“Rovers will always have a strong team out, so it gives our younger players a taste of what it’s like at this level and shows them the level they should be aspiring to play at week in, week out in a few years’ time.”

Although he was happy to see Bohs’ run of league defeats come to an end, Heary was frustrated not to have come away from Turner’s Cross with all three points against a top-of-the-table Cork City side still unbeaten this season.

“I was very happy with the performance but I’m disappointed not to have won it. Ryan McEvoy and Jason Byrne went close, and Kevin Devaney hit the crossbar. We were the much stronger team and created more than enough chances to win it, particularly in the second half.

“In saying that, we did get out of jail at the end when Cork were denied what looked like a legitimate goal and we were handed a free-kick out, so I won’t complain too much!”

Heary was pleased to have been able to pick the strongest line-up available for the trip to Leeside as recent Monday league fixtures have necessitated much tinkering to his line-ups.

“Being able to play the kind of football we want to play is obviously much easier when we’ve our strongest team out and they’re not knackered. With Dinny Corcoran injured, we obviously would have liked Jason to start against Sligo Rovers on Monday but he wasn’t physically capable of playing having played the full game 2½ days previously against St Pat’s.

“Asking Dave Mulcahy to play two games in such a short space of time after being out for so long was a big ask too. You have to remember that players are part-time too – they have jobs or go to college – so they benefited from having a full week’s training with no game in between going down to Cork. There shouldn’t be the same problem this evening as most of the players who will be playing are players who haven’t been getting regular game-time”

Jack Memery, out for over a month with a knee injury, is expected to feature tonight. Corcoran (knee) has also returned to training, while Heary revealed Anto Murphy (hamstring) is targeting next Tuesday’s EA Sports Cup tie against St Pat’s for his long-awaited first appearance of the season. Aidan Price (quad) will not be risked tonight, but Philip McCabe, who came off with a knock against Sligo on Monday, is available to play.

Jason Byrne returned to the starting line-up in place of Philly McCabe as the only change from the team that were beaten by Sligo Rovers on Monday. That meant Steven Beattie was moved into a right-back position, with Byrne ploughing a lone furrow up front. Unfortunately for both sets of fans – including the raucous travelling supporters – the game was doomed from the beginning to suffer from the effects of the weather. At around 7pm, the heavens opened over Turner’s Cross, and a fierce wind blew from the Shed End towards the Bohs fans in the opposite corner. The wind was at Cork’s back in the first half, and naturally they dominated possession.

City’s wing duo of Billy Dennehy and Liam Kearney were the home side’s two key dangermen, and they created a succession of half-chances in the middle of the half once the home side had acclimatised to the gale. Bohs took longer to get used to the conditions, with Derek Pender and Karl Moore faring the worst with a string of slips and misjudgements. Jason Byrne was actually Bohs’ stand out player in the first period – his hold up play and control were relieving pressure on the back four at regular intervals. The only real chance of the first half came when Kearney got in behind Beattie on the left flank, but his cutback was agonisingly ahead of a sliding Dennehy. The half time whistle was greeted with real enthusiasm from the away fans – they sensed the change of ends could be a defining moment in the match.

Almost straight from the kick-off, Heary’s men signalled their intent. A lovely interchange between Pender and Paddy Kavanagh got the Karl Moore in behind the Cork defence. He delayed his pass perfectly until the midfield runners arrived. He picked Ryan McEvoy out, but the bearded wonder blazed over from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy. Almost inevitably – the league leaders punished that miss. A seemingly over-hit pass to Kearney held up in the wind, and allowed the former Shamrock Rovers man to pull the ball across the face of goal. It skidded all the way to the back post, where Mark O’Sullivan got a toe on the ball in front of Pender, who clearly brought him down. Dennehy stepped up, cleared the water from his eyes, and sent Lee Murphy the wrong way to put the home side in front.

Credit to Bohs, they didn’t let the goal faze them –and hit back within 3 minutes. Paddy Kavanagh was excellent in the second half, and his beautifully-floated cross was destined for the back post – a fact read perfectly by Jason Byrne. The veteran striker stepped off Dan Murray, judged the cross like a master, and bulleted his header into the far corner. He could, and possibly should, have given Bohs the lead with 12 minutes to go. McEvoy was the provider this time, pulling the ball across for Byrne whose shot almost squirmed under McNulty’s body – but the Cork keeper grabbed the ball at the second attempt. The game looked to be petering out to a 1-1 draw without further incident, until an explosion of action in injury time. First, Bohs sub Kevin Devaney let fly with a thunderous 25 yard drive that crashed off the crossbar – McNulty beaten all ends up. Then, with all 3 minutes of added time elapsed, Cork looked to have grabbed a winner. Rob Lehane’s cross was fumbled by Murphy, and Mark O’Sullivan scrambled the ball home. However, referee Neil Doyle adjudged that Murphy was fouled, and Bohs breathed again.

