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Bohs stun Pats to enter title race

Monday 28th May 2007, 10:05 pm

Goalscorers Mark Rossiter and Stephen Rice congratulate each other after the final whistle.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Bohemians have blown the eircom League title race wide open again following a 2-0 win over current leaders Saint Patrick's Athletic at Dalymount Park tonight.

Pats had the better of the first half but were taught a lesson in taking their chances by the home side.

The visitors had been sent an early warning when goalkeeper Barry Ryan was forced to come out and block from Glen Crowe. Crowe's former strike partner Gary O'Neill looked lively at the other end.

The Saints man fired over from long range before breaking down the left and firing in a shot as he cut inside. Goalkeeper Brian Murphy did enough to block but the ball came back off him before being cleared to safety.

John-Paul Kelly tussles with Sean O'Connor.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Colm Foley headed wide at the back post as he threatened to sneak in on a Keith Fahey corner kick.

Bohs have been particularly strong in defence this season and showed their strengths as they attempted to hit the league leaders on the break.

Much of Pats play went through Anthony Murphy on the left wing and his dangerous low cross just missed out Mark Quigley around the 20 minute mark. Bohs' goal just about surviving the scare.

Another warning the Saints failed to heed came just before the opening goal. Crowe and Rice combined well before Neale Fenn's header was blocked.

The lead goal came in the 24th minute as Bohs broke quickly upfield. Crowe raced in behind the stretched Saints defence before squaring for Rice to force the ball home at the far post.

The goal appeared to dent St. Pats' confidence and they struggled for a while. Quigley fired in a shot after turning the Bohs defence but Murphy saved easily.

Just before the break, another Anto Murphy cross threatened to elude everyone until Owen Heary flicked the ball clear from under his own crossbar.

Bohs lost former Saint Dessie Byrne to injury just after half-time.

Quigley again looked dangerous but fired over after delaying too long in a good position.

A fairly even second half saw both teams huff and puff but achieve little - at least in the early part of the half.

Kevin Hunt slides clear from Keith Fahey.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Kelly worried the Pats defence more than once with dangerous runs. Crowe too was his usual threat up front. He had a header blocked over from an Owen Heary cross and powered over another header from Kelly's cross with 15 minutes left.

Although they had broken upfield a number of times, smothered and blocked shots were all the league leaders had to show for their endeavour until the closing ten or so minutes.

Quigley fired in a dangerous near post shot which Murphy did well to turn behind.

A nasty collision between St. Pats' Stephen Brennan and Bohs' Kelly saw both players carried from the field with ten minutes left on the clock. The injury will be a worry to Bohs as the winger looked to have sustained a serious injury. Bohs had been awarded a free kick out of the situation but Rossiter failed to make it count.

Having made all three changes Bohs were forced to play what became fifteen minutes with just ten men.

Owen Heary and Alan Kirby battle for possession.

Photo by Tom Carey.

They coped well and an overzealous lunge from Dave Mulcahy brought down Darren Mansaram in the box with less than three minutes remaining. Rossiter stepped up and made no mistake for his first Bohemians goal.

Bohs and manager Sean Connor should have dispelled any of the doubts surrounding their title credentials with tonight's win while the Saints will be hoping they play against easier defences in the coming weeks.

Bohemians : Murphy, O Heary, Byrne (Powell 47), Burns, McGuinness, Hunt (Rossiter 68), T Heary, Kelly, Rice, Fenn (Mansaram 74), Crowe.
St. Patrick's Athletic : Ryan, Brennan (Rooney 83), C Foley, Maguire, Murphy, Mulcahy, Kirby, Fahey, O'Connor (M Foley 67), O'Neill (Lynch 90 +3), M Quigley.