Premier Division: Shelbourne 2 [Kelly 4, Martin 90] Bohemians 2 [Parsons 10, Devoy 76]
John Martin, their match-winner in Europe last Wednesday, proved the man of the moment once again for Shelbourne with a 90th-minute equaliser as this rip-roaring north Dublin derby ended all square at Tolka Park.
Trailing to Dawson Devoy’s 77th-minute goal for the visitors, Shelbourne pinned Bohemians back in their final third as they chased hard to recover something from the game.
That they duly did right on 90 minutes as Sean Gannon’s arced delivery was met by substitute Martin whose stooping header arrowed to the net past Kacper Chorazka.
In a thrilling finish to mirror the game’s start, Bohemians might still have won it three minutes into added time.
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A loose pass by Kerr McInroy gave Gypsies substitute Douglas James-Taylor a clear run on goal from his own half. Shelbourne goalkeeper Wessel Speel ensured the game finished level with a fine save from the striker’s attempted chip over him.
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The point sees Bohemians regain second place behind leaders Shamrock Rovers, who can stretch their lead at the top to 12 points should they win at Galway United on Sunday. Champions Shelbourne remain fifth.
With no love lost between these north city rivals, we had a yellow card after just 30 seconds; Shels’ skipper Mark Coyle leaving his studs on the foot of Bohs captain Devoy.
That certainly signalled Shelbourne’s intent and they were in front on three minutes from their first attack.
Rob Cornwall’s weak header from an Ellis Chapman deflected cross dropped for Mipo Odubeko. The big striker’s ball back across was met by Daniel Kelly who blasted to the roof of the net.
If not frantic enough already, the intensity levels increased four minutes later when Shelbourne defender Gannon received a booking for flooring Connor Parsons off the ball in front of the dugouts.
That led to a heated bout of verbals from the respective benches with Bohemians boss Alan Reynolds and Shelbourne coach David McAllister entering referee Rob Hennessy’s book.
The frenetic action continued apace with Bohemians delighting their 1,000-strong following in the Ballybough end by equalising on 10 minutes when punishing a defence error.
Shelbourne centre back Lewis Temple failed to get sufficient purchase on his back pass to Speel. Wide Wide-awakepportunity, winger Parsons stole in to toe the ball over the line.
Back at the other end, an acrobatic tip-over save from Chorazka was then needed to deny Odubeko’s drive from the edge of the area.
There were further bookings for Shels’ Kameron Ledwidge and Seán Moore, while Devoy and Adam McDonnell of Bohemians also received yellow cards before half-time.
The second half opened as had the first with Shelbourne close to regaining the lead two minutes in.
Winger Kelly’s superb ball found Odubeko in the area, and he spun Leigh Kavanagh only to see his drive strike Chorazka in the face.
With a little of the fire having gone out of the game, play went a trifle flat for a period.
The sides swapped half-chances through Dayle Rooney and Ledwidge before Bohemians struck for the lead on 77 minutes.
Devoy, the architect of much that has been good about their season, ran in behind down the inside-right channel to receive Rooney’s pass. Cleverly turning past Odubeko, the Gypsies’ number 10’s left-foot shot took a deflection off Temple to beat Speel.
It wasn’t to prove the winner, though, with Martin salvaging the evening for Shelbourne.
A welcome confidence boost ahead of a big night on Tuesday when they defend a 2-1 lead in their Europa League third-qualifying round tie with Croatians Rijeka.
SHELBOURNE: Speel; Gannon, Temple, Ledwidge; Coyle (Lunney, 62), Chapman (McInroy, 81); Kelly (Norris, 73), Moore (Martin, 62), Coote (Wood, 62), Caffrey; Odubeko.
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka; Morahan, Kavanagh (Tierney, 87), Cornwall, Flores; Devoy, McDonnell; Rooney (Smith, 87), Tierney, Parsons (James-Taylor, 65); Clarke (Byrne, 87).
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare).
Attendance: 5,474.
