League Report: St. Patrick’s Athletic 3 - 1 Bohemians

Macdara Ferris reports from Richmond Park

The race for third place very much continues into the final three games of the season as St. Patrick’s Athletic’s 3-1 win over Bohemians kept the pressure on Dundalk in the competition to claim one of the automatic European spots (fourth would also suffice should Derry City win the FAI Cup).

Dundalk's 2-1 win in Finn Park kept them in third place a point clear of Pat's.

The Saints were comfortably 2-0 up thanks to early goals in either half from Serge Atakayi and Mark Doyle. While a fine James Clarke goal brought Bohs back into it late on, substitute Tunde Owolabi wrapped up the win with a goal three minutes from time.

The sold up signs had gone up around Inchicore for this Dublin derby during the week with 5,106 supporters squeezing into the venue beside the bank of the Camac River come kick off and a little bit beyond.

One interested spectator was the incoming Bohemians boss Declan Devine who was on hand to throw his eye over the players he will be working with from next week and after the final whistle he went down onto the pitch to acknowledge the supporters of his new team who watched on from the away end.

It took just seven minutes for the Saints to take the lead from what was their first real opportunity. Eoin Doyle rose highest on half way to flick the ball on with his head for Atakayi. He showed a clean pair of heels to Ciarán Feely to drill the ball low by Tadhg Ryan who seemed reluctant to come off his line to close the chance down.

Tim Clancy was forced into an early substitution with Jamie Lennon having to come off in the 16^th minute replaced by Thijs Timmermans. As the sub skipped clear of the Gypsies skipper two minutes after coming on, Conor Levingston hauled him back to be the first player to go into referee Adriano Reale’s book.

The Dutchman had the chance to double his team’s lead just beyond the mid-point of the half when he picked up Chris Forrester’s lateral pass but his effort didn’t trouble Ryan in the Bohs goal. 

The best chance of the half for the visitors came moments later. Ethan Varian showed a lovely bit of skill to trap the ball and turn on the edge of the area only for Sam Curtis to cut him down. The teenager went into the book for the challenge but Clarke couldn’t get the resulting close range free kick up and over the wall.

On the half an hour, the Saints hacked clear a whipped Kris Twardek cross and were thankful that Jordan Doherty’s low drilled effort from the clearance just fizzed by Daniel Rogers’ right hand post. 

At the other end Adam O’Reilly’s shot was heading goalwards before it was deflected off the back of a Bohs defender. The Saints had a number of Chris Forrester corners that they couldn’t exploit and it was a similar story from a number of fine runs by Barry Cotter who used his pace to get by Max Murphy on a couple of occasions.

There was a scare for Bohs just before the break when Ryan went down injured and it looked like they might have to give a debut in goal to Daithi Folan. However, Ryan recovered and was fit enough to tip over a Cotter shot that was arrowing in on the back of the net two minutes from the half-time whistle.

The Saints switched from three to four at the back after the break with Cotter slotting into defence for Harry Brockbank who made way for substitute Mark Doyle and it was the sub who got the second for St. Pat’s with what was his first touch of the game.

He raced onto a pin point pass from Forrester that carved open the Bohs back four and he made no mistake slotting it home in front the terraced packed with away supporters.

Forrester cracked a dipping driven free kick off Ryan’s cross bar on 55 minutes and the Saints went on to dominate the play and seemed most likely to add to the game's goal tally.

James Clarke’s superbly taken goal seven minutes from time for Bohs though looked like it would be a nervy finish for the home supporters in the crowd. However any anxious feelings for Saints supporters were eased by sub Tunde Owolabi who wrapped up the win with a low shot from outside the box that beat Ryan way too easily.

Next up for the Saints is another Dublin derby – they take on Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium next Friday and they would love to put a dent in the Hoops title ambitions while keeping the pressure on Dundalk in their own European race.

For Declan Devine, he got an idea of the challenge that awaits him in Dalymount Park.

St. Patrick's Athletic: Danny Rogers; Harry Brockbank (Mark Doyle 46), Joe Redmond (c), Sam Curtis; Barry Cotter, Jamie Lennon (Thijs Timmermans 15), Adam O'Reilly, Anto Breslin; Serge Atakayi (Billy King 65), Eoin Doyle (Tunde Owolabi 79), Chris Forrester.
Subs not used: David Odumosu, Paddy Barrett, Jason McClelland, Ben McCormack, Rónán Coughlan. 
Booked: Sam Curtis (26). 

Bohemians: Tadhg Ryan; Jordan Doherty, Rory Feely, Ciaran Kelly, Max Murphy; Kris Twardek, James Clarke, Conor Levingston (c) (Jamie Mullins 64), James McManus, Declan McDaid (Chris Lotefa 64); Ethon Varian.
Subs not used: Daithi Folan, Cian Byrne, Derin Adewale, Josh Kerr, Alex O'Brien, Aaron Doran, Nickson Okosun. 
Booked: Conor Levingston (17) , James Clarke (69), James McManus (81), Kris Twardek (84), Chris Lotefa (90). 

Referee: Adriano Reale. 
Attendance: 5,106
extratime.com Player of the Match: Serge Atakayi (St. Patrick’s Athletic)

Vera Pauw: “Amber promised me 'When I get on, I’ll make that goal’” https://t.co/5o1NP6njYDpic.twitter.com/XuUzBpvDm4

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) October 11, 2022