Before yesterday, Bohemians’ finest performance this season had come against Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva on the opening day.
They started brightly in Tallaght on Monday, buoyed by two wins in their last three and playing with an unfamiliar zip. Rovers’ defence stood resolute under a flurry of dangerous crosses. None of it really tested Ed McGinty, and the Hoops soon wrestled some control.
Josh Honohan nearly opened the scoring on 25 minutes, cutting in from the left and launching a right-footed strike across goal that drifted away from Kacper Chorążka’s reach and crashed against the post. It proved an unheeded warning for Bohs, who showed Honohan inside again 10 minutes later. This time the defender kept marauding, slaloming across the penalty area and reversing his strike into the bottom left corner.
Michael Noonan’s season has lacked a first league goal, and it arrived in style two minutes later. When Bohs’ press is beaten, they can look threadbare, and the 16-year-old striker’s eyes lit up as he received the ball in space near halfway. Noonan galloped with purpose, carrying it 50 yards and driving a shot low past Chorążka. He was absorbed by the green mist of flares lit in celebration of Honohan’s opener.
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For portions of the second half, it looked as though both sides might settle for the 2-0 scoreline. With 20 minutes to go though, Dawson Devoy reignited Bohs, staying calm and picking out the top corner when the ball came to him near the penalty spot. Rovers didn’t know how to respond.
Substitutes Rhys Brennan, Colm Whelan and Keith Bucklet had lit a fire under the Gypsies and soon it was level – Ross Tierney driving forward powerfully and getting some luck with a kind deflection on his finish. A draw would have been a fine result for Bohs, but Brennan had other ideas.
The 18-year-old collected his own rebound deep into stoppage time, firing beyond McGinty and sealing a famous and timely victory. Alan Reynolds, who had been the subject of farewell chants earlier in the afternoon, dedicated the win to Bohemians great Billy Young, who passed away last week.
Champions frustrated as Dyer shows his class again
Shelbourne controlled most of the proceedings against Galway United on Monday but, not for the first time this season, they failed to convert that dominance into three points.
Ellis Chapman got the champions off to the perfect start, firing low beyond a returning Brendan Clarke after 44 seconds. He was nicely teed up by Mipo Odubeko, who looked a constant threat up front.
Both sides had chances in the first period. Bobby Burns flashed a wicked strike against the underside of the crossbar and Chapman was denied a second in the same fashion – his effort particularly pivotal, given it shook the Galway woodwork 17 seconds before Moses Dyer levelled matters.
The New Zealander scored two excellent goals at Dalymount towards the end of March, and his first at Tolka was stunning. Receiving the ball out left, Dyer cut inside Mark Coyle and steadied himself, arching a sharp, curling strike with his instep that flew into Kearns’ top corner.
Shels gained more control for most of the second half, though Galway still posed a threat. Patrick Hickey should really have put the Tribesmen in front near the hour mark, but his hooked volley could only clip the bar.
With 25 minutes to go, Odubeko’s endeavour paid dividends. It was good work from Harry Wood and Evan Caffrey initially, but the goal was all about Mipo’s composure when the ball came to him, incapacitating the Galway defence with his first touch and slotting a calm finish below Brendan Clarke.
Damien Duff spoke of cheap goals and an “individual element” to some of the mistakes costing his side in his post-match interview. Galway’s second equaliser fell into that category – a poor header from Coyle was pounced upon by Burns and finished expertly again by Dyer. The away side withstood heavy pressure late on and held on for a valuable point.
Late drama at Turner’s Cross as Cork City snatch win
It was an Easter Monday of high drama and Cork managed to repeat Bohemians’ trick from earlier in the afternoon, grabbing a priceless winner in the 95th minute to lift themselves off the foot of the table.
With Cork trailing 1-0, Cathal O’Sullivan was the catalyst for City’s comeback, earning a penalty on the cusp of injury-time having slipped past Navajo Bakboord on the left side of the area. It was the teenager’s persistence that led to Kitt Nelson’s winner moments later – he harried and fought against Kacper Radkowski, this time on the right side, before steering the ball back for Nelson to find the top corner.
It was a dismal end for Waterford, who have now lost seven games on the spin. Having parted company with Keith Long over the weekend, the away side had looked to be heading towards a morale-boosting victory courtesy of Tommy Lonergan’s second goal of the season – a bobbling finish after good work from Conan Noonan. Instead, Cork have their first win in almost two months.
As you were at the top as Drogheda and Pat’s play out 0-0
Derry City, who host Sligo Rovers tonight, and Bohemians are still looking up rather than down as the league’s top five teams were each made to settle for a point on Monday.
Drogheda and Pat’s could not be separated at Sullivan and Lambe Park, with Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson in attendance after a delayed flight robbed him of his intended destination, Tallaght. The table looks a shade more squashed again, and no one has yet managed to stand out as a title favourite.
