Bohemians 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 0
“Lots of stoppages now,” bemoaned an understandably frustrated St Patrick’s Athletic Twitter account as the seconds slipped away. “We can’t get any momentum.”
And none came as Bohemians goalkeeper James Talbot went home with muckless gloves.
Early season report: a new-look Bohs squad is nothing new, but Keith Long's charges are up and running with their first win having drawn 2-2 against Dundalk last Friday. St Pat's must still be adjusting to young manager Tim Clancy, who will be feeling the heat as many people's best of the rest behind Shamrock Rovers host the champions this coming Friday. The possibility of losing three on the bounce should focus collective minds. If not, Rovers and the electric Jack Byrne will plunge them into real trouble.
Stephen Mallon nabbed the winner just after the break, a goal that St Pat's right back Jack Scott will be keen to erase from the memory.
On a historically depressing day for football, when Fifa and Uefa expelled Russia from all international and club competitions following the military invasion of Ukraine, Bohs and Pat's provided a timely reminder about what the game is really about. It was no instant classic but there was enough happening to keep the faith as this reprise of last November's tumultuous FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium was as tetchy and expressive as any Dublin derby should be.
For starters, St Pat's have at least unearthed a goalkeeper. Joseph Anang, on loan from West Ham, filled a worrying void left by Vitezslav Jaros's return to the England as twice in the opening half hour the 21-year-old made dexterous saves to deny goal-bound efforts by Tyreke Wilson and Mallon.
He briefly silenced a healthy Bohs crowd of more than 4,000.
The hundreds who journeyed over from Inchicore rediscovered their cup final joy when Tunde Owolabi appeared to put St Pat's in front after just three minutes but the muscular Belgium striker was offside.
Owolabi was a menace to Bohs newly constructed defence whenever he shuffled in from the left towards goal. Long's side had their moments with Kris Twardek gliding down the right, always looking capable of picking out Promise Omochere's front-post runs. Yet it was at the back post that Mallon really should have finished on 33 minutes only for Anang's decent Gordon Banks impression.
Anang could do little to deny Mallon five minutes into the second half when Scott failed to control and clear the ball to safety.
Still early days in a long campaign, but Clancy appeared to get his starting XI wrong with Darragh Burns and Billy King coming on to help avoid a second defeat in three opening matches while Udinese-bound centre half James Abankwah was held in reserve until the late push.
All they could muster was a Burns shot from distance that trickled wide, which was in stark contrast to the goal-of-the-season contender he bagged in the opening-night win over Shelbourne.
To Bohs credit, they locked them up after the goal, adhering to a high-press even when Clancy threw five men up front. The disciplined approach worked out and while February 28th, 2022, will be etched in football annals forever it will not be remembered for this local gathering at Dalymount Park. One for the purists.
Bohemians: Talbot; Feely, Horton, Finnerty, Wilson (capt); Doherty (Kelly 89), Devoy, Coote (Cassidy 79); Twardek, Omochere, Mallon (Flores 60).
St Patrick's Athletic: Anang; Scott (Abankwah 76), Redmond, Grivosti, Breslin; McClelland (King 65), Forrester (capt), M Doyle, Lennon (O'Reilly 76), Owolabi (Burns 56); E Doyle
Referee: Neil Doyle.
