LAST UPDATE | 14 Apr 2023

Paul Fennessy reports from Dalymount Park

Bohemians 2

St Patrick’s Athletic 3

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC’S recent revival continued tonight, with an enthralling 3-2 win over Bohemians at a sold-out Dalymount Park.

An Adam McDonnell wonder strike had given Bohs the lead, but the Pat’s response was prompt.

Chris Forrester was claiming a goal directly from a corner to get them back in the game, although boss Tim Clancy insisted afterwards that Eoin Doyle got a touch at the near post.

Regardless, decisive finishes from Jason McClelland and Mark Doyle soon put the Saints in the driving seat.

A deserved straight red card for Jordan Flores exacerbated a disastrous end to the first half for the hosts, leaving them with an uphill task in the second period.

Substitute Dean Williams’ superb finish set up a nervy finale, but Pat’s held on for all three points despite another late red for Thomas Lonergan making it 10 men apiece.

The match was also halted for roughly 10 minutes during stoppage time due to a medical emergency in the stands.

Going into tonight’s fixture, Bohs held a six-point lead at the top over second-place Derry City, with Pat’s a point and two further places back in fourth.

Both of these sides were in decent form.

For Declan Devine’s men, last Friday’s 2-0 loss to rivals Shamrock Rovers, just the second of nine matches they had failed to win up to that point, was a significant setback, though they recovered well with a 1-0 victory away to Derry on Monday.

Meanwhile, following a shaky start, Tim Clancy’s men have improved in recent weeks. Last month’s spirited 2-2 draw with the Hoops appears to have proved the catalyst, as having been preceded by three successive losses (one of which was a 2-0 defeat by the Gypsies), it has been followed up with three wins on the bounce.

There were three alterations to the Bohs side that started earlier this week — Kris Twardek, James Clarke, and Dean Williams all dropped to the bench, with Jordan Flores, Jonathan Afolabi, and Declan McDaid coming into the team.

Pat’s made four changes from Monday’s 3-1 win over Drogheda. Joe Redmond, Thijs Timmermans, Thomas Lonergan, and Jake Mulraney were replaced by Noah Lewis, Adam Murphy, Eoin Doyle, and Mark Doyle.

James Akintunde (hamstring) and Ali Coote (thigh) both missed out for the hosts and for Pat’s, the game came too soon for Danny Rogers (thumb), Tom Grivosti (hamstring), and Harry Brockbank (calf), while Mulraney and Redmond also were absent having been doubts ahead of the game.

Bohs made the brighter start and threatened after 10 minutes, with Dean Lyness forced to parry Jordan Flores’ powerful low free kick from the edge of the area. 

Shortly thereafter, Dylan Connolly was afforded far too much space down the right and was allowed to sprint through on goal, but Lyness got a hand to his finish from a tight angle to keep the game scoreless.

Pat’s couldn’t hold onto the clean sheet much longer, however. Afolabi’s shot on the edge of the area was blocked down, but it fell to McDonnell, whose sweetly struck effort found the corner of the net for his first league goal since joining the club. 

Their lead did not last long, though, as Clancy’s men produced a swift response.

Forrester’s corner from the left appeared to evade everyone and go straight into the net to bring the game level, although Eoin Doyle got credit for the final touch from his manager.

Boosted by this goal, Pat’s then took the lead amid a frantic few minutes of action.

Former Bohs star Anto Breslin produced a beautiful cross and McClelland was on hand to volley home from close range and suddenly turn the game on its head.

It went from bad to worse for the league leaders on the half-hour mark, after Jamie Lennon played a perfectly weighted through pass for Eoin Doyle.

The former Bolton striker’s low finish was well saved by Talbot, but Doyle’s namesake Mark was on hand to convert the rebound into the empty net from a tight angle despite a last-ditch despairing lunge from the goalkeeper.

🎥 | A fantastic move by St. Patrick's Athletic is finished off by Mark Doyle to give them a strong lead at Dalymount Park!

