Spoils shared

BOHEMIANS 2 SLIGO ROVERS 2

Despite the season being just five games young, a massive three points were on offer in Phibsboro as both Bohs and Sligo Rovers looked to really kick their season’s into gear.

On the back of three straight 1-0 defeats, finding goals hard to come by, Bohs started the brighter and right from the off Eoghan Stoke burst through the midfield to try his luck from 25 yards signaling their intent.

Despite the good start from the hosts, Rovers showed they had a threat of their own. Gary Boylan played a lovely weighted through ball to the pacey Caolan McAleer who dragged his right footed effort just wide.

Right before the half hour mark the deadlock was finally broken. Stokes collected a long ball from Oscar Brennan on the right wing. The ex-Leeds man cut inside and curled a beautiful left footed effort into the far top corner to send the home fans wild.

Their elation was short lived though, as Sligo responded well and got back on level terms just minutes later. Rhys McCabe delivered a deadly inswinging corner and David Cawley was quickest to react at the near post burying his downward header past Shane Supple.

The home side reacted well to the sucker punch, with both Paddy Kavanagh and Stokes, who really looked in the mood, going close from the edge of the box before the half.

The Gypsie’s came flying out of the traps in the second half and put pressure on the visitors right from the off. And just on the stroke of the hour mark deservedly took the lead again. The pressure from a spate of corners finally told when Karl Moore floated a cross to the back post and Ian Morris did brilliantly to direct the header in the near post.

But just like the first half Sligo equalized almost immediately. Rhys McCabe delivered a high cross from the right wing that was only half cleared and as the ball came out of the sky, Adam Morgan showed incredible technique to smash home the left footed volley past Supple for his 4th of the season.

Again, Bohs responded positively and it was all the home side from then on in. Stokes had a great effort from just inside the box, curling inches wide with his right foot. Paddy Kavanagh came closest to stealing all three points when his direct run down the right and snap shot from the edge of the box, agonizingly came back off the far post and straight to the feet of Dinny Corcoran who blazed over from three yards out. Luckily for the big man, the assistant’s offside flag saved his blushes as the hugely entertaining game ended 2-2.

Bohemian FC: Shane Supple, Derek Pender, Darragh Leahy, Dan Casey, Rob Cornwall, Karl Moore, Paddy Kavanagh, Oscar Brennan, Keith Buckley, Ian Morris, Eoghan Stokes

Subs: Colin McCabe, Dan Byrne, Philip Gannon, Dinny Corcoran, Keith Ward, JJ Lunney, Dylan Watts

Sligo Rovers: Micheal Schlingermann, Gary Boylan, Kyle McFadden, Seamus Sharkey, Rhys McCabe, Craig Rodden, Adam Morgan, Alastair Roy, Caolan McAleer, Callum Waters, David Cawley

Subs: Mitchell Beeney, Eduardo Pinceli, Greg Moorehouse, Patrick McClean, Adam Wixted, Jack Keaney, Lewis Morrison

Referee: Ray Matthews

SPOT OF BOTHER

BOHEMIANS 0 ST PAT’S 1

A wet Dalymount Park played host to its second Dublin Derby of the season as Liam Buckley’s St. Pats side came to Phibsboro in a fixture that produced 13 goals over three games last season, including one of the League of Ireland’s great strikes from Conan Byrne.

With just minutes played the home side got a golden opportunity for a dream start, when a scramble just inside the box saw Lee Desmond catch Oscar Brennan.

But for the second time in as many games The Gypsies failed to make it count. A combination of the post and Barry Murphy’s sharp reactions saw the Pat’s keeper hold on, much to the delight of the visiting fans.

The visitors punished the miss almost instantly when Simon Madden went on a marauding run down the right wing. The right backs initial effort from a tight angle was blocked but bounced straight back to his feet, and quickly squared to Dean Clarke to tap home.

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The end-to-end game saw some heroic defending Chiellini would have been proud of. First up Rob Cornwall threw himself at the feet of Ryan Brennan as the midfielder lined up a shot from the edge of the box. Ex-Aston Villa defender, repeated the feat when Eoghan Stoke lined up an effort from the right hand side of the box.

