrne 65).
Subs not used: Chris Konopka, Harpal Singh.

Booked: Hunt, Crowe, O'Donnell.
Sent Off: Brennan (85).

St Patrick’s Athletic: Barry Ryan, Damien Lynch, Dave Partridge, Stephen Paisley, Joe O’Cearuill, Bobby Ryan, Keith Fahey, Dessie Byrne, Mark Quigley (Ryan Guy 81), Gary O’Neill (Brendan Clarke 85), Jamie Harris.
Subs not used: Glen Fitzpatrick, Alan Kirby, Michael Keane.

Booked: Bobby Ryan, Fahey, D Byrne.
Sent Off: . D Byrne (80), Barry Ryan (85).
 

Referee: Dave McKeon.

Attendance: 4,105