Bohemians 0 St Patrick's A 0:BOHEMIANS AND St Patrick's Athletic took a point each from this keenly-fought Dublin derby at Dalymount Park but in reality both know that maximum points were what was really required to keep their title aspirations alive.
Both sides had plenty of chances at the wet Dublin 7 venue but neither could convert them into goals.
Liam Burns had an early chance for Bohemians with a good shot on three minutes but Pat’s goalkeeper Gary Rogers managed to get a hand to the ball to deflect it off the crossbar and away.
Pat’s early play involved sending plenty of long balls to front men Daryl Kavanagh and Danny North. Kavanagh in particular had a productive opening with several attempts on goal.
The closest he came was on nine minutes with a terrific low drive that forced Bohemians goalkeeper Barry Murphy into making a diving save at full stretch at his near post.
Anto Flood then looked to have opened the scoring for the home side when he had the ball in the Pat’s net on 18 minutes but his decent strike was ruled out by the offside flag.
The momentum was with Bohemians as the half progressed and Killian Brennan tried his luck with a powerful effort on 29 minutes, but Rogers was well placed on his line to make the save.
The heavy rain that began falling intermittently just before kick-off became constant and heavy as the half wound down. Conditions had improved for the second period though the surface remained slippy.
Kavanagh got stuck in immediately again for Pat’s but could have done better on 48 minutes. The Bohemians defence blocked down his tame effort when he had better options on either side to bring a team-mate into play.
Pat’s then began a period of sustained pressure and a North cross on the hour mark very nearly played in Seán O’Connor for the opening goal, but North’s effort was inches too long for O’Connor.
O’Connor had better luck with a rasping free kick on target on 67 minutes as he masterfully curled it around the wall and on target but Murphy was well placed, stood firm and made the save.
Bohemians had a chance to steal the points on 83 minutes when good work involving Ger O’Brien and Christopher Forrester saw the ball played into Aidan Downes but the substitute couldn’t get a clean shot on the ball and Pat’s cleared up.
BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Cahill, Price, Burns, O’Brien; Forrester (Traynor 90 mins), McEvoy, Bayly (Hurley 72 mins), Brennan, Buckley (Downes 60 mins); Flood.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Shortall, Kenna, E McMillan, Pender; Doyle (Murphy 86 mins), McFaul, Bradley, O’Connor; North (Daly 62 mins), Kavanagh (D McMillan 80 mins).
Referee: R Winter (Wicklow).
