League of Ireland: Bohemians 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 0
Nine yellow cards and a red, but no goals at Dalymount Park as this feisty Dublin derby failed to deliver a much-needed winning result for either side in their quest for European qualification.
If somewhat less disappointed with the result, Bohemians could be set to finish the season without manager Alan Reynolds on the sideline after he was dismissed at the end of the first half.
The stalemate sees Bohs remain fourth, four points behind Shelbourne, ahead of their two remaining games at home to the outgoing champions on Sunday and away to Drogheda United on the final day.
Though they edge ahead of Drogheda into fifth place a point further back, St Patrick’s Athletic are the ones with a little more to do in their remaining games at home to Waterford on Friday before a trip to Tolka Park.
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Unchanged from their big win over Shamrock Rovers on Friday, St Pat’s were first to threaten five minutes in.
It was all his own work as Kian Leavy slalomed in from the right past Connor Parsons and Jordan Flores to drill a shot just wide.
Bohemians responded within a minute, Dayle Rooney flicked the ball through for fellow winger Parsons, whose drive was tenaciously blocked by covering St Pat’s skipper Joe Redmond.
Animated appeals for a home penalty then went unheeded when Axel Sjoberg made contact with James Clarke inside the St Pat’s area to appear to trip the Bohemians striker.
Leavy was proving the visitors’ main threat early on, ghosting past Flores and then Adam McDonnell with his cross having just too much height on it for Mason Melia at the far post.
Getting Dawson Devoy more involved brought openings for Bohs, the captain setting up Parsons who curled his shot not far off target after a flowing move by the home side.
But it was St Pat’s who were enjoying more of the ball. Chris Forrester worked Kacper Chorazka at the foot of the post while Redmond looped a header from a Forrester cross over the top.
The main talking point of the first half then arrived on 35 minutes when a challenge by Ross Tierney on Leavy led to a right free-for-all of pushing and shoving in front of the St Pat’s dugout.
When order was restored a total of seven yellow cards were brandished by referee Paul McLaughlin.
Defenders Cian Byrne and Leigh Kavanagh of Bohemians were booked, along with Reynolds. As were Saints’ Jamie Lennon and Sjoberg, manager Stephen Kenny and coach Sean O’Connor.
It didn’t end there for Reynolds, though, who got himself ludicrously sent off when shown a second yellow card after he twice pushed Sjoberg near the tunnel entrance as the players left the field at half-time.
St Pat’s goalkeeper Joseph Anang made his first saves of note from Tierney and Flores in the opening minutes of the second half as Bohemians came out with purpose.
Kenny’s side played their way back into the game with Forrester and substitute Jake Mulraney bringing saves from Chorazka either side of Devoy working Anang.
Chorazka then had perhaps his save of the game to make in stoppage time to deny substitute Ryan McLaughlin.
That was as good as it was to get as the honest endeavour and application from both sides couldn’t bring a victory each perhaps really needed.
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka; Morahan, Kavanagh, Byrne, Flores; Devoy, McDonnell (Strods, 77); Rooney, Tierney, Parsons (Meekison, 64); Clarke (Whelan, 82).
ST PATRRICK’S ATHLETIC Anang; Sjoberg (McLaughlin, 59), Redmond, Grivosti, Kazeem (McClelland, 59); Lennon (Robinson, 81); Leavy (Mulraney, 77), Baggley, Forrester, Power; Melia (Carty, 77).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).
Attendance: 4,391.
