Bohemians 2 - St Patrick's Athletic 0Bohemians showed tremendous determination, despite playing the majority of the game with 10-men, to rally and overcome St Pats in the most dramatic of fashions to go second in the table. Colm Whelan's penalty had Bohs in front before Pat Hickey saw red just before the break, and despite one-way traffic in the second half, Ross Tierney popped up in the last minute to seal the deal. The unpredictable hosts, who started the week jeering manager Alan Reynolds off the pitch following a defeat to Dundalk, ended it with two huge Dublin derby wins on the spin to lift the spirits again and inject some life into their title challenge again. And having scored first in their last seven outings, a fast start was expected and although the hosts enjoyed the majority of possession it was the visitors who had the first shot in anger. Irish International Kian Leavy looked to continue his scintillating form and having played a clever one-two, cut inside onto his favoured left foot and unleashed a venomous strike that was well parried away by Paul Walters, who continued his run in goal. A real war of attrition began to develop with both sides refusing to give an inch as a proper derby developed on the pitch, but just as the game was beginning to reach boiling point on and off the pitch a very in fashion and momentum killing 'hydration break' was called and much like as at the World Cup, was met with a chorus of boos from both sets of fans. Stephen Kenny's side reacted much sharper to the break in play, following a similar effort to his earlier strike, Leavy was presented with the clearest chance of the game on the half hour mark. Zach Elbouzedi drifted across the pitch fizzing the ball into Romal Palmer, who quickly flicked the ball onto the aforementioned Leavy who had the goal at his mercy. The towering American Walters stood up bravely to block, prompting chants of "USA, USA" from the home support. With just the one win in their last nine against their south Dublin rivals, the home side responded instantly. Colm Whelan was desperately unlucky to see his low effort rattle off the foot of the post following some slick Strods play down the left. But the Gypsies top scorer mad amends seven minutes before the break when Sean Hoare brought down another Irish International in Dawson Devoy. Whelan made no mistake from 12-yards to bag his ninth of the season. On the stroke of half-time, disaster struck for the hosts as they saw Pat Hickey receive his marching orders for hauling down Palmer on the edge of the box, who did well initially to close the big centre back down and win the ball. Looking for what would be their third win on the spin, and with the man advantage, the Saints ramped up the pressure to force a goalmouth scramble a few minutes after the restart. Palmer's initial touch and attempted lob was initially cleared off the line, before Ryan Edmondson forced Walters into a cat-like reflex save with the ball eventually scrambled to safety. The end of the third quarter came at the right time allowing the home side to regroup and take on fluids having been camped inside their own third for most of the second half as the Saints called on the joker in their pack Chris Forrester. But being led by the immense Sam Todd, the Bohs rearguard continued to hold firm in a game of attack versus defence. And with just a minute of normal time remaining, the home side got what their second half backs-to-the-wall efforts deserved when Ross Tierney nipped in between Forrester and Rogers to bundle the ball over the line to send Dalymount Park wild, even though there were huge claims from the Saints stopper it didn't fully go over the line. © rte.ie