Cork City: Mark McNulty, John Kavanagh (Iarfhlaith Davoren 65), Dan Murray, John Dunleavy, Brian Lenihan, Billy Dennehy, Colin Healy, Gearoid Morrissey, Garry Buckley (Dave O’Leary 80), Liam Kearney (Rob Lehane 71), Mark O’Sullivan. Subs not used: Matt Gledhill, Anthony Elding, Andy O’Connell, Ian Turner.

Bohemians: Lee Murphy, Steven Beattie, Aidan Price (Dan Byrne 64), Robert Lopes, Derek Pender, Paddy Kavanagh, Dave Mulcahy, Ryan McEvoy, Craig Walsh (Kevin Devaney 82), Karl Moore, Jason Byrne. Subs not used: Dean Delany, Jake Hyland, Stephen Traynor, Darragh Reynor, Keith Buckley.

Bohemianfc.com Man of the Match: Jason Byrne

Looking across the fixture list this weekend in fact, it is tempting to get with some more of the dogs. Drogheda at 5/1 at home, Bray at 13/2 at home to Dundalk, Limerick 15/2 at home. These are some of the carrots being dangled in front of punters tonight, in a league where we are reminded almost on a weekly basis that the odds-on shots just aren’t to be trusted, even more so away from home.

Seeing a fairly lethargic Sligo outfit being gifted three points by Bohs last weekend, would you back them at 8/15 at Limerick, a competent, physically fit team? Would you back Dundalk away from home at 1/2 at Bray? We cannot bring ourselves to trust either of those sides, and for that reason we recommend backing the draw in both of these games. Dundalk in particular, are not considered a worthy 1/2 favourite as a road team by any rating system.

While we are on the topic of dogs, how often do we see 28/1 shots? That’s the price Athlone are to take three points from Richmond Park. Athlone had no substitute goalkeeper on the bench recently and are still stuck on a bagel at the foot of the league table. Still though, football throws up strange results, particularly in this league. Again it’s hard to rule out the draw at a tasty 7/1.

To finish on our own game in Cork, conventional wisdom says that we have no chance of coming home with anything. Sitting pretty at the top of the league and drawing large crowds, it’ll surely be a backs against the wall job down there. The best goal difference in the league means that they lead Dundalk at the top, despite having played a game less. With some of the same players we have playing for us at the moment, we have proven over the years that we can pull off results away from home against superior opposition. We can’t be written off but the bet to consider is the half time draw at 6/5.

Recommended:
UCD, 1pt 7/1 (Bet365)
Bray-Dundalk, 1pt draw 10/3 (Boyles)
Limerick-Sligo, 1pt draw, 3/1 (Boyles)
Cork-Bohs half time draw, 1pt 6/5 (Bet365)

Heary wants his players to approach the Cork game in a positive frame of mind. “I know we have the players to get a result. They just have to believe it. I think they do, but we just have to get the mental approach fine-tuned.”

At this stage in the season Heary expected to be better-placed in the league. “I’m disappointed that we haven’t got more points on the board. I can live with a team outplaying you, as Pats did against us. But against Limerick and Sligo we defended really well, we created the better chances, and then we go and concede a goal off a corner. We were well in those games, getting on top, and then we killed ourselves on a set-piece.

“The players have to take responsibility for tuning-out for a second and that’s something that we’re working on with them. The disappointing part is that we haven’t reacted as we should to someone making a mistake.”

Bohemians have to plan without striker Dinny Corcoran (knee ligament injury), but Jason Byrne, sat out 80 mimnutes of Monday’s match against Sligo following a strenuous 90 minutes against St Patrick’s Athletic three days earlier, is likely to start in the Cork game. Corcoran may make it back for next weeks’ home league game against Derry City.

Steven Beattie, who has proven his versatility with appearances on the wing, up-front and, most recently, shuffled to right-back, may be chosen in that position again, with Derek Pender switching to left back, where Bohemians have too often proven vulnerable.

Jack Memery (knee) has returned to light training but is not yet fit for possible selection, while Anto Murphy (hamstring) may be back training next week.

