Soccer

Dublin derby proves costly for St Pat’s as Bohemians claim a precious point

Corcoran’s late equaliser a blow to the Inchicore side’s title hopes

Bohemians midfielder Anto Murphy upends Daryl Kavanagh of St Patrick’s Atholetic. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Bohemians midfielder Anto Murphy upends Daryl Kavanagh of St Patrick’s Atholetic. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Fri Aug 30 2013 - 22:00

St Patrick's Ath 1 Bohemians 1: St Patrick's Athletic's pursuit of a first league title since 1999 suffered a huge setback at Richmond Park last night where Bohemians snatched a late and deserved point.

The draw, coupled with Dundalk’s win over UCD at Belfield Bowl sees St Pat’s drop to second place in the Premier Division table with Dundalk now taking pole position. But the Inchicore side have a game in hand, which takes place away to Derry City on Tuesday.

Daryl Kavanagh put St Pat’s ahead in this highly entertaining Dublin derby on 20 minutes but a mix up between St Pat’s goalkeeper Brendan Clarke and defender Ian Bermingham allowed Dinny Corcoran in to equalise on 75 minutes.

Daryl Kavanagh of St Pat’s celebrates scoring the first goal of the game at Richmond Park last night. Photo: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Daryl Kavanagh of St Pat’s celebrates scoring the first goal of the game at Richmond Park last night. Photo: Donall Farmer/Inpho

St Pat’s had the first chance of this thrill-a-minute match with two minutes on the clock when Aidan Price rose highest to meet Killian Brennan’s free kick but he headed inches over from the right of the six-yard box.

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St Pat's Shane McFaul then gave away a silly free kick with a reckless challenge on Conor Murphy just outside the Pat's penalty area on 11 minutes. Ryan McEvoy took the free but smashed his effort wide of the target.

Low drive
Bohs had started brightly and put Pat's under plenty of pressure but found themselves behind on 20 minutes when Kavanagh's low drive flashed through the packed goalmouth and past the diving Dean Delany in the Bohs goal. The goal, Kavanagh's first since returning to the club earlier in the summer, came at the end of a wonderful Pat's move along the right wing which involved Chris Forrester and Ger O'Brien.

Delany then made two good saves from Conan Byrne, on 26 and 28 minutes as Pat’s grew in confidence after a low-key start. Delany dealt with everything that Pat’s sent his way and was first to up to meet a Brennan corner on 36 minutes and punch the ball clear.

Having started so well, Bohs then started to lose a little of their early composure and spent less time on the ball leading to manager Owen Heary making a double substitution for the second period. He introduced Keith Buckley for Daniel Byrne in midfield and Stephen Traynor for Conor Murphy up front and it did the trick initially with Bohs looking more potent as the second half began.

Bohs had a chance to get back into the game just before the hour-mark when Corcoran was given too much time and space by the Pat’s defence to make a threatening run toward goal. The ball spilled to Derek Pender but Bermingham managed to clear.

Pat’s nearly increased their lead on 73 minutes when Chris Forrester’s strike found the net but it was ruled out after the ball took a deflection off Christy Fagan who was standing in an offside position.

Disaster then struck for Pat’s on 75 minutes when Clarke darted out of his goal to meet a back pass from Bermingham on the left of the box. He was beaten to it by Corcoran who then tucked the ball into the far bottom corner of the home side’s net from a tight angle.

ST PATRICK'S ATH: Clarke; O'Brien, Kenna, Price, Bermingham; Byrne, Forrester (Maher, 73 mins), McFaul (McFaul, 79 mins), Brennan, Forrester: Fagan (Flood, 79 mins).

BOHEMIANS: Delany; Pender, Lopes, Murphy, L Byrne; Moore, D Byrne (Buckley half time), McEvoy, Mulligan; Corcoran (Devaney, 87 mins), Murphy (Traynor half time).

Referee: A Kelly (Cork).

Attendance: 1,811