Bohs claim controversial derby win over Pats with Flores penalty

Bohemians claimed their first win of the season in controversial fashion in late February with a 1-0 win over Dublin rivals St Patrick’s Athletic. 

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Richmond Park in Inchicore played host to a repeat of last season’s FAI Cup final, in which Pats emerged victorious. Bohs have not lost at Richmond Park since 2022 and were in search of their first three points of the season after salvaging a point at home to Sigo Rovers in their season’s curtain raiser. St. Pat’s came into Friday’s match having started their season with a 1-0 win away to newly promoted Galway United.  

The first chance of the game fell to Bohs’s James Clarke, whose shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Joe Redmond. 

In the 36^th minute, Sjöberg put in a cross for Pat’s that was headed down to former Bohs man Anthony Breslin, he tried his luck from outside the box, but his shot was blocked by Bohs captain Jordan Flores. 

Possibly Pat’s best chance of the game came in the 42^nd minute. Jake Mulraney put in a brilliant cross into a very dangerous area right in front of the goalkeeper, not too dissimilar from the crosses he delivered for two of Pat’s goals in the Cup final in November. Conor Keeley came close, but Flores made a good clearance just in front Ruairí Keating, looking to score his first goal for his new club. 

Pat’s made a better start to the second half than Bohs. In the 49^th minute, Redmond played a great pass to put Chris Forrester through, but a poor first touch from the midfielder saw another great opportunity go begging for Pat’s. 

In the 74^th minute Bohs had a free kick right on the edge of the Pat’s box. Dayle Rooney stood over it but was unable to make anything of it, hitting it comfortably over the bar. 

The biggest moment of the game came three minutes later. Joe Redmond’s poor attempt at a pass back to his keeper put Dayle Rooney in a race with the Pat’s keeper to reach the ball first. There was a coming together between the two and the Pat’s keeper on loan from Liverpool, Marcelo Pitaluga was judged by the referee to have fouled Rooney and awarded a penalty to Bohemians. Replays showed that there was not a lot of contact and the decision to award a penalty has sincce divided Irish football fans. Captain Jordan Flores stepped up to take the penalty for Bohs and excellently converted it to the goalkeeper’s right to give his side the lead. 

Pat’s only chance to score a leveller came in the 8^th minute of added time when a corner fell in the box to Breslin whose shot was deflected into the air and caught by Bohs’ new keeper Kacper Chorazka.  

4 minutes of additional time later, the referee blew the final whistle and Bohs left Inchicore with all three points. This win leaves them joint top of the table with Waterford and Pat’s find themselves in 6^th. On Matchday 3, Bohemians will host Dundalk and St. Pat’s travel to the Brandywell to play Derry City.