Bohemians 1 St Patrick's Athletic 0:League champions Bohemians won the Setanta Sports Cup at their first attempt in Tallaght, where Anto Murphy's first half header gave Pat Fenlon's side the edge over their Dublin rivals.
The Inchicore outfit started the match well but quickly lost the initiative and Bohemians deserved the lead they took in the 24th minute when Murphy flicked in Killian Brennan’s corner after a couple of defenders followed Aaron Greene out of the six yard box in anticipation of the kick being taken short.
Fenlon’s men dominated the rest of the half and should have had more to show for their efforts by the break but there were few clear cut chances for either side, with Barry Ryan’s rather comfortable save from a Gareth Coughlan free kick just before the interval as close as the crowd came to getting a second goal.
Cheered on by supporters who have seen their side win precious little over the years, St Patrick’s Athletic stepped up the pace of their game in the second half as they sought to get back on level terms but they struggled inside the last third to really open their opponents up and, for all the pressure they exerted, they gave Ryan little enough to do.
Vinny Faharty did come close to grabbing an equaliser when Shane Guthrie flicked on a long Ryan Guy throw and the striker’s attempt to turn the ball home was blocked just short of the line.
There were a few nervous moments for Bohemians late on too as it all became a little frantic but for all their possession, Pete Mahon’s men simply couldn’t find a way through and Bohemians held on to win what was a fifth trophy since Fenlon took over as manager.
Bohemians: Murphy; Heary, Shelley, McGuinness, Powell; Murphy (Quigley, 71 mins), Cronin, Keegan, Brennan; Greene (Madden, half-time), Byrne (Cretaro, 85 mins).
St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; Pender, Kenna, Guthrie, Bermingham; Guy, Mulcahy (D Doyle, 89 mins), S Byrne, Coughlan (Sinnott, 89 mins); Faherty, P Byrne (Williams, 67 mins).
Referee: G Eakin (Antrim).
