St Patrick's Athletic -v- Bohemians

• Simon O'Gorman
• Mon, Aug 22 2011


St Patrick’s Athletic welcome Bohemians to Richmond Park on Monday night in their rearranged Premier Division fixture, with the home side keen to keep up the momentum provided by their 4-0 win over Drogheda as they chase the leading pack. (Kick off, 7.45pm)

Friday night’s emphatic win over Drogheda ended a run of five games without a win for Pete Mahon’s men and brought them to within four points of third placed Sligo Rovers. Victory in this ‘game in hand’ would place the Inchicore side right back in the title hunt, a fact acknowledged by Pete Mahon.

“I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's game”, he said. “We haven't had a great third series of games, but we know that victory tomorrow will leave us in a good position going into the last series. Games between us have been very close since I've been at Pat's. Bohs are a dangerous attacking side, and with players such as Killian Brennan and Christy Fagan will cause any team problems."

Derek Doyle and Danny North, who both scored at the weekend, are doubtful having picked up knocks against Drogheda. However, Mahon will have recent signing Sean O’Connor available again following his recovery from a calf strain.

Bohemians boss, Pat Fenlon, also has a couple of injury concerns with midfielder Keith Buckley a possible absentee due to the broken nose he suffered in the recent friendly with Everton. Stephen Traynor will also miss out with an ankle injury and defender Owen Heary is suspended having collected four yellow cards.

Bohemians have played the league’s top three sides in their last three games and have collected just one win, against Sligo Rovers a fortnight ago, while six points have been lost to Shamrock Rovers and Derry City, who won by a single goal at Dalymount Park last Friday.

This tricky run of fixtures followed a run of four straight wins in the league and Fenlon will hope that his men can rediscover that form when they arrive at Richmond Park on Monday. The last time these sides met in Inchicore, back in April, the game ended scoreless while a Daryl Kavanagh goal fifteen minutes from time decided the fixture at Dalymount Park in favour of St Pats.

However this game ends there is unlikely to be much, if anything, between the teams. It wouldn’t do either side any favours but perhaps the most likely outcome is a draw.

St Patrick’s Ath
Injured: None.
Doubtful: Derek Doyle, Danny North.
Suspended: None.

Bohemians
Injured: Stephen Traynor.
Doubtful: Keith Buckley.
Suspended: Owen Heary.

Referee: Tom Connolly.
Paddy Power Odds: St Pats 5/4; Draw 21/10; Bohemians 11/5.
Extratime prediction: A 2-2 draw.