St Patrick's turn attention to replay with Bohemians

BARELY will the heads have cleared around Inchicore than new league champions St Patrick's Athletic must pull themselves together today and head to Dalymount Park for the third and final instalment of their cup encounter with Bohemians.

With 210 minutes played so far between the two sides the tie has yet to yield its first goal while the tact that the Easter Monday league meeting also finished scoreless would suggest that Shelbourne's opponents in next month's Harp Lager FAI Cup final will be decided in a penalty shoot out after another stalemate this evening.

The previous two meetings were, however, of starkly contrasting quality with, after a tedious first meeting, last week's replay producing an exciting contest in which either side might have claimed victory had they converted any one of numerous scoring chances created on the night.

Since then both sides have clarified their European position with St Patrick's Athletic assuring themselves of a place in the UEFA Cup as league champions and Bohemians now certain of either joining them as runners up or gaining a place in the Cup Winners' Cup.

The latter, with its later start and greater potential for big name opposition would doubtless be the preferred option for Turlough O'Connor's side.

"Everybody at the club has a great hunger for success and obviously we all want to finish the season having won something. We qualified for Europe over the weekend which is something that a lot of clubs would like to be able to say but now we want to go on and win the cup."

The club's cause will be boosted this evening by the return from suspension of Derek Swan who missed the game in Richmond Park but returned to face Galway.

Maurice O'Driscoll and Donal Broughan are both struggling, to shake off injuries while Brian Mooney and Robbie Best both came off early in Saturday after taking knocks.

Of the four Broughan and Best are the most doubtful although O'Connor maintains that "I'd be disappointed if any of them end up missing the game.

It is difficult to imagine more important players to the Bohemians cause than the four in question but given the possible replacements at his disposal it is the absence of Mooney and O'Driscoll which would be likely to cause the greater concern. The form of both midfielders has been absolutely central to Bohemians' strength through the season.

"Missing anybody would be a problem but I've had to play so many people out of position over the last few months that I'm not to9 worried. I've been pleased with the way that we've reacted, to the bigger matches," maintains O'Connor, before adding that we feel that we've been the better side in all of the matches that we've played against St Pat's this season but hopefully we can make it count this time."

For the newly crowned league champions, meanwhile, Eddie Gormley's hamstring is the only focus of concern.

If he does miss out Brian Kerr may opt to stick with the side that started in Dundalk where Paul Campbell returned to midfield as Peter Carpenter came back in at full back after suspension.

Kerr says he is unsure of whether his players can concentrate their minds on tonight's task but feels that they have done enough in recent weeks to prove themselves the best side in the country.

Over the past three games, against Galway, Bohemians and Dundalk, I think we cleared up any doubts that anybody might have had that we were the best team. Now I can only hope that the joy they felt in winning the league will spur them on to try again for the cup."

Whatever happens this evening there will be celebrations at Richmond Park on Sunday when Kerr's side complete their league campaign against Shelbourne and receive the trophy which many at the club felt should have been presented at Oriel Park last Friday.

"We were very disappointed that the trophy wasn't there for the fans and we were annoyed that there was nobody from the league even there to see the championship won but we've got to put that behind us now," said St Patrick's chief executive, Pat Dolan, yesterday.

"It's a little sad, though, that we've had faxes here from all over the world congratulating us on what we've achieved, the phone has been hopping all day but there hasn't been a word from anybody at the league. It wouldn't happen anywhere else," he concluded.

. Relegated Galway United have given caretaker manager Denis Clarke the job on a full time basis and he has signed a three year contract.

Clarke took over the management of the team after the departure of Tony Mannion and had originally been put in charge until the end of the season when there had been talk of the club bringing in a manager from England.