Bohemian FC: 0
St. Patrick’s Athletic: 1
Darryl Geraghty reports from Dalymount Park
KEITH LONG is still waiting for first victory of the season as a towering Ronan Coughlan header saw The Saints finally break their Gypsie hoodoo, which had stretched back to nine games before this evening.
Bohs, who did the double last season against the visitors, made two changes to the team that let slip a two-goal lead to Longford Town the week previous. In came Andy Lyons and Dawson Devoy, who had been called up to the Irish under 21’s training camp returned, replacing Keith Ward and Rory Feely in a bid to freshen the side up.
Although there was little between the sides, and as a fascinating clash of styles unfolded, 4-2-3-1 for the hosts versus a fluid 3-5-2 for the visitors, it was Bohs who created the first two half chances.
The first came from a bit of pinball in the Pat’s area from a whipped Anto Breslin corner, but as the ball fell invitingly for Ross Tierney, the youngster just couldn’t make contact as he swung and the ball trickled into the arms of the on-loan Liverpool stopper Vitezslav Jaros.
Bohs best avenue of a breakthrough looked to be from Liam Burt who looked a threat throughout, and was finding some good space on the left wing, and was slipped in behind the Saints backline from an Andy Lyons through ball. The pacey Scotsman showed good feet to cut inside and smash a low drive through a cluster of legs that was well blocked and eventually scrambled wide for a corner kick.
Stephen O’Donnell’s side though, hotly tipped for a European place and have started the season well with an encouraging draw away at Champions
Shamrock Rovers, followed by an injury time victory against Drogheda United, really should have broken the deadlock midway through the first half. Some sloppy play at the back saw Rob Cornwall dispossessed on the edge of his own area but Robie Benson managed, under pressure from the recovering Cornwall drag his effort just wide of Talbot’s far post.
The Athletic began to dominate possession from then on, with Ronan Coughlan and Mattie Smith looking a threat in behind and clever movement, but with little goalmouth threat as the hosts held their shape well. Pat’s came armoured with some very clever corner kick routines, which could have paid dividends before the break but Lee Desmond was unable to direct his powerful header goalwards.
The second half started very much a case of copy and paste of the first, as both teams failed to wear each other down with the Inchicore side building well from the back, but Rob Cornwall had a very good chance with a free header at the back post, from another good Breslin delivery.
It took until just after the hour mark for one of the visitors smart set pieces to pay off, as Ronan Coughlan rose highest from Benson’s inswinging corner to power a header home past the helpless James Talbot, who could only push the ball into the roof of the net. That’s two in two now for the ex-Sligo Rovers man.
Bohs finally sprung to life as the urgency in their play increased greatly, but really struggled to carve out that one clear cut equalising opportunity, with Jaros only having to make the one save throughout the 90 minutes. The impressive visitors, with a midfield trio of Chris Forrster, Jamie Lennon and Robbie Benson just had too much guile and graft about them and saw out the game in excellent fashion and keep their unbeaten start to the season in tact and the final whistle was met with a huge roar of relief and joy from all involved as they find themselves joint top of the league
But as for the frustrated Phibsboro faithful, the new look attack must really start firing on all cylinders as the games tick on without victory and with Dundalk away up next it wont get any easier.
Bohemian FC: James Talbot, Andy Lyons, Rob Cornwall, James Finnerty, Anto Breslin, Keith Buckley (c) (Thomas Oluwa, 82’), Ali Coote, Liam Burt, Dawson Devoy (Keith Ward 68’), Ross Tierney, Georgie Kelly
Subs: Stephen McGuinness, Rory Feely, Ciaran Kelly, Bradley Rolt, Keith Ward, Thomas Oluwa, Tyreke Wilson, Bastien Hery, Jack Moylan
St. Patrick’s Athletic: Vitezslav Jaros, John Mountney, Sam Bone, Lee Desmond, Ian Bermingham, Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester, Robbie Benson,
Darragh Burns (Paddy Barrett, 73’), Mattie Smith (Jason McClelland,88’), Ronan
Coughlan (Billy King,78’)
Subs: Barry Murphy, Josh Keeley, Paddy Barrett, Kian Corbally, Ben McCormack, Billy King, Alfie Lewis, Jason McClelland, Nehum Melvin-Lambert
Referee: Neil Doyle