“WE’RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS, WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING”
September 6, 2013
BOHEMIANS v SLIGO ROVERS (Saturday September 7th, 7.45pm)
Bohemians face the league champions on Saturday looking to match their season-best run of three matches unbeaten.
Depending on results elsewhere, a draw or win on Saturday could widen the gap between Bohs and the two teams below them in the league table.
“We need to focus on what we’re doing and not worry about other results. We’ve done that in the last couple of weeks and it will be no different when we face Sligo,” said manager Owen Heary.
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During a lean spell for Bohemians in the league they drew 0-0 in the Showgrounds in June, making up at least in part for the 3-0 defeat at home to the same opponents in March.
“Sligo are still the champions and they will be coming here with the bit between their teeth. They know they have to win to maintain their challenge,” said Heary.
“If the lads give as good an account of themselves as they did in the last two matches I can see us coming away with something.
“It’s another tough game for us, and then we have another even bigger one in two weeks’ time against Shelbourne.”
Approaching the end of his permitted tenure as caretaker manager, Heary has guided Bohemians to two wins and two draws in six league games.
“I’m happy with the way things have gone. Before I took over we had gone 11 league games without a win,” he said. “To get points against some of the teams we have got them against is very pleasing. But we’re not out of the woods yet. We’ve got to keep working hard at what we’re doing.”
Heary admits his players struggled to get to terms with the St Patrick’s midfield in the first half of last weekend’s match. Daniel Byrne who had impressed on his full debut in the previous game was missing the guidance of suspended Dave Mulcahy, Heary felt.
“We decided we had to try and match them [St Patrick’s] man-for-man and stop them getting forward. We talked to [Keith] Buckley and [Stephen] Traynor at half-time and they did the business. They’re not much older than the lads they replaced but they have been playing in the league for four years,” said Heary.
“Not many teams have gone over there and got a point off them and we’ve done it twice this year. Pat’s could have been out of sight in the first half but in the second half we got to grips with them and we deserved the point.”
With those contributions Buckley and Traynor put themselves in the reckoning for the starting line-up. Also in midfield, Dave Mulcahy is available, back from suspension. David Scully (ankle injury) remains out.
Heary has strengthened his defensive resources with the signing on professional terms of tall centre-half Neil Yadolahi (20), a youth Irish international who was on the books of Burnley for over two years until last year. More recently, he had a short spell with Turkish side Bucaspor and a trial with Swansea City. He has been training with Bohemians for the past month.