The home supporters thought they had equalized when Kevin Devaney picked out Dinny Corcoran at the back post, but the big strikers downward header was saved sharply again by Murphy.

As the second half wore on, the pattern was much the same as the first. Bohs having much more of the ball but lacking the cutting edge in the final third. Eoghan Stokes and Keith Ward went close with efforts but weren’t troubling Murphy.

The visitors, who looked dangerous on the break, went closest to scoring just before the 70th minute mark when Madden, again, clipped a delightful ball onto the head of sub Darragh Markey who directed his header down to the far post, forcing Supple to make one of the saves of the season so far.

As the clock ticked and the minutes trickled away, much like the performance against Derry City last time out, the Gypsies failed to muster that one big chance to get the equalizer as the Saint’s held on for a huge win and to take all three points back to Richmond Park.

Bohemian FC: Shane Supple, Derek Pender, Darragh Leahy, Dan Casey, Rob Cornwall, Dinny Corcoran, Keith Ward, Kevin Devaney, Oscar Brennan, Keith Buckley, Eoghan Stokes

Subs: Colin McCabe, Dan Byrne, Karl Moore, Paddy Kavanagh, Ian Morris, Dylan Watts, Rob Manley

St Pat’s: Barry murphy, Ian Bermingham, Kevin Toner, Lee Desmond, Owen Garvan, Conan Byrne, Christy Fagan, Ryan Brennan, Simon Madden, Dean Clarke, Jamie Lennon

Subs: Brian Maher, Michael Barker, Graham Kelly, James Doona, Ian Turner, Darragh Markey, Jake Keegan

CURTIS MAKES GYPSIES PAY

BOHEMIANS 0 DERRY CITY 1

A snowy picturesque Dalymount Park played host to a hugely entertaining encounter as bottom of the table Derry City, desperate for their first points of the season visited an undefeated Bohs side, who were without last seasons top scorer, Dinny Corcoran through injury.

Bohs had the better of possession in the opening period but were unable to make their dominance count. A few half chances through Eoghan Stokes, who looked very lively throughout, and a Keith Ward free kick that narrowly missed the top corner had The Gypsies well on top.

The chance of the half fell to Derry City hitman Ronan Curtis who broke the offside trap, but his low drive was well saved by the feet of Shane Supple. Just before the half, a wonderful pass from Paddy Kavanagh around the Derry defence found Stokes, but was smothered quickly by Gerard Doherty.

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The second half followed a similar pattern with Bohs having more of the ball but Derry looking very dangerous on the break. And it was the visitors took the lead just after the hour mark when Ronan Curtis hammered home from close range following a corner that wasn’t dealt with by the Bohs rear guard.

Ten minutes later there was mass confusion in the Derry six yard box. A deep corner looked to have been bundled home by a combination of players, but the referee saw an infringement, giving a free out much to the dismay of the home support.

With just minutes remaining the home side had a glorious chance to equalize. Kevin Devaney was hauled down in the box by substitute Conor McDermott. Up stepped ex-Leeds man Stokes but his penalty was brilliantly saved low to Doherty’s right. Right on the stroke of full time, Ben Doherty rattled the host’s cross bar as The Candystripes grabbed their first points of the season.

Bohemian FC: Shane Supple, Derek Pender, Darragh Leahy, Dan Casey, Rob Cornwall, Keith Ward, Kevin Devaney, Paddy Kavanagh, Oscar Brennan, Keith Buckley, Eoghan Stokes

Subs: Colin McCabe, Dan Byrne, Karl Moore, Philip Gannon, Ian Morris, J.J. Lunney, Dylan Watts

Derry City: Gerard Doherty, Aaron McEneff, Jamie McDonagh, Rory Hale, Ronan Curtis, Rory Patterson, Eoin Toal, Darren Cole, Ben Doherty, Niall Logue, Nicky Low

Subs: Eric Grimes, Conor McDermott, Dapo Kayode, Cathal Farren, Chris Turner, Ronan Hale Jack Doyle

Referee: Rob Harvey

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