Bohemians 1
St Patrick’s Athletic 3
ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC jumped to fourth in table in their surge for European football with an eventually comfortable Dublin derby victory as 3,761 watched on at a chilly Dalymount Park tonight.
Second-half goals from Chris Forrester, Jake Mulraney and Joe Redmond helped The Saints earn their sixth win on the spin, with Dawson Devoy hitting a late consolation, as Stephen Kenny’s charges leapfrogged Galway United on goal difference – with the two set to face off in Inchicore on Friday,
But in their penultimate home game of the season, and the all important game in hand on FAI Cup finalists Drogheda United, Bohs failed to follow up a good point on the road in Derry and still sit just four points ahead of the dreaded relegation play-off spot.
The only question hanging over the red-hot visitors was would the two week break since their dramatic late win over Shelbourne disrupt their relentless momentum? And it didn’t seem to as Stephen Kenney’s side answered the question almost immediately with player of the month nominee Brandon Kavanagh having the ball in the net after a couple of minutes, only to see the flag gp up for offside.
The hosts responded immediately with Dayle Rooney bursting down the left and standing up a deep cross to another nominee, Ross Tierney, who saw his header cleared off the line brilliantly by the recovering Tom Grivosti,who showed great defensive instinct to get back.
Having weathered the early storm, Bohs then really took control and earned a glorious chance to break the deadlock with a quarter of an hour played. Tierney’s low cross was initially not dealt with, and in snuck Rooney on the blind side of Axel Sjoberg to nick the ball as the right back swung to clear.
Referee Rob Hennessy had no hesitation pointing to the spot as Dawson Devoy took responsibility from the spot.
Devoy’s tame penalty was well saved low to his right by Joseph Anang, but on the follow up James Clarke’s eyes lit up as he smashed towards goal only for ex-Bohs man Anto Breslin to make a miraculous goal line clearance to keep the game level.
In the ascendancy, Bohs went close again when Jake Carroll hit a low 25-yard free kick that, again, Anang got down to hold.
The home side were left to rue not taking advantage of their first half dominance when just minutes after the restart Tierney received his marching orders.
Having been booked just before the half for a clumsy challenge that saw Sjoberg eventually replaced at the break, the Ballymun man received a second yellow for a late tackle on Chris Forrester, who just nicked the ball as they came together in the middle of the park.
Pat’s made the home side pay on the hour mark as Forrester found a few yards of space slightly right to the area and, unchallenged, hit a daisy cutter that came off the foot of the unlucky Jake Carroll and wrong footed the helpless Kacper Chorazka – for his fourth of the season and first from open play.
Jake Mulraney went agonisingly close to doubling the lead moments later but Carroll did well to get the ball to safety before skipper Joe Redmond deflected an attempt off the post.
And with less than a quarter of an hour remaining Pats eventually got their second when Mulraney smashed home from just inside the area as Bohs failed to deal with a dangerously delivered deep corner.
Two became three when the home side failed to deal with another set-piece as Redmond flicked on a wicked Elbouzedi inswinging free kick, prompting chants of “The Bohs are going down” from the travelling support with a mass evacuation ensuing.
And those who left missed arguably the goal of the game when Dawson Devoy hit a rasping strike from outside the area that gave Anang no chance to take some gloss off the scoreline.
Bohemian FC: Kacper Chorazka; Paddy Kirk, Cian Byrne, Jake Carroll, Jordan Flores; Adam McDonnell (Filip Piszczek, 77’), Dawson Devoy; Archie Meekison (Alex Greive, 64’), Ross Tierney, Dayle Rooney (Brian McManus, 85’); James Clarke
Subs not used: James Talbot, Declan McDaid, Danny Grant, Sean Moore, Declan Osagie, Jevon Mills
St. Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Carl Axel Sjoberg (Ryan McLaughlin, 46’), Tom Grivosti, Joe Redmond, Anto Breslin (Al-Amin Kazeem, 77’); Aaron Bolger (Kian Leavy, 71’), Chris Forrester; Jake Mulraney, Brandon Kavanagh (Romal Palmer, 77’), Zack Elbouzedi; Aidan Keena (Michael Noonan, 89’)
Subs not used: Danny Rogers, Jason McClelland, Cian Kavanagh, Luke Turner
Referee: Rob Hennessy