Controversial scenes in League of Ireland clash as Bohemians player hit by flare from own fans

Cian Byrne reacts after being struck by a flare during the Men's Premier Division match between St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians at Richmond Park. Photo: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Bohemians battled hard and came up with a sucker-punch, from a late penalty by captain Jordan Flores, to take an unexpected 1-0 win away from a cross-city trip to face St Patrick's Athletic.

But while earning three points from a fixture where even their most optimistic supporters held little out hope of something, given their poor start to the season a week earlier, it will prove to be a costly night for the Phibsboro club on the back of actions by their supporters.

The game was held up for a spell early in the second half when flares were thrown onto the field by the away fans. But a particularly worrying development was the sight of Bohs defender Cian Byrne being struck on the arm by a flare, thrown by his own supporters, and the 21-year-old needed treatment from the club's medical staff, though he was not seriously hurt and was able to play on.

It appears to have been part of a coordinated protest against the FAI, involving both sets of fans as at the same time, a section of the home support also lit flares and threw streamers onto the field, with anti-FAI banners unveiled at both ends, one in particular aimed at under-fire CEO Jonathan Hill.

But Bohs will now likely face a hefty fine from the FAI with the prospect of a ban on supporters for away games for a spell. It should not matter that it was a Bohs player who was struck by one of his own supporters, a player was hit by a flare and could have suffered a serious injury and the FAI’s disciplinary committee are likely to come down hard on the club.

It represents a pity for boss Declan