Bohemians 1-3 St. Patrick's Athletic#BOHPAT | #LOI pic.twitter.com/SnAA9AgCoB

— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) April 14, 2023

Bohs went close to reducing the deficit shortly before half-time. Jonathan Afolabi collected a low Connolly cross, and showed a good touch to evade the attentions of two defenders before his low shot was well turned away by Lyness.

Moments later, Mark Doyle had a glorious chance to make it four. Forrester’s corner found him completely unmarked but his header sailed over the bar.

Bohs hopes of rescuing the game appeared all over on the brink of half-time when Jordan Flores received a straight red card for a poor, mistimed challenge on Jamie Lennon.

Yet there were still signs of life just before the break, as Lyness got down well to keep out Keith Buckley’s powerful low drive from the edge of the area.

Angry boos greeted the half-time whistle, with home fans not happy with the decision to issue Flores a red card.

❤️🖤 We wish our former player Ronnie Conway a speedy recovery following his health scare at tonight’s game.

🙏 We also wish to sincerely thank our club medical team, stewards, staff, St John’s Ambulance, Dublin Fire Brigade and all who assisted in this medical emergency.

— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) April 14, 2023

Those protests soon turned to cheers as the Bohs announcer communicated a message from the fourth official to Pat’s fans that “any more flares on the pitch and the game will be abandoned” following an incident in the first half that proved a brief distraction to the action.

With little happening just before the hour mark, Bohs made a triple change — Williams, Kris Twardek, and James Clarke came in for Adam McDonnell, Jay Benn and Declan McDaid.

The substitutions paid almost immediate dividends after Williams finished from a tight angle following a fine counter-attacking move and great work from Clarke in the build-up.

The momentum was with Bohs now and a good chance fell to Connolly at the far post, who forced a save from Lyness after the ball broke kindly for him

Pat’s then managed to calm the storm somewhat, as Thijs Timmermans and Vladislav Kreida were introduced before Eoin Doyle fired narrowly off target from a Forrester cross as the visitors went in search of a fourth.

Bohs pushed for an equaliser amid an intense final few minutes but struggled to create clear-cut chances with Pat’s defending well and slowing the game down at every opportunity while also looking dangerous on the counter.

There was further drama with substitute Thomas Lonergan sent off late on after picking a second yellow for a late challenge.

The game was then halted in stoppage time amid a medical emergency as medics rushed to the stand to intervene. There were no updates on the individual’s condition at the time of publication but he is understood to be on his way to the Mater Hospital.

It was a relatively uneventful final few moments after the re-start as Pat’s secured a big win.

Bohemians: 1. James Talbot 2. Jay Benn (Twardek 59) 5. Grant Horton 13. Kacper Radkowski 3. Paddy Kirk 16. Keith Buckley 17. Adam McDonnell  (Clarke 59) 6. Jordan Flores 10. Dylan Connolly (O’Sullivan 70) 9. Jonathan Afolabi 7. Declan McDaid (Williams 59)

Subs: 25. Luke Dennison 4. Krystian Nowak 14. James McManus 15. James Clarke 18. John O’Sullivan 21. Andrew Baker 22. Dean Williams 23. Kris Twardek 28. Chris Lotefa.

St Patrick’s Athletic: 36. Dean Lyness 22. Sam Curtis 2. Noah Lewis, 26. Jay McGrath, 3. Anto Breslin 6. Jamie Lennon (Carty 75) 8. Chris Forrester 24. Adam Murphy (Timmermans 65) 11. Jamie McClelland (Kreida 65)  9. Eoin Doyle (Lonnergan 83) 14. Mark Doyle (Atakayi 83)

Subs: 23. David Odumosu 7. Serge Atakayi 10. Thomas Lonergan 15. Conor Carty 17. Vladislav Kreida 18. Ben McCormack 21. Carl Alex Sjoberg 25. Thijs Timmermans 41. Mason Melia.

Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)