U17 National League Final Report: St Patrick's Athletic 4 - 0 Bohemians

Dave Donnelly reports from Richmond Park

St Patrick’s Athletic made it a trio of underage league crowns as the under-17s saw off Bohemians/St Kevin’s Boys with an emphatic 4-0 win at Richmond Park on Tuesday night.

A double from Ben McCormack – the second a wonderful solo effort – and one from Jamie Doyle put the home side into a commanding 3-0 lead at the break.

Doyle saw red late on but Troy Stedman added a fourth in the final minute as the Saints completed a remarkable treble following the 13s and 15s’ successes last week.

The scoreline wasn’t entirely representative of a game in which home keeper Josh Keeley pulled off a string of top-class saves, but two goals in the five minutes before half time sealed Bohs’ fate.

The game began at a serious pace and Robbie Mahon was crowded out in the Pats box early on before the Saints broke and, following a foul on the edge of the area, McCormack curled wide.

Kian Corbally forced the first save of the game as he lined up a shot from the edge of the box but it was comfortably saved by Kian Lacchia in the Bohemians goal.

A lovely lofted diagonal from Colin Conroy presented Bohs their first clear chance but, having dashed from his own half, full-back Len O’Sullivan couldn’t cushion his volley on target.

Keeley was forced into action shortly afterwards as centre-back Warren Curran met a lofted corner at full tilt but he headed straight at the keeper, who has recently spent time on trial at Aston Villa.

Conroy was at the heart of it again as he jinked through a number of tackles before seeing his shot blocked and, from the resulting corner, Evan Ferguson protested his shot had crossed the line.

Inevitably, it was a mistake that led to the opener as Bohs captain Sean McManus saw his loose backward pass picked off by Darragh Burns just before the half-hour.

The winger moved laterally into the box and cut the ball back for the arriving McCormack, who calmly slotted the ball low past Lacchia.

Five minutes before half time, it was 2-0 as a long ball from Cian Kelly sailed in between defence and goalkeeper and Doyle took advantage to glance a header past the advancing Lacchia.

And with half time looming, McCormack made it 3-0 with an outstanding solo effort, the playmaker beating his man in the box before delicately chipping Lacchia into the far corner.

Bohs should have pulled one back before the break but Keeley pulled off a superb double-stop, first denying Mahon from close range before getting up to save McMahon’s free header.

Bohs made three substitutions at the break and switched to a 4-4-2, with Precious Omochere joining Ferguson up front and Mayowa Anamasahun and Thomas Considine slotting in.

Anamasahun’s first-time clearance played Omochere in on goal but, with just Keeley to beat, the striker pulled his effort wide.

An outstanding covering tackle from captain Cian Kelly denied Ferguson shortly afterwards, the defender throwing his body in the way as the 14-year-old prodigy pulled the trigger.

Doyle was sent off ten minutes from time as he picked up his second booking but the Athletic added to the scoreline in the final minute as sub Stedman picked out the bottom corner.

Still Bohs poured forward but Keeley wasn’t to be denied his clear sheet, pulling off another top-class stop with almost the last kick of the game.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Joshua Keeley; Roy Byrne, Brandon Holt, Cian Kelly, Daragh Reilly (Darragh Meegan 90+1); Jamie Doyle, Kyle Conway (Danny Norris 90+1), Ben McCormack (Luke Hennessy 88); Darragh Burns (Ugo Anny Nkezwue 75), Cian Corbally, Kyle Robinson (Troy Stedman 59).

Subs not used: Morgan Rice (gk), Cian O’Malley.

Booked: Cian Corbally (19), Jamie Doyle (70, 80).

Sent off: Jamie Doyle (80).

Bohemians: Kian Lacchia; Gavin O’Brien (Mayowa Anamasahun 46), Jack Funge, Warren Curran, Len O’Sullivan (Promise Omochere 46); Sean McManus, Colin Conroy (Paul Omotosho 73), Cian Byrne; Karl O’Callaghan (Thomas Considine 46), Robbie Mahon (Paddy Moore 83), Evan Ferguson.

Subs not used: Mark Smith (gk), Liam Burke, Paddy Moore.

Booked: JackFunge (83), Cian Byrne (88).

Referee: Joseph McDonnell.

Attendance: 608 (official).

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Ben McCormack (St Patrick’s Athletic).