Bohemians 2 - St Patrick's Athletic 3Sean O'Connor hit a brilliant 70th minute volley to give St Pat's Athletic a 3-2 victory over Bohemians at Dalymount Park. Evan McMillan put Bohs deservedly ahead on 25 minutes. The visitors hit back on 38 minutes when James Chambers side footed home. Chris Forrester then tapped home to give Saints the lead on 48 minutes before Kevin Feely headed Bohs level three minutes later. The win keeps St. Pat’s third in the table behind Drogheda, on whom they have a game in hand, and now eight points behind leaders Sligo. The result was harsh on Bohs, who gave a league debut to teenage keeper Greg Murray, and played an attacking 3-5-2 system with usual central defender Evan McMillan up top with Kevin Devaney. And it was McMillan’s aerial ability that brought the game’s first chance on eight minute when his header from Luke Byrne’s deep cross was straight at Barry Murphy in the Saints’ goal. Targeting young Murray, though, O’Connor brought an awkward save from the 19-year-old with a 30-yarder three minutes later. But Bohs had started much the better and with Saints left-back Ian Bermingham having had to hobble off, Aaron Callaghan’s side deservedly took the lead on 25 minutes. Some brilliant footwork by McMillan inside his own half saw him beat three Saints players before finding Michael Barker. He in turn fed the ball wide right to Devaney whose low cross was swept home by McMillan who’d raced forward into the area to score against his former club. It came within inches of being 2-0 just a minute later. Barker put Devaney in behind down the inside left channel and he rounded Murphy only to see his chip come back off the far post. Saints had left Monday’s terrific display in beating Derry City 3-0 at home, but they should have been level on 35 minutes. Vinny Faherty set up substitute Greg Bolger who somehow sliced wide with the goal at his mercy. But James Chambers made no such mistake with a tougher chance to level for Saints three minutes later. Midfielder Chambers peeled off at the back post to meet O’Connor’s deep free kick and volley home sidefooted from a narrow angle for a composed finish. Saints then caught Bohs cold to steal the lead three minutes into the second half. The defending was poor as Chris Forrester got on the end of O’Connor’s super cross from the left to toe-poke to the corner of the net. In a terrific, rollercoaster of a game, Bohs responded well to level within a further three minutes. Central defender Kevin Feely met Danny Joyce’s corner to power a header to the net. But O'Connor then won it 20 minutes from time when his stunning volley from 25 yards went in off a post. © rte.ie
