“It’s a great dressing room… they’re good group for morale”

BOHEMIANS v DUNDALK
SSE Airtricity League
Friday May 10 2019, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm

Michael Barker’s second spell at Bohemians didn’t get off to the start he wanted but, just like the club he rejoined after a five-year absence, the defender now has a renewed sense of purpose and is determined to make an impact.

Barker, 25, was snapped up by Keith Long at the start of December after spells with UCD, Bray Wanderers and, most recently, St Patrick’s Athletic.

The manager hailed his versatility at the time and admitted that it was “third time lucky” trying to sign him after unsuccessful attempts in the previous two off-seasons.

However, Barker’s hopes of making an immediate impact were struck down after he suffered a hamstring tear while innocuously kicking a ball in the final week of pre-season training.

As if missing the start of the 2019 campaign was not enough of blow, Barker’s impending absence meant Long was forced to bring in defensive reinforcements and yet another rival for a starting place with the arrival of Aaron Barry on loan from Cork City on the eve of the season opener against Finn Harps.

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Barker, who originally came through the Bohs U19s under Owen Heary before making his first-team debut in 2012 under Aaron Callaghan, said: “I fully understand why Keith had to bring someone in.

“You have to strengthen your options as best you can and at that stage we didn’t know how serious my injury was going to be or how long I’d be out for.

“The timing of the injury was a difficult one to take. We all worked extremely hard in pre-season but it was a very enjoyable pre-season too and I was geared towards playing at the start of the season.

“So to be ruled out without even kicking a ball was extremely disappointing for me. The lads were good throughout in trying to pick me up. It’s a great dressing room. They’re good group for morale.

“Even when you have to train by yourself when recovering from an injury, they don’t like to see you excluded. Throughout my time injured I was made feel part of the main group and the lads helped me hugely along the way.”

But while team-mates and management do their best to make everyone feel part of the collective effort, Barker knew he faced an uphill struggle trying to break into the team and had to patiently bide his time waiting for that chance to come.

Finding an opening in a defence that had contributed greatly to James Talbot’s 11 clean sheets in 14 league games was never going to be an easy task. Barker’s involvement was curtailed to starts in the Leinster Senior Cup and EA Sports Cup victories over Shelbourne and Cabinteely respectively.

Barker said: “They’ve done brilliantly and it’s a team game, so it has been great to see the team doing so well even when you’re not playing.”

But his opportunity came last Friday as a combination of an Achilles injury to Rob Cornwall and Barry not being allowed play against his parent club afforded Barker a place at the heart of defence.

Finally getting his first league start of his second spell at Dalymount Park delighted him – the manner the 1-0 defeat to the Leesiders less so.

Conor McCarthy’s first-half header set managerless City on their way to victory. They soaked up Bohs’ pressure and frustrated the home side in the second half and, with a mixture of disciplined but negative tactics, managed to come away from Dalymount with all three points.

Barker said: “Obviously it was great for me personally to finally get a chance. With the run of form the lads have been on, we were confident going into the game, so to lose in the manner we did was disappointing.

“But there were positives that we can take from our second-half performance and we will bring that into the game against Dundalk.”

It doesn’t get any easier as Bohs welcome Vinny Perth’s side to Dalyer. It’s third v second with Bohs on 30 points and the visitors on 31.

The last time these sides met, the Gypsies gave one of their best performances of the season but, agonisingly, made the trip home down the M1 from Oriel Park empty-handed.

Long made seven changes to his starting line-up for that game. The team surprised many by putting in a display deserving of victory but having failed to make their chances and large spells of dominance pay, they suffered the sucker-punch of losing the game through an injury-time penalty.

Barker insists the Gypsies are not motivated by revenge for that defeat.

He said: “There was huge disappointment with the result from the last time we played Dundalk. To make so many changes and play the way we did shows the depth of quality we have.

“The performance the lads put in deserved to win the game so to lose in the manner we did was a big disappointment for everyone.

