LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION St Patrick's Athletic 0 Bohemians 2: CENTRAL DEFENDER Ken Oman scored twice as Bohemians eased five points clear at the top of the table to bring St Patrick's Athletic back down to earth with a bump.
It was a sweet night all round for Pat Fenlon’s champions as they avenged their 3-1 defeat at Richmond Park back in June in style while second-placed Shamrock Rovers drew at Cork City.
St Patrick’s, initially at least, weren’t lacking confidence following their Europa League success in Russia and they took the game to Bohemians. They forced the first corner of the night on six minutes, Dave Partridge heading over from Alan Cawley’s delivery.
Unbeaten in seven games in the league since losing to St Patrick’s, Bohemians were struggling for space in the tight confines of midfield as the home side strung five men across the middle.
It looked like set-pieces were going to be crucial and unsurprisingly Bohemians’ first chance came from one on 22 minutes.
Mark Rossiter worked a one-two with Killian Brennan from a throw with the volleyed cross perfectly weighted to the back post. It fell for Oman who, despite having time and space, ballooned the ball over the top.
If perhaps lacking some composure on the ground, the big defender quickly proved his aerial ability is significantly better when he made amends as Bohemians punished sloppy defending to take the lead on 28 minutes.
Oman’s nothing ball over the top initially won a corner off Jason Gavin. The St Patrick’s right-back could then only help on Bohemians captain Paul Keegan’s ball into the area and Brian Shelly’s return cross was headed home by Oman with goalkeeper Gary Rogers marked absent.
Further hesitancy from Rogers might have cost St Patrick’s within two minutes of the second half. The goalkeeper was slow to come for opposite number Brian Murphy’s kick-out and his belated clearance fell to Gary Deegan. Stuart Byrne got back to make a vital block to midfielder Deegan’s goal attempt with Rogers stranded.
Bohemians looked the more comfortable after the break and should have doubled their lead on 56 minutes. Joseph Ndo won a free-kick off Byrne and Keegan’s ball picked out Glen Crowe in acres of space in front of goal. But, somehow, the striker cushioned his header wide.
St Patrick’s were being overrun and needed a response. And it came from a superb break down the left flank by Enda Stevens. Midfielder Damian Lynch made the run to receive the through-ball, but Oman’s positioning was perfect as he got over promptly to make a crucial block.
Bohemians goalkeeper Murphy, who’d been pretty redundant, then showed his worth with a terrific save to deprive substitute Mark Quigley who’d been put in on goal by Stevens.
Fenlon’s side remained in control, though, and Oman sealed the win with his second goal of the night on 70 minutes.
Again it stemmed from a corner, and again it was given away somewhat needlessly by Gavin.
Ndo whipped the ball in to the near post and Oman was lurking to flick the ball past Rogers.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Gavin, Harris, Partridge, Stevens; Guy, Lynch, Cawley (Dempsey, 62 mins), Byrne (Quigley, 62 mins), B Ryan; Fitzpatrick (Leech, 76 mins).
BOHEMIANS: B. Murphy; Rossiter, Shelley, Oman, Powell; Brennan (Heary, 88 mins), Keegan, Deegan, Ndo; J Byrne, Crowe (Madden, 70 mins).
Referee: Damien Hancock(Dublin).
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