League of Ireland Premier Division: Bohemians 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 0
Football for the soul. St Patrick’s Athletic fans thought otherwise, unfurling a giant banner that questioned Bohemians annual opening fixture at the Aviva Stadium: “You Sold Your Soul For A Second Time.”
Odd stance to take. Dalymount Park is set for demolition in 2027. It currently holds 4,227 while 21,472 paid into the Aviva on a soggy Sunday afternoon.
The attendance was a drop from 2025 when 33,208 came to see Bohs beat Shamrock Rovers 1-0, but the St Pat’s banner may need a rewrite if their Phibsborough rivals continue to bring League of Ireland games to Lansdowne Road when they go into exile.
And, presumably, St Pat’s will make use of the national venue when Richmond Park is eventually upgraded or replaced.
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“I think it was great to have 20,000 at a league game here,” said Stephen Kenny, the St Pat’s manager. “A player like Zach Elbouzedi grew up in this city, he is 27, but he has never played here.
“Okay, it wasn’t a classic, and quite a tactical game, Bohs didn’t play with a centre forward in the first half, but I view games at the Aviva as a very good idea.”
So far, transferring Dublin derbies to the Aviva works for everyone involved as the players love the opportunity to play on the pitch, there are plenty of tickets and plenty to discuss.
Lansdowne’s wide open spaces can expose a run of the mill professional footballer. Others, like Joe Redmond, look comfortable. The St Pat’s skipper completed his defensive duties without any fuss before chesting down balls and driving at Bohs.
“Joe’s got a head like a magnet,” noted Keith Treacy on the Virgin Media commentary.
Senan Mullen could have been sent off just eight minutes into his Bohs debut. Kevin O’Sullivan, the referee, instinctively pulled a yellow card from his pocket before the St Pat’s players could change his mind when Mullen, on loan from Torino, mistimed a challenge on Jamie Lennon. It was borderline. Luckily, Lennon recovered.
Ross Tierney scored the only goal in this fixture last year. The 24-year-old attacker was the first man on target here but St Pat’s goalkeeper Joey Anang met the moment.
Down the other end, Barry Baggley drew gasps from the crowd as he whipped a left foot effort on to the roof of Kacper Chorazka’s net.
Connor Parsons drew another save from Anang when the Bohs winger sprinted clear early in the second half. The Ghanaian international stood his ground and Parsons failed to clear him.
It was Anang’s afternoon. Dawson Devoy put Parsons clear again, two minutes after his first chance, but he tried to slide the ball underneath Anang, when there was an opportunity to go around the goalie and finish to an empty net.
“I think we started nervously,” said Bohs manager Alan Reynolds. “New team. Five players making their debut. Maybe it was the stadium. But we grew into it with the two best chances in the game. On another day one would go in. Killer really. You got to take them in tight games. It’s a hard league.”
Reynolds reacted to Parsons’ missed chances by replacing the already cautioned Mullen with former Ireland under-21 striker Colm Whelan. But the goal the occasion could have done with never came.
“Am I happy taking a nil-all draw? No,” Kenny added. “Did we deserve more than a point? No. We needed Joseph Anang to make some important saves. We still have stuff to work on, that is very evident.”
Bohemians: Chorazka; Todd, Hickey, Flores; Power (Strods 79), McManus (McDonnell 64), Devoy, Mullen (Whelan 59); Vaughan (Rooney 64), Tierney, Parsons (Morahan 79).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang; Gvrosti, Redmond, Turner; Elbouzedi (Boyce 37), Lennon, McClelland (Nugent 86); Baggley, Leavy (Breslin 86); Keena (Palmer 69), Edmondson (Nzingo 69).
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.
