Soccer

Bohs player Cian Byrne struck by flare as they beat St Pat’s

Unsavoury incident at Richmond Park held up game for some five minutes

Flares are thrown at players during the game. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Paul Buttner
Fri Feb 23 2024 - 22:13

St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Bohemians 1

An 85th-minute penalty from captain Jordan Flores gave Bohemians all three points from this Dublin derby before a sell-out 5,013 attendance at Richmond Park.

But the chief talking point will centre on Bohemians defender Cian Byrne being struck by a flare thrown by his club’s own fans.

The unsavoury incident came just a minute into the second half when St Patrick’s were attacking the visitors’ end.

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A barrage of flares rained down on the pitch from the Gypsies’ supporters behind the goal, one striking Byrne on his upper left arm.

The game was held up for some five minutes by referee Rob Hennessy, allowing Byrne to have his arm bandaged, while the goalmouth was cleared of the debris.

It overshadowed what had been until then an intriguing tussle with St Pat’s enjoyed much of the ball, if scoring chances were at a premium.

St Patrick’s came close to breaking the deadlock on 76 minutes, the lively Kian Leavy working a one-two with Ruairi Keating on the right and just unable to apply the finish from the cross.

An uncharacteristic mistake by St Patrick’s captain Joe Redmond then led to the game’s only goal.

His back pass fell short resulting in Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga tripping the inrushing Dayne Rooney.

Pitaluga was booked before Flores sent him the wrong way to emphatically score from the spot.

Bohemians' Jordan Flores celebrates scoring a penalty with Cian Byrne. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Bohemians were busy on Thursday’s transfer deadline day, Declan Devine signing four defenders, prompted in the main by key centre-back Rob Cornwall suffering an ACL tear in the first half of last week’s 2-2 draw with Sligo Rovers at Dalymount Park.

And though the manager made three changes from last week, none of the newcomers started.

Flores slotted back into central defence, where he finished last week, while Brian McManus and Dylan Connolly came in from the start.

Having ground out a 1-0 win on a very heavy pitch at Galway United last week, St Patrick’s relished the home comforts of playing on their own smoother surface by the Camac as manager Jon Daly kept faith with the starting XI that won out west.

And they took the game to Bohemians from the opening whistle. With less than a minute on the clock, Kian Leavy belied his diminutive stature in showing tenacity and no little skill to outmuscle both Adam McDonnell and Brian McManus to set up to drive a left-foot shot inches over Kacper Chorazka’s crossbar.

Having survived that early scare, Bohemians played their way into the game to enjoy a spell of the ball.

James Clarke, whose stoppage time equaliser got them out of jail last week, teed up a shot that was bravely blocked by Redmond.

But it was Chorazka who was the first goalkeeper to see action, adjusting his feet smartly to collect an audacious chip from St Patrick’s midfielder Chris Forrester who was simply given far too much space and time on the edge of Bohemians’ area.

And Chorazka showed good footwork to keep the home side out on 25 minutes following an incisive move from the back.

Redmond picked out Jake Mulraney in space. The winger then threaded a pass through for the run of Ruairi Keating whose low drive was saved by the feet of the Polish goalkeeper.

Forrester then worked another sight of goal minutes later. With Bohemians at sixes-and-sevens trying to clear their lines, the St Patrick’s talisman slipped past McDonnell to curl a left-foot effort wide of Chorazka’s right-hand post.

Bohemians relieved the pressure momentarily, Paddy Kirk getting forward to warm the hands of Pitaluga.

Upping the pressure as half-time approached, St Patrick’s forced a couple of corners to no avail as Bohemians scrambled the ball to safety.

In their only real chance of the opening half, Bohemians might then have snatched the lead in added time.

Breaking from a corner, Clarke gave Dylan Connolly an opportunity to stretch the home defence. That he duly did only to shoot wide of goal when he really should have found the target.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Pitaluga; Redmond, Keeley (B. Kavanagh, 73), Turner; Sjoberg (Freeman, 87), Lennon (C. Kavanagh, 87), Forrester, Breslin; Mulraney (Melia, 78), Leavy (McClelland, 78); Keating.

Bohemians: Chorazka; Lilander, Byrne, Flores, Kirk; McDonnell (Miller, 64), McManus; Connolly (Grant, 64), Clarke, Rooney (McDaid, 85); Reinkort (Piszczek, 71).

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).

Other results:

Shelbourne 2 Shamrock Rovers 1

Dundalk 0 Galway United 2

Drogheda United 1 Waterford 4

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