Byrne provides finish

St Patrick's Athletic 2 Bohemians  3:  Substitute Paul Byrne finished a dramatic match at Richmond Park last night by scoring twice in extra time to seal Bohemians' passage into the last four.

Byrne struck in extra time to see off the dogged resistance of the holders. Byrne made it 2-2 in the 111th minute, before scoring the winner seven minutes later.

In normal time Bohemians had deservedly gone ahead two minutes before the interval when Glen Crowe converted a Stephen Caffrey cross.

But a rejuvenated St Patrick's saw their second-half efforts rewarded with the equaliser in the 71st minute when Martin Russell converted from a penalty spot.

Yet Crowe and Caffrey could have won it late for Bohemians, while St Patrick's Michael Holt also squandered an excellent, 90th-minute chance.

Colm Foley had headed St Patrick's into the lead for the first time in the 96th minute, converting a Russell free kick, before Byrne's late late show.

Both sides had taken the game seriously, with the only change for Bohemians from last Friday's win over UCD being Avery John coming in for Dave Hill, while St Patrick's named seven of the side from the team that lost 2-1 to Shelbourne.

The home side thought they had taken the lead after just 10 minutes, but Ger McCarthy's headed effort was ruled out for offside.

Yet there was no disputing that Bohemians deserved their halftime lead as they had created the more chances and looked more menacing in attack.

However, St Patrick's were a far better side in the second half while Byrne was to be the hero in a dramatic extra period.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Gallagher, Burke, Maguire, Foley, Crolly, Russell, Osam, Shandran, Harris, Livingstone, McCarthy. Subs: Donnelly for Burke (44 mins). Holt for Shandran (51 mins). Doyle for Livingstone (114 mins).

BOHEMIANS: Russell, Shelley, Webb, Hunt, Hawkins, John, Harkin, Morrisson, Molloy, Crowe, Caffrey. Subs: Folan for Morrisson (91 mins), Byrne for Harkin (96) O'Connor for Shelley (106).

Referee: H Byrne (Dublin)