“This game isn’t about revenge at all. But there is expectation, yes. We know if we go out and give a performance like we did against them the last tine, we can cause them a lot of problems.”

That optimism is one of many things Barker has seen change at the club since he left for UCD in 2014.

Off the field, Bohs are in a far healthier state than the club he left and, on the field, Long’s hard work and dedication has helped rediscover the club’s identity as well as building a young side who appear to hold no fear.

In third but just four points off leaders Shamrock Rovers and with a game in hand, the manager and team do not deviate from the mantra that nobody can afford to get carried away.

Nobody will be allowed pat themselves on the back either but after being five years away, Barker is well-placed to comment on the changed undercurrent of optimism and enjoyment throughout the club that was at times lacking in his first spell.

He added: “There’s a fantastic atmosphere in every aspect of the club. From training, to games at Dalymount to away trips, it’s been really enjoyable.

“To be honest there is no comparison between where the club is now to where it was when I was last here.

“As a team we know that if we perform to our ability we can give any team in the league a game and beat.

“Before it was a times a be case of ‘let’s go out and see how we do.’ Now we all believe.

“There’s a great buzz around the place. The club is embedded in the community now in a way it wasn’t before, the sell-out crowds at Dalymount are amazing to see and are driving us on all the time.

“The whole club has been turned around massively compared to where it was a few years ago. We won’t get carried away but we all want to build on that and be a part of it.”

TEAM NEWS

Rob Cornwall (Achilles) and Keith Ward (foot) are doubts. Loanee Aaron Barry, unavailable for selection against parent club Cork City last week, comes back into the fold. Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) remains out.

“We know and understand the players we have at our disposal. We trust and believe in them.”

BOHEMIANS v CORK CITY

Friday May 3 2019, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm

Match sponsor: RWL Security Solutions Matchball sponsors: K&L Upholstery

Keith Long believes in-form Bohemians need guard against wounded animal Cork City tonight.

The Gypsies continued their excellent start to the season with a confident 2-0 win against Derry City on Monday.

And tonight they welcome a Cork City side in a transition following the departure of their league and cup-winning manager John Caulfield. His assistant John Cotter has taken the reins for now.

Cork are one of only two sides to have beaten Bohs this season but Long’s side have every reason to be confident going into tonight’s game.

Long’s decision to rotate his squad for last Friday’s 0-0 draw with Waterford came under scrutiny. The win in the Brandywell three days later seemed to vindicate the decision.

But he insists it wasn’t about vindication – the decision to make changes was done out of necessity to guard tired bodies against injury and further fatigue.

Long said: “We’ve had a good week. A great win up in Derry on a Monday.

“We started well but dipped a little bit. Derry came into it but didn’t really look like scoring, James Talbot wasn’t really troubled.

“In the second half, the boys shared responsibility and we went out and delivered.

“We scored a really good first goal, had a shout for a penalty, hit the post, hit the crossbar and we get the second goal.

“We were good value for the win. Our freshness showed in the second half against a team that were visibly tiring.

“Waterford last Friday, we made a lot of changes, which we had to do playing Tuesday-Friday-Monday to keep the freshness in the team.

“Last Tuesday’s win in Tallaght was great for everyone. But the volume of games has been really, really high in the last month or so.

“We’ve had to manage the squad and rotate the squad. I don’t look on the result as vindication. That comes from our performances.

“We made changes previously up in Dundalk and they were so good and were very unlucky not to come away with something.

“We went again with a changed line-up against Waterford after the game in Tallaght, which left lads fresh for Monday.

“We know and understand the players we have at our disposal. We trust and believe in them.”

They will need that belief once more when the Leesiders come to Dalymount tonight.

Long said: “They have been in the top two the last number of years and will be very difficult opponents.

“We won’t be complacent. The fact we’ve come out of this period relatively injury-free and amassing the points tally that we have, I think we can regard it as a job done – for now.

