St Patrick’s Athletic showed that they are ready to keep fighting to stay in the race for the Premier Division title after beating champions Bohemians 3-1 on Friday night.
 
In a fiery encounter that was attended by Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni all four goals were scored in a memorable first-half.
 
The only sour note from the game was that Saints winger Gareth Coughlan suffered a suspected double fracture of his right leg after a tackle from Mark Quigley.
 
That incident came after Bohs went in front on 11 minutes through Jason Byrne. The former Cardiff City frontman let rip with a low shot after Anthony Murphy played his team-mate in following a poor kick-out from Saints keeper Gary Rogers.
 
Only two minutes after that goal went in, Coughlan and Quigley tangled with the winger eventually being stretchered off with a serious injury.
 
St Pat’s responded to conceding a goal and a player by igniting a period of pressure that eventually led to them scoring three times in the space of just a few minutes.
 
A header from Paul Byrne proved to be out of reach for Bohs keeper Barry Murphy and the ball landed to substitute Derek Doyle who fired in from close range.
 
Then on 40 minutes another high ball caused trouble for Murphy as Shane Guthrie’s went over him and fell to the unmarked Paul Byrne, who bundled the ball in.
 
As Bohs tried to compose themselves, Stuart Byrne supplied the best goal of the evening with a long-range cracker that proved to be a worthy winner.
 
After the interval, chances fell to Paul Byrne and Dave Mulcahy, but the Saints duo failed to keep their volleys down.
 
For Bohs, there was little they could do to swing the game back in their favour with Paddy Madden missing their best chance of the second period,
 
A thrilling night’s action in Inchicore and a great advertisment of Airtricity League football.
 
St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; Pender, Kenna, Guthrie, Bermingham; Guy, S Byrne (Sinnott 83), Mulcahy, Coughlan (Doyle 17); Faherty (Williams 79), P Byrne.
 
Substitutes Not Used: Connor, Haverty.
 
Bohemians: B Murphy; Heary, Shelley, McGuinness, Gray (Burke 79); A Murphy, Keegan, Higgins, Brennan; Byrne, Quigley (Madden 18).
 
Substitutes Not Used: O’Connor, Powell, Rossiter.
 
Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin)