St Pats shall not be moved! Most teams would have crumbled long ago by now with all the off the field lunacy that has tarnished what has actually been quite a good season on the pitch. Bohs, last season's stylish double winners came to Richmond Park with a new manager and a new found confidence following the disaster that was Pete Mahon's reign at the Dalymount. With a place in Europe still to be fought for, not to mention a determination to avenge the 2-0 humiliation they suffered at the hand of St Pats on their own home ground, Bohs were certainly up for this game. Pats, as usual, had other ideas as two goals in two minutes sent the opposition packing once again as the Saints recorded their sixth successive win in another passionate night at Richmond Park.
The Irish Times put the performance of the Supersaints this season in perspective by noting that it was a result "that, remarkably, considering they were deducted 15 points on Friday in the Charles Mbabazi Livingstone registration row, lifts them up to third place in the table". Certainly no football fan could dispute that this Saints team are proving worthy champion material on the pitch. The embarressing prospect of the passionless mercenaries from Tolka Park being crowned "champions" leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of all those who love the game. Certainly on the pitch the Saints are romping to the league title and Ollie may yet be forced to accept his beating.
Bohemians showed some early signs of putting up some kind of a fight on the night and might have been in front within four minutes. Dave Morrison's cross from the left was met by Glen Crowe, who's shot was bettered by Shay Kelly's superb, reflex save which turned the ball out for a cornerkick. Crowe saw little of the ball after this as he was no threat to the Saints defence. A disappointing performance from a player who is rated highly by Bohs.
A trademark Pats set-piece from which they almost scored - Paul Osam heading over from a Martin Russell free-kick - settled the home teams' nerves and, deservedly, they found themselves 2-0 up within 16 minutes in the typical all out Pats attacking style that has characterised this season.
A Russell corner brought the usual worry to the shaky Bohemians defence in the build-up to the lead goal on 15 minutes. An Oso header wasn't cleared as Bohs were at sixes and sevens at the back, and Ger McCarthy's follow-up was somehow flicked over the crossbar by the very fortunate and relieved Simon Webb, Bohs busiest player on the night.
But the danger remained ever present for the visitors as the Saints tightened the noose and the crowd sensed that a goal simply had to come. Mbabazi's short corner, fooled the Bohemians defence who had expected the inswinger and the ball was was quickly collected by Osam who crossed for central defender Darragh Maguire to steer the ball home with an incredibly guided shot. One nil to the Champions elect.
Scarcely had the incredible celebrations subsided when St Patrick's scored again as once more another great ball in from a Martin Russell corner wasn't dealt with by a defence which clearly has difficulty with the bread and butter of defending. Bohs will want to sort this out before the Cup Final or they really will finish the season empty handed. Ex Saint Stephen Kenny knows that his new team are far from the finished article.
Whipped in close to their goal line, Bohemians struggled to clear and Mbabazi nudged the ball home for his 14th strike of the season, the perfect reply to Shelbourne.
Bohemians, for all their problems played their part in a typically fast-flowing Dublin Derby but as so often the case with Bohs, their passing and possession added up to precious little when it came to breaking down the last line of defence as the Saints were simply awesome, throwing themselves into tackles and harrying the opposition into exhaustion. On the few occasions Bohs did manage to produce anything of note they found 'Soopa Keepa' Shay Kelly in fine form. He pulled off his second stunning save of the game on 34 minutes. Saints reject Paul Byrne, rolled back the years and the expanding waistline to cut in from the right to go past two defenders and shoot, only to see Kelly dive to his left and touch the ball away with one hand.
In a second half generally bereft of scoring opportunities due to Bohs inability to create chances, fittingly it was St Patrick's who almost added to their winning margin late on when player of the month Michael Holt's audacious, 35-yard dipping volley went narrowly wide of Michael Dempsey's left-hand post. The Bohemians goalkeeper also made a good stop in the dying minutes after McCarthy ran from his penalty area. It was some reminder to everyone of just how many attacking options we have given that Liam Kelly was also on at this stage and Philip Hughes and Gavin Doyle are waiting in the wings. On the evidence of tonight Bohs certainly showed enough to suggest that they are good enough to beat Shels on the final day and with pride dented again from this league game may just do it.
St Patrick's Athletic: S Kelly; Croly, Foley, Maguire, Burke; Marney (Holt 55), Osam, Griffin, Russell (G Doyle 89); Mbabazi (Kelly 72), McCarthy.
Bohemians: Michael Dempsey; O'Connor, Caffrey, John (Rutherford 63), Webb; Byrne, Harkin, Hunt, Morrison (Ryan 78); O'Neill (Molloy h/t), Crowe.
Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).
LATEST NEWS:
eircom League Fixtures March 20th 2002 onwards
Thu 28 Mar Dundalk St Patrick's Athletic Oriel Park 7:45 pm ref tba
Sun 31 Mar Longford Town St Patrick's Athletic Flancare Park 3.15 pm J.
Breen
•
Back to the Home page