“But we are not getting carried away. We want to maintain that. This is a big game for us, they have good players and with a change in manager, will be looking to prove themselves. We have to guard against that.

“We’re four points off the top with a game in hand. It’s a good position to be in. It’s a long time since we found ourselves in this position. We want to sustain it.”

Please note the Jodi Stand is sold out. Bohs fans are not permitted in the Des Kelly Stand for this fixture.

TEAM NEWS

Rob Cornwall (Achilles) is ruled out. Aaron Barry cannot play under the terms of his loan agreement.

Keith Ward (foot) is a doubt.

James Finnerty did not travel to Derry on Monday due to a virus but will be okay to start.

FURTHER READING/LISTENING

David Sneyd has an excellent article on the42.ie today about Bohs’ resurgence under Keith Long. Link.  

Similarly, Des Curran has spoken to club captain Derek Pender for the RTÉ webiste. Link. Full audio.

Keith Long also gave a 20-minute interview with FAI TV. Link. 

“The tough games keep coming”

BOHEMIANS v WATERFORD
Friday April 26 2019, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm

Match sponsors: DHL Express. Matchball sponsors: DB Electrical

Bohemians supporters are still enjoying the bragging rights after winning the Dublin derby on Tuesday.

But Danny Grant has warned that the ‘tough games keep coming’ and that there can be no let-up in performance if second-placed Bohs want to maintain and build upon their good start to the season.

Grant was a contender for the man-of-the-match award in Bohs’ 1-0 win against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium before a knock to his knee forced him off 20 minutes into the second half.

A self-assured performance beyond his years was up there with the best yet from a youngster who has progressed to the Bohs first team from the club’s U19s for whom he won two league titles in a row.

The 19-year-old, a business management student in Maynooth University, said: “I feel as a player I have come on and that’s thanks to the help I’ve got from Keith Long and Trevor Croly.

“There’s no better club in the league to be with as a young player. If you work hard and are good enough, you will get a chance.

“I want to keep developing, I want to see can if I get better. Keith’s told me he thinks I look a different player than I was before and that’s given me more confidence.”

That self-belief was evident on Tuesday as Grant was a constant thorn in Rovers’ side in the first half – drawing the first of Lee Grace’s two yellow cards and seeing Trevor Clarke red-carded when he was pulled down on the edge of the area.

Despite his relative inexperience, Grant is no stranger to causing damage in Dublin derbies – it was his low cross in the 99th minute that teed up Darragh Leahy’s memorable winner last season.

But the pressure ratcheted up another notch on Tuesday as Bohs maintained their seven-game unbeaten run against the Hoops, clawing the league leaders’ eight-point lead at the top of the table back to five in the process. The Gypsies also have a game in hand.

Grant said: “Tuesday night was great for everyone at the club. We haven’t set a target but we wanted to win, particularly to close the gap.

“There was definitely more expectation. I’ve only been involved in two derbies but you could feel there was more expectation this time.

“There was an even bigger crowd than before and we had great support behind us. We deserved the three points, although we played better against 11 men.

“I was pleased with how I did and it was a pity I had to go off. I went on a run and got a knock to back of my knee, I think from Lee Grace.

“I couldn’t keep running. I saw Wardy (Keith Ward) warming up on the sideline and I signaled to Bucko (Keith Buckley) to tell the gaffer to take me off.”

Grant is hoping to retain his place in the squad tomorrow though for the visit of Waterford to Dalymount Park – Bohs’ seventh of eight games this month, with a trip to Derry on Monday to come.

Long’s squad has been tested to the max but such have been the level of performances from players who have come into the team while he rotates things that team selection has proved difficult.

Grant said: “Tough games keep coming – the schedule this month has been a test for all clubs. But I think we are in a position this season where we have a really good squad.

“Everyone is made feel important, even if you aren’t playing. It’s obviously hard if you’re starting or borderline starting one week and then in the stands the next week.

