![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/David-S-133x133.png\")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\n David Sneyd<\/p>\n
reports from Aviva Stadium<\/p>\n
Bohemians 0
\nSt Patrick\u2019s Athletic 0<\/p>\n
THERE WAS NOVELTY to this occasion in front of 21,472 supporters at Aviva Stadium but the Bohemians and St Patrick\u2019s Athletic faithful would have left with a familiar feeling of frustration to begin their 2026 Premier Division season.<\/p>\n
Stalemate and a point apiece will do neither of these sides any harm in the long run.<\/p>\n
It could \u2013 and should \u2013 have been all three for Bohs only for two brilliant pieces of goalkeeping from Joey Anang.<\/p>\n
He showed patience and stature to deny Connor Parsons in a one-on-one after 52 minutes and just moments later illustrated the kind of anticipation and timing that explains why the Ghana international is battling to be part of his country\u2019s squad at this summer\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n
No one kept more clean sheets them him last season and Pat\u2019s also had the best defence in 2025.<\/p>\n
Scoring goals was the problem for Pat\u2019s last season and Bohs goalkeeper Kacper Chorazka didn\u2019t have to make a save all afternoon.<\/p>\n
His manager, Alan Reynolds, spoke ahead of the game about needing to be more resolute. They lost 14 of 36 Premier Division games last season so he will at least take solace that they were rarely troubled after the 30-minute mark.<\/p>\n
Naturally, this was an occasion at Lansdowne Road to showcase the growth of the League of Ireland \u2013 not to mention pay tribute to former St Pat\u2019s title winner Damien Byrne who passed away earlier this week.<\/p>\n
The two teams and their managers know progress must also be made.<\/p>\n
That is why St Pat\u2019s boss Stephen Kenny was intent on reconfiguring his starting XI over the winter.<\/p>\n
In the build up to the new season he spoke about the increased physicality of the league and the demands that come with that.<\/p>\n
He wanted to have more variety and flexibility with his options and that was clear with how he set his charges up in a 3-5-2 formation against a Bohs side that also tried to mix things up by not playing with a recognised striker, and instead put the emphasis on Parsons, Ross Tierney and on loan Hull City playmaker Harry Vaughan.<\/p>\n
If this is how Alan Reynolds intends on doing things this season then the opening 45 minutes illustrated there is plenty of work left to do for it to click. Other than a longe range effort from Tierney and a miscued attempt inside the box from captain Dawson Devoy, after neat build-up play, Bohs were lethargic in the final third.<\/p>\n
That golden opportunity spurned by Parsons in the 52nd minute will offer hope that he can be effective through the middle so long as he produces end product.<\/p>\n
Pat\u2019s weren\u2019t much better, it must be said, but did work moments to provide encouragement.<\/p>\n
![\"kian-leavy-in-action-with-sam-todd\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770605952_652_.jpeg\")
\n Kian Leavy (left) with Sam Todd. Bryan Keane \/ INPHO<\/p>\n
Bryan Keane \/ INPHO \/ INPHO\n<\/p>\n
Life after Mason Melia \u2013 now settling in at Tottenham Hotspur \u2013 began with Aidan Keena and Ryan Edmondson up top for the Saints.<\/p>\n
The latter was the only new signing to get their full debut as Kenny placed his faith in some old reliables with a bit of a twist.<\/p>\n
Although a hamstring injury for Zach Elbouzedi \u2013 on his return after six months out with a dislocated shoulder \u2013 was a blow on 36 minutes that led to Ronan Boyce\u2019s introduction.<\/p>\n
Their best period of the half was between the 29th and 32nd minute. Chris Forrester was left on the bench for the start of the campaign but Jamie Lennon provided a reminder of his range with two varied passes that forced openings.<\/p>\n
A delicately timed slipped ball for the out-to-in run from Kian Leavy off the right split the Bohs defence wide open but the jinky winger, who looked the most likely to create something all afternoon, couldn\u2019t get his shot away after taking it in his stride into the box.<\/p>\n