Heary expects to make several changes for Monday’s Leinster Senior Cup match in Tallaght against Shamrock Rovers. Jake Hyland and Lee Whelan, promoted from the under-19s, can expect to play and goal-keeper Dean Delany will return to start.

Another two-game weekend at the start of May will further stretch the Bohemian squad but Heary insists he would prefer to be playing in three competitions in parallel than to be already eliminated from the knock-out tournaments. “You want to be playing every game possible,” he said.

The visitors, however, started with confidence as one would expect from a team who had scored 10 goals in their last two matches and it was Joseph Ndo who created an early opening. With less than three minutes gone, the Cameroonian veteran produced a trademark flick into Kieran Djilali, who could only scuff his shot wide. Bohs then responded with their first effort on goal as Mulcahy won a battle in midfield and laid it off for Paddy Kavanagh but his attempt flew wide.

20-year-old McCabe unfortunately went off feeling ill after 15 minutes but his replacement Kevin Devaney was proving a decent attacking outlet for the home side and he was involved in two half-chances around the half-hour mark. First he crossed in for Ryan McEvoy, who may have been better shooting himself instead of passing it to Craig Walsh in an offside position.

Next, the Sligo native ran on to Kavangh’s through ball but could only lift it over Gary Rogers goal.

The game had a sleepy Bank Holiday feel to it and it seemed to be drifting quietly towards half-time before Bohs and Devaney again produced the best chance of the opening period. Latching on to a throw-in, he fought his way between Sligo defenders Jeff Henderson and Ross Gaynor and fired a shot which was well parried by Rogers.

The home side began the second half with similar purpose as good play by Devaney set up Mulcahy to have a crack, but the effort was far too high. The Bohs skipper almost opened his account a few minutes later as his header from a Ryan McEvoy free kick went a lot closer but also over the bar.

Bohs were motoring now and Walsh was released down the left hand side but his hooked cross into the box was just cleared in time by Jeff Henderson, while Devaney waited to pounce. With 15 minutes gone of the second half, Bohs were pressing high up the pitch nearly broke the deadlock as McEvoy almost caught Rogers napping while he dallied on the ball in front of goal.

Just a minute later, the men in red and black missed a glorious opportunity as great play from Moore on the left saw him find Walsh inside the area but he placed his shot just wide of Rogers right-hand post.

Sligo came into it more as the game clock went past 70 minutes as David Cawley shot wide after nice play from Djilali. But Bohs responded in kind and again pressing created a chance as Stephen Traynor, on as a sub for Walsh, robbed Ndo and was through on goal but was taken down by Henderson. The ref only produced a yellow which given the circumstances was rather lenient.

Derek Pender then came to the rescue for Bohs as John Russell produced a surging run and a dangerous ball into the danger zone but the Gypsies’ vice-captain just slid in time and prevented a goal.

With 12 minutes remaining, Sligo took the lead as Djilali’s corner to the back post went through Lee Murphy’s hands and landed into the path of McMillan who nodded home.

The goal seemed to really demoralise Bohemians and in their fruitless attempt for an equaliser, they looked vulnerable on the counter attack. First Djilali missed a sitter after great work from Danny North but then as the game entered injury time, the former Grimsby striker finished the job himself. Roberto Lopes missed his clearence and the ball fell to another substitute Sean Maguire, finding North who finished powerfully.

There was still time for Bohs to force a penalty as Russell handled in the area but just to complete a hapless day, Jason Byrne’s effort lacked conviction and was easily held by Rogers diving to his left.

A third defeat in a row then and little comfort will be drawn from the fact that on Friday they travel to Leeside for a clash against top-of-the-table Cork City.

BOHEMIANS: Lee Murphy, Derek Pender, Roberto Lopes, Aidan Price, Philip McCabe (Kevin Devaney 15), Karl Moore, Dave Mulcahy, Ryan McEvoy, Craig Walsh (Stephen Traynor 63), Paddy Kavanagh (Jason Byrne 83), Steven Beattie. Subs not used: Dean Delany, Dano Byrne, Jake Hyland, Keith Buckley.
SLIGO ROVERS: Gary Rogers, Alan Keane, Danny Ledwith, Evan McMillan, Jeff Henderson, David Cawley, Ross Gaynor (John Russell 61), Paul O’Conor (Danny North 61), Joseph Ndo (Sean Maguire 77), Aaron Greene, Kieran Djilali. Subs not used: Richard Brush, Kalen Spillane, Eric Odhiambo, Jack Dykes.
REFEREE: Jim McKell
Mr GREEN MAN OF THE MATCH: Kevin Devaney.