“But it is a team effort. There is nobody sulking when they’re left out – there’s no room for that at Bohs.”

While Bohs players are only taking it one game at a time, Grant’s mam Julie can afford to look one ahead.

Her cupcakes on the team’s trip home from Ballybofey a fortnight ago proved very popular, with Danny adding: “I think maybe she’ll bake a big cake for the lads coming back from Derry on Monday instead!”

TEAM NEWS

Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) is Bohs’ only absentee.

“There is expectation at both clubs, but we are still underdogs”

SHAMROCK ROVERS v BOHEMIANS
SSE Airtricity League
Tuesday April 23 2019, Tallaght Stadium, 8pm

Keith Long knows Bohemians will have to adjust quickly to the heat of the Dublin derby cauldron to get a result in Tallaght tomorrow.

Bohs have had the upper hand in this fixture in recent times – winning five and drawing one of the sides’ last six meetings.

But since the rivals last met, Shamrock Rovers have remained undefeated since, have surged to the top of the table and are chasing their ninth victory in a row.

Bohs’ form isn’t too shabby either though.

Before today’s fixtures, they moved back to second in the table on Friday – eight points behind Rovers but with a game in hand.

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Along the way rookie keeper James Talbot has kept eight clean sheets and the four goals Bohs have been conceded have been from two penalties, a free-kick and a corner.

Long said: “We’re in good form. Both teams have done very well so far this season. There is expectation at both clubs, but we are still underdogs.

“Rovers are rightly being tipped for the league title. That is to be expected given their level of investment in their squad and the quality of player they’ve brought in.

“We’ve had a good start to the season ourselves though, built on a mean defence.

“Hopefully we can start the game quickly and put in a positive performance. We’re looking forward to it.”

A good start is important. Bohs eventually racked up an impressive 3-0 win against UCD at Dalymount on Friday.

But they were a bit slow out of the traps in the first half and Long has warned his men they can’t afford a similar start against a side of Rovers’ quality.

He said: “Tomorrow will be tough. We acquitted ourselves very well in Dundalk last week, deserved a result, but couldn’t find the breakthrough.

“We followed that up with a good win against UCD but we were sluggish in the first half – we were much better in the second half – but we will need to start brightly against Rovers.”

Competition for places is the toughest it’s been at Bohs for many years.

Ahead of Friday’s game against UCD, Keith Ward admitted no matter who was picked, there was going to be someone watching on from the sidelines feeling aggrieved.

Long agrees, adding: “It’s a good problem to have. We have players pushing hard in games and in training.

“Given how well they’ve done, there are going to be lads disappointed when they’re not starting but that’s the nature of football.”

Thanks to the addition expansion of Tallaght Stadium with the addition of the South Stand, Bohs will bring their biggest ever travelling support to Dublin 24 since the venue first opened ten years ago.

The last of the club’s allocation of 1100 were sold after Friday night’s game against UCD with many supporters left disappointed.

That win against the Students was the fifth home league game of the season for Bohs – and the fifth time the Jodi Stand has sold out as Long’s team continue to attract new support.

The average attendance at Dalymount this season has been 3,211 – up 44 per cent on last year’s average.

Long said: “Our crowds have been fantastic and right behind us all year and we’ll need that in Tallaght again.

“There is great appetite for this fixture from both sets of supporters. You don’t want to let your supporters down.

“Tallaght will be like a cauldron and even more so now with the new South Stand and hopefully we can do our bit to make sure the game can live up to its billing.”

TEAM NEWS

Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) is Bohs’ only absentee. Skipper Derek Pender and Keith Ward were rested against Dundalk and UCD but both remain available for selection.

 

“I wouldn’t like to be Keith picking the team… I just hope he picks me!”

 BOHEMIANS v UCD
SSE Airtricity League
Friday April 19 2019, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm

Match sponsor: Bang Bang. Matchball sponsor: Used Car Centre 01-4594511

Keith Ward believes no matter what starting XI manager Keith Long picks against UCD, there is going to be someone watching on from the sidelines feeling aggrieved.

