FAI Cup quarter-final: St Patrick’s Athletic 1 [Breslin 100] Bohemians 1 [Edmondson 112 og] – aet, Bohemians win 8-7 on pens

Bohemians held their nerve the better from 12 yards to put themselves into Sunday’s FAI Cup semi-final draw as this Dublin derby against St Patrick’s Athletic went right to the wire at Richmond Park.

Anto Breslin looked like proving an unlikely match-winner when putting St Patrick’s ahead in the first period of extra-time, only for an inexplicable own goal from fellow substitute Ryan Edmondson to draw Bohemians level and bring us to a penalty shoot-out.

That needed 18 spot kicks in going all the way to sudden death with American Patrick Hickey putting Bohemians 8-7 ahead before Romal Palmer planted the final kick of the afternoon over the crossbar to see the Gypsies through.

After a kick-off delay to remove ticker-tape from along a touchline, St Pat’s began on the front foot, with Bohemians goalkeeper Paul Walters worked from Aidan Keena’s volley on six minutes.

That was about as good as it got for St Pat’s in the opening half as they trooped off for the interval with their goalkeeper Joseph Anang to thank for not finding themselves two goals down.

The Ghanaian World Cup squad member first came to Saints’ rescue on 15 minutes. Ross Tierney broke to feed the run of Douglas James-Taylor but Anang closed the angle well to block the shot with his legs.

Gypsies’ skipper Dawson Devoy might also have done better on 23 minutes, ballooning a sidefoot volley high over the St Pat’s crossbar.

Tierney and Keena then swapped half-chances at either end before Anang made another fine save on 43 minutes.

Devoy’s cross-shot was cut out by Seán Hoare to run into the path of Harry Vaughan, who looked set to score before Anang sprang low to his right to make a terrific one-handed stop.

Bohs remained the better side into the second half, Connor Parsons curling just wide following a contentious free-kick.

With Barry Baggley and Edmondson introduced, St Pat’s regained some impetus as they played their way right back into the game.

But yet again, Anang had to come to their rescue on 63 minutes. A slip by Jay McClelland gifted Parsons’s pass to James-Taylor. The big striker took a second touch before shooting with Anang once more making a superb save.

Not to be outdone, Walters then made arguably the save of the afternoon 12 minutes later, acrobatically tipping Baggley’s shot on to the crossbar.

That same crossbar came into play again to deny St Pat’s victory in the eighth minute of added time, Edmondson’s header from Baggley’s free-kick crashing down off it.

Ten minutes into extra-time we finally got a breakthrough to the delight of the Inchicore faithful.

Redmond’s arced cross dropped for left wing back Breslin who drilled his shot past Walker.

Palmer should have doubled Saints’ lead but missed the proverbial sitter early in the second period of extra-time.

It proved costly as Bohs levelled in unlikely circumstances in the 112th minute when, under no pressure, Edmondson contrived to head Devoy’s corner into his own net.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Anang; Hoare, Redmond, Turner; Lennon (Nugent, 90); Elbouzedi, Forrester (Baggley, 55), Sheridan, McClelland (Breslin, 88); Keena (Edmondson, 55), Olusanya (Palmer 66).

BOHEMIANS: Walker; Power (Morahan, 105), Hickey, Byrne, Mullen; Devoy, Flores (Diallo, 78); Tierney, Vaughan (Strods, 62; Madden, 105), Parsons (McDonnell, 78); James-Taylor (Whelan, 78).

Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).

Attendance: 4,888.