St Pat’s 2 Bohemians 4
Goals: St Pat's: Bird (pen) 87
Delaney 92
Bohemians: Morrison 18.45, Crowe 33, 95
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A brace from striker Glen Crowe, his fourteenth and fifteenth league goals of the season, added to two first-half goals from midfielder Dave Morrison gave Stephen Kenny’s men revenge for their FAI Cup semi-final replay defeat at the hands of Pat’s last week.
The game was largely overshadowed however by freakish injuries to Pat’s French defender Karim El Khebyr and Ugandan midfielder Charles Mbabzi Livingstone. El Khebyr, who is appealing an FAI Cup final suspension, suffered a suspected broken leg in the second-half, but arguably the most worrying sight was the collapsing of Livingstone in front of the Saints’ dugout in the opening period.
Both players were taken to St James’ hospital while the game ended, with eleven minutes stoppage time being added on. A bad tackle on the African saw him collapse, shocking the home fans and immediately casting minds back to the summer death of Cameroonian Marc Vivian Foe at the Confederations Cup, but latest reports say Livingstone is in a stable condition.
All this just one week short of the Carlsberg Cup final at Lansdowne Road.
Bohemians took the lead through Morrison from a Damien Lynch on eighteen minutes, his first strike in four games, and Crowe continued his scoring run with his sixth goal in eight games on 33 minutes. Morrison’s second of the night on the stroke of half-time looked to have killed off the game, as he headed home a Robbie Doyle free kick. Pat’s were evidently struggling to deal with the shock of Livingstone’s injury.
Bohs continued to press and should have made it 4 and 5, with Simon Webb and big centre-half Colin Hawkins both hitting the post in the second-half. Saints’ top scorer Tony Bird looked to have given the home side a consolation goal with a 90th minute penalty, but a stoppage time header from former UCD defender Clive Delaney gave them hope of a point.
Crowe’s second goal wrapped up the points, a low stinging shot from ten yards, to open the title race up again.
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Shelbourne 0 Shamrock Rovers 2
Goals: Rovers: Keddy 10, Haylock 92
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Leaders Shelbourne succumbed to their second loss in their last four league games, as sixth-placed Shamrock Rovers seem to be getting used to their new home surroundings of Tolka Park, although officially tonight they were the ‘away’ side.
Rovers’ first league win since their 2-1 reversal of Longford at the start of the month at Flancare Park was started as early as the tenth minute when a left-footed drive by James Keddy finished off a fine move involving strikers Trevor Molloy and Glen Fitzpatrick, to put Shelbourne under the cosh.
Molloy, who inspired that win in Longford with two goals, should have had his eighth of the league tonight but Steve Williams was equal to a series of Molloy efforts before the break.
The Rovers’ faithful had a long time to wait for the result to be confirmed by a second goal, as Shelbourne ended up playing three strikers up front in search of an equaliser – with Jason Byrne and Stephen Geoghegan going closest.
Second-half substitute Gary Haylock earned the three points for Liam Buckley’s men however with a far post tap-in on 92 minutes, after Keddy's shot had come back off a Shels' post. Both sides will meet each other again at the same venue in ten days’ time.
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Drogheda United 0 Cork City 1
Goal: City: CT O'Brien 61
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Cork secured their third win in their last six league games, and gained revenge on hosts Drogheda for their 3-1 loss at 02 Park last June, with a win by the single margin at the County Louth venue tonight.
Colin T O'Brien hadn't scored for twelve games before tonight's fixtures, but with star City striker John O'Flynn out injured for the past six weeks, it's important for City's European push that others chip in with goals and O'Brien managed the winner against Paul Doolin's United.
Cork kept up the pressure on the front two in the title race, as Greg O'Halloran set up O'Brien on 61 minutes to poke the ball past keeper Gary Rodgers from twelve yards out, for only his second goal of the season.
Drogheda threatened the City goal but only from long range, with substitute Declan O'Brien, back from injury, going close with a 25-yard curling free kick soon after.
Cork's Denis Behan narrowly missed putting the Leesiders 2-0 up on 67 minutes, but O'Brien's strike was enough to seal their tenth win of a 27-game season and continue to sit in third place.