Soccer

Benson breaks Bohs hearts as St Pat’s strike late to win

Visitors had equalised from the spot in stoppage time only to see tables turned

St Patrick’s Athletic’s Robbie Benson celebrates scoring his side’s second goal in their win over Bohemians. Photo: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Fri May 21 2021 - 21:02

St Patrick’s Athletic 2 Bohemians 1

Robbie Benson scored a stoppage time penalty winner in a frenetic finish to this Dublin derby at Richmond Park as Bohemians thought they had salvaged a draw just minutes earlier from a spot kick goal of their own.

The woodwork had twice thwarted Bohemians before St Pat’s stole the lead on 74 minutes.

Substitute Benson’s perfectly weighted pass put Mattie Smith through to drill his low shot beyond James Talbot and into the far corner.

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A first contentious decision of the game had sparked it to life nine minutes in when Ian Bermingham, part of the home side’s defensive wall, was harshly adjudged to have handled an Ali Coote free kick.

Referee Rob Hennessy pointed to the spot and showed a yellow card to the St Pat’s captain much to the consternation of the home players and their bench.

St Pat’s will feel poetic justice was served when Georgie Kelly crashed his spot kick off the crossbar.

The frame of their goal rescued St Pat’s for a second time on 69 minutes; Tyreke Wilson’s free kick also cannoning back off the bar.

A second controversial penalty decision right on 90 minutes looked to have provided Bohemians with a deserved draw as John Mountney pulled down Liam Burt, although the foul looked outside the area.

However, the penalty was given and Dawson Devoy confidently sent Vitezslav Jaros the wrong way from the spot as St Pat’s head coach Stephen O’Donnell was sent to the stand for dissent.

The drama continued, though, as two minutes into added time Bohemians’

defender Ciaran Kelly barged Benson to the ground inside the area at the other end.

Benson drove his penalty straight down the middle to get St Pat’s back to winning ways after two defeats and stall Bohemians’ revival.

St Patrick's Athletic: Jaros; Mountney, Bone, Desmond, Bermingham; Lennon, Lewis; King (Barrett, 84), Forrester (Benson, 55), Smith; Coughlan (McCormack, 74).

Bohemians: Talbot; Feely, Cornwall (Lyons, 90+1), C. Kelly, Wilson; Buckley, Devoy; Coote (Mahon, 86), Tierney, Burt; G. Kelly (Omochere, 86).

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).

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