Bohemians 0
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Paul Dollery reports from Dalymount Park
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC secured a very important away win in this evening’s Dublin derby against Bohemians.
A first-half goal from Ciaran Kilduff was enough to give Liam Buckley’s side the victory in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division, as Pat’s extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six games.
It was a second league defeat of the season for Bohemians, for whom goalkeeper Dean Delany saved a second-half penalty. The Gypsies’ only other loss came against champions Dundalk — also at Dalymount Park — last month.
Bohs were 2-0 winners against Longford Town last week but manager Keith Long was forced to make one change to his starting line-up, as Derek Prendergast replaced the injured Robbie Creevy.
St Pat’s, who had a scoreless draw with Cork City last time out, made three personnel changes. Ian Bermingham returned at left-back in place of Lee Desmond who, coincidentally, was also unavailable due to suspension. Greg Bolger was back from illness to replace James Chambers, while Ciaran Kilduff started instead of Christy Fagan.
Kilduff had a very good chance to give the visitors the lead with only 15 seconds on the clock. The striker was played through by Chris Forrester but shot wide at the near post when he should have done better.
Forrester’s ability to carve open his former club’s defence would prove to be crucial for Pat’s later in the first-half, and he did so again in the sixth minute to release Conan Byrne, whose effort went narrowly wide, although the Saints’ winger was ruled offside anyway.
Later, Killian Brennan shot wide for Pat’s after taking a short corner and, shortly afterwards, Bohs striker Dean Kelly saw a strike blocked by Kenny Browne from just inside the box.
In the 24th minute, Lorcan Fitzgerald sent a beautiful delivery into the St Pat’s penalty area via a free-kick from out wide on the left, but Kelly was unable to get his head to it. A minute later, Derek Pender slid in to make a vital interception and deny Ciaran Kilduff what would surely have been the game’s opening goal, following a low cross from the left by Aaron Greene.
But Kilduff didn’t have to wait long more for another opportunity. When Forrester split the Bohs defence again in the 35th minute, Conan Byrne’s effort was saved by Dean Delany but Kilduff was on hand to tap the ball into the empty net to give Liam Buckley’s side the lead.
Kilduff went close to adding a second just before half-time but he headed Byrne’s corner wide. Nevertheless, Pat’s were in the ascendancy at the interval.
As the visitors sought to keep a firm grip on their lead, chances were scarce after the restart. With Bohs searching for an equaliser but struggling to ask questions of Pat’s goalkeeper Conor O’Malley, Keith Buckley’s 65th-minute cross was just too high for Dean Kelly to reach.
Pat’s should have increased their lead when they were awarded a penalty with 20 minutes remaining, after Kilduff was fouled in the box by Derek Prendergast. Killian Brennan took the spot-kick but his disappointing effort was saved by Dean Delany.
That let-off appeared to give Bohs a lift, as Keith Long’s side redoubled their efforts to level the scores. They were inches away from doing so in the 75th minute when another brilliant ball in by Lorcan Fitzgerald — this time from the right — evaded several Bohs heads before going narrowly wide at the far post.
Brennan tried his luck against Delany again in the 83rd minute, but the Bohs goalkeeper was able to parry the midfielder’s long-range effort and then gathered up the loose ball before the incoming Ian Bermingham arrived.
Bohs had one last chance to grab a share of the spoils in added time but Derek Prendergast’s header from close range was comfortably saved by O’Malley.
BOHEMIANS: Dean Delany; Derek Pender, Derek Prendergast, Anto Murphy, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh, Kealan Dillon (Dave Mulcahy, 68), Roberto Lopes, Karl Moore (Adam Evans, 54); Keith Buckley (Jason Byrne, 72); Dean Kelly.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Conor O’Malley; Ger O’Brien, Sean Hoare, Kenny Browne, Ian Bermingham; Conan Byrne, Chris Forrester (James Chambers, 75), Greg Bolger, Killian Brennan (Conor McCormack, 90), Aaron Greene; Ciaran Kilduff.
Man-of-the-match: Greg Bolger.
Referee: Graham Kelly.