Moments later and Lennon fizzed a rasper of a half volley into the feet of Keena about 30 yards from goal. Bohs were open, the forward\u2019s touch was perfect and having Edmondson in tandem allowed Pat\u2019s sustain the attack.<\/p>\n
Patrick Hickey \u2013 one of five debutants \u2013 read the danger and made a superb recovery tackle to prevent the shot.<\/p>\n
Then came the moment seven minutes into the second half that Parsons will no doubt see flash before him as he closes his eyes going to bed tonight \u2013 and again when he wakes up in the morning.<\/p>\n
Kacper Chorazka\u2019s kick from his own box arrowed towards the edge of the centre circle in the Pat\u2019s half.<\/p>\n
![\"dawson-devoy\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770605953_894_.jpeg\")
\n Dawson Devoy (right) appeals for Bohs. Ryan Byrne \/ INPHO<\/p>\n
Ryan Byrne \/ INPHO \/ INPHO\n<\/p>\n
Parsons\u2019 chest control out of the air was sublime, his next touch was so deft it bamboozled Tom Grivosti and put the St Pat\u2019s defender on his backside.<\/p>\n
The Bohs man now galloped towards goal with the ball under his control, he strode into the box but Anang waited and waited and waited to make himself as big as possible.<\/p>\n
Parsons seemed to be losing confidence with every stride and his shot was straight into the body of the Pat\u2019s goalkeeper.<\/p>\n
A matter of seconds later and Anang was even more proactive by anticipating the pass of Devoy into the box and racing towards it to smother Parsons as he tried his luck again.<\/p>\n
Two big moments before the hour mark that then saw both managers turn to their substitutes for the final 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
And it was the Bohs trio of Dayle Rooney, Colm Whelan and Adam McDonnell who were sprung from the bench that almost combined to produce a winner in the 85th minute.<\/p>\n
Whelan \u2013 now the focal point in attack \u2013 drifted to the left and then drove inside, he passed for Rooney who laid off for McDonnell on the run.<\/p>\n
His shot beat Anang but fizzed across goal and wide.<\/p>\n
Bohs were finishing strongly but had to defend a corner at the death to ensure there was no late sucker punch.<\/p>\n
Bohemians:<\/strong> Kacper Chorazka; Patrick Hickey, Sam Todd, Jordan Flores; Darragh Power (Markuss Strods 79), Dawson Devoy (captain), James McManus (Adam McDonnell 64), Harry Vaughan (Dayle Rooney 64), Ross Tierney, Senan Mullen (Colm Whelan 59); Connor Parsons (Niall Morahan 79).<\/p>\n St Patrick\u2019s Athletic:<\/strong> Joey Anang; Tom Grivosti, Joe Redmond, Luke Turner; Zach Elbouzedi (Ronan Boyce 37), Jamie Lennon, Barry Baggley, Kian Leavy (Darragh Nugent 86), Jason McClelland (Anto Breslin 86); Aidan Keenan (Glory Nzingo 69), Ryan Edmondson (Romal Palmer 69).<\/p>\n Referee:<\/strong> Kevin O\u2019Sullivan.<\/p>\n Attendance: <\/strong>21,472<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"David Sneyd reports from Aviva Stadium Bohemians 0 St Patrick\u2019s Athletic 0 THERE WAS NOVELTY to this occasion…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":327710,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3],"tags":[157311,9,10,18,13,14,6,19,17,11,12,6435,6436,157312,15,16,5,6438,7,8],"class_list":["post-327709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-bohemians-fc","tag-breaking-news","tag-breakingnews","tag-eire","tag-featured-news","tag-featurednews","tag-headlines","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-latest-news","tag-latestnews","tag-league-of-ireland","tag-loi","tag-loi-2026","tag-main-news","tag-mainnews","tag-news","tag-st-patrick","tag-top-stories","tag-topstories"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116038438974872808","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=327709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/327710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=327709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=327709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=327709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}