STEPHEN KENNY has crossed paths with former club Bohemians on many occasions before – but seldom in an actual street encounter.
Prior to his St Pat’s team cruising to a 3-0 win, he happened to bump into counterpart Alan Reynolds as well as club legends Derek Pender and Stephen O’Donnell.
They were all making their way into Richmond Park in what was an amusingly quaint League of Ireland moment[/caption]
Virgin Media were also in attendance as the Dublin derby was this week’s televised LOI fixture so we’ve them to thank for capturing the entertaining moment.
The former Ireland boss will have been the only one smiling come full-time though.
Chris Forrester shone throughout – opening the scoring in the first half – before Mason Melia and Jason McClelland sealed the deal.
And the win was played before a sell-out crowd of 5,338 punters in Inchicore — their biggest crowd at the venue in over 20 years.
Victory moves Saints up to second in the table, while Bohs are eighth.
With Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson and Under-21 chief Jim Crawford interested spectators, the Gypsies started well.
Dawson Devoy had their first shot in anger when warming the hands of Joseph Anang in the fourth minute.
But the Saints keeper had a little more to do a few minutes later.
Adam McDonnell won the ball off Forrester on the halfway line to give Colm Whelan a clear run on goal.
But Anang sprung to his left to gather the striker’s rising drive.
Bohs maintained their bright start with Saints’ failure to clear their lines soon presenting another opening.
McDonnell latched on to a loose ball with Anang having to tip his deflected shot over the top.
But the Gypsies’ encouraging start counted for nothing as they conceded a soft goal on 17 minutes.
Winger Connor Parsons gave away a free-kick for a silly foul on Axel Sjoberg near the stand-side touchline.
Brandon Kavanagh whipped the deal ball right into the middle of the penalty area.
And while James Talbot got a punch to the ball, it dropped invitingly for Forrester.
The Saints talisman took a composed, controlling touch with his left foot before volleying to the corner of the net with his right.
FURTHER PAT’S PLAY
And the Saints nearly doubled their lead in the 37th minute.
Jake Mulraney burst clear down the right to play in Zach Elbouzedi, whose low cross found Aidan Keena but he could not convert.
There was another let-off for Bohs from a Saints transition two minutes into the second half.
Forrester gained possession to send Elbouzedi away but Liam Smith got across well to take the ball off the toe of Mulraney at the near post.
Kenny introduced Melia, 17, off the bench for the quiet Keena with the teenager getting an immediate sight of goal on 57 minutes. The influential Kavanagh picked him out at the far post with an arcing cross, though the header lacked power.
With Dayle Rooney and Ross Tierney sprung from the bench, Bohs worked hard to get back into the game.
Seán Grehan’s long ball from the back put Whelan in behind to force a save post from Anang.
The Gypsies defender then also brought a save from Anang at the same post when latching on to the rebound from his own long throw.
But the game was up for the visitors on 83 minutes as the Saints doubled their lead.
And Melia scored the crucial goal after getting on the end of a cross from McClelland.
Provider McClelland then turned scorer as he added the gloss on 90 minutes by drilling home from left-back Anto Breslin’s cross.