Monday’s trip to face reigning champions Dundalk was Bohs’ fourth of eight fixtures in the month of April.

With games coming thick and fast, Long made the bold the decision to make seven changes to the starting – and largely settled – XI that had won 1-0 away to Finn Harps three days previously.

None of the changes were enforced, but Long is wary of overloading part-time players with a busy schedule meaning his squad’s strength in depth is at present being tested to the max.

One of those rested was Ward, who, like the rest of those watching from the bench or stands, faces an anxious wait to see whether he will win back his place in the team.

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Not only did Bohs put it up to the champions on their own patch, they did that and much, much more.

They were the far better team for the vast majority of the game, dictating the pace in a way that belied for many a lack of inexperience and others a lack of game-time.

Driven on by an encouraging away support, the Gypsies’ attempts to find the back of the net proved elusive, however.

And, in the third minute of injury-time, their efforts and enthusiasm came to a shuttering halt when Paddy Kirk was contentiously adjudged to have taken down his former Bohs team-mate Daniel Kelly inside the box.

Referee Tomás Connolly awarded a penalty and Patrick Hoban blasted past James Talbot to send the Gypsies home empty-handed. They dropped to third in the table behind Derry City in the process.

While the manner of the defeat was cruel, now that the dust has settled, Bohs, while not satisfied with moral victories, can still afford to take a lot of positives from their performance.

Ward said: “I was in the stands and I think anyone watching the game will think we deserved to win. We were gutted with the way we lost but everyone who played can hold their heads up high about the way they performed.

“We showed how good a squad we have. Man to man, we were excellent. The young lads that came in – the like of Paddy Kirk and Andy Lyons – and Ryan Swan starting his first game in 18 months, for them to play like that against the champions was extremely pleasing.

“There is good strength in depth there. Every year we lose players but Keith obviously has a good eye for them because there is real quality coming through.”

Bohs have been slow starters in recent seasons, but things seemed to have clicked a lot more quickly this term.

Ward said: “It’s a combination of good talent spotting and really hard work training.

“You look at those lads on Monday, some of them have barely played this season but they weren’t tired as the game went on and that’s down to hard work and everyone pushing each other in training all the time.

“But they controlled the game for a lot of it too which is important as you don’t tire yourself out when you’re on the ball whereas they might have if they had to chase it.

“When we train, it’s very competitive. Trevor Croly doesn’t give you an inch! That means we’re all pushing and pushing each other.

“I wouldn’t like to be Keith picking the team tomorrow! I just hope he picks me! No matter who he picks there will be lads in the stand who will feel they should be starting.”

While supporters are still kicking themselves about the way such a positive performance turned sour on Monday, Ward and Co don’t have the luxury of dwelling on it.

They  face a UCD who have improved since Bohs beat them 2-0 in Belfield in the second week of the season and have beaten both Waterford and Cork City in recent weeks.

Ward said: “UCD are 10 games in now and they will know a lot about themselves now and about the division compared to when we last played them.

“They have come on a lot already and will keep improving. They like to play the right way and will be tough opposition. It’s a very competitive division and there are no easy games – everyone knows that.”

The Jodi Stand is on course to sell out for the fifth home league game in a row – supporters are advised to buy online to avoid disappointment – with Ward admitting the players are thriving off the encouragement from the stands.

He added: “It’s great seeing big crowds in Dalymount. I’ve had people on to me looking for tickets for games we as players can’t even get hold of!

“It’s great as a player to come out to see a packed stand hopping like that. In previous seasons you might have had three or four games like that.

“But last year the crowds were up a good bit and the Jodi has been full for four games we’ve played so far this year.

“That pushes players on even more. They’re there to see you, to support you and we take pride in that. You don’t want to let them down.”

TEAM NEWS 

Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) is Bohs’ only absentee.

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