STEPHEN O’DONNELL HAS urged the Bohemians players to embrace the pressure of the last two games as they aim to secure European qualification.

The Gypsies’ assistant coach was speaking after manager Alan Reynolds was sent off for a second yellow card at half-time of last night’s goalless draw with St Patrick’s Athletic.

The stalemate means Bohs must likely have to beat Shelbourne at Dalymount Park on Sunday and follow it up with victory away to Drogheda United on the final night of the season to ensure at least a fourth place finish.

That will only be enough for a spot in the Uefa Conference League qualifiers provided Shamrock Rovers beat Cork City in the FAI Cup final next month.

O’Donnell joked that if Reynolds fined himself for the loss of discipline when he pushed Axel Sjoberg – after already being shown a yellow card during the first half – he would happily distribute the money to the players.

“We’ve just talked about it. There’s a lot on the line. There’s a lot riding on it. These things can happen. If anything, it adds to the entertainment value of the spectators,” he said.

“You need a little bit of that, but both teams, there’s no ill will towards each other. It’s just both teams really wanting to win.

“Ultimately, if you don’t play in any games with no tension, you’re not part of a successful team or a team that’s competing for anything. To be a good player and to be a good team, you’re going to have to want that and embrace playing in lots of games with tension.

“Hopefully, more often than not, you come out the right side of those games. It’s a great little period now. [Last night] was good for neutral, even though it was nil-nil. A real high-octane, up-tempo Dublin derby. Sunday will be no different for us,” O’Donnell said, with Reynolds set to be banned from the touchline for another Dublin derby with Shels at the weekend.

Pat’s boss Stephen Kenny praised Sjoberg for not retaliating as he had also been cautioned during the initial incident that resulted in Reynolds and five others being booked.

“Maybe a bit of gamesmanship to try provoke him and get him sent off. He kept his cool which is important,” he said.

“It’s irrelevant to me now. The main thing from my point of view is that everyone kept their composure. We couldn’t afford to have anyone sent off and Axel deserves credit for that, for not reacting and from our point of view we stayed focused and tried to win the game. We didn’t win it, but we didn’t lose it and we’re back in it.”

The draw for St Pat’s means they now must win their final two games of the season – the last of which is away at third placed Shelbourne – and hope results elsewhere also go in their favour.

As attention turned to Friday’s visit of Waterford, Kenny hailed a 17th clean sheet from 34 games in the Premier Division.

“Early in the season we might have conceded a late goal there but we didn’t and we were under pressure at the end. We didn’t concede chances as such but we defended well and we defended as a unit which was important.

“You wouldn’t think it from us as it wouldn’t be the perception of this team but we have the most clean sheets in the league.

“You don’t get anything for that, it’s not a badge of honour but it was a good clean sheet for us. We just didn’t show enough in the final third to win the game.”