Just like the game at Tolka, Bohs started well. Superb close control from Ryan McEvoy gave him some space to feed Luke Byrne, who slid a lovely pass through to Ciaran Nangle. Nangle’s cross-shot flashed across the face of goal, agonizingly close to both Dave Scully and Kevin Devaney.

Unfortunately for Bohs, they were hit with a sucker punch just as the team were starting to dominate. Derry’s Patrick McEleney had been anonymous for the opening 13 minutes, but he definitely caught the attention in the 14^th. He picked the ball up on the left side about 30 yards out, skipped inside Derek Pender, and unleashed what is often referred to as a “worldie”. His curling 30-yard strike hit the underside of Dean Delany’s crossbar, bounced down and back up into the top corner. It was a strike to light up any game.

As good as Derry’s opening goal was, their second was the kind of goal that would give a manager sleepless nights. An aimless ball down the line from Paddy Kavanagh was totally misjudged by Ciaran Nangle, who let the ball slip under his boot. Simon Madden suddenly had acres of room to deliver a cross, which found Michael Rafter on the penalty spot. Rafter had far too much time to take a touch, set himself, and shoot through Roberto Lopes’ legs to double Derry’s lead.

As the game wore on, it was difficult not to cast minds back to the first half of the game against Shamrock Rovers, and Chris Lyons’ injury. Bohs just haven’t looked particularly dangerous since the former UCD man was chopped down by Derek Foran, and Aaron Callaghan will be hoping his ankle injury heals as quick as possible.

Bohs’ best spell came after the break, when a string of corners and free kicks heaped pressure on the Derry defence. Again, no clear cut chances materialized, despite a clear penalty appeal being turned down for a blatant handball by Shane McEleny. The out-of-retirement Anthony Buttimer may well have been unsighted, but his assistant in front of the Derry fans should have put his flag across his chest.

With Bohs close-but-not-quite getting back into the game, a third Derry goal was always going to be the killer. Again, it was sloppy. Dean Delany flapped at a Derry corner, and the looping ball returned to the back post was miraculously cleared off the line by Ryan McEvoy. However, no one in red and black reacted, and Shane McEleney rose to nod the ball into the empty net.

Just three minutes later, a forgettable night for the Gypsies was complete. Michael Rafter found himself in a lot of space between the midfield and defence. He had time to slip a ball around the side of a wrong-footed Roberto Lopes, and Barry McNamee applied the finish. Bohs now have 11 days to lick their wounds before an intruiging trip to Limerick and the grandeur of Thomond Park on Tuesday the 16^th of April.

Bohemians:  Dean Delany, Derek Pender, Roberto Lopes, Stephen Paisley, Luke Byrne; Ciaran Nangle (Karl Moore 77), Ryan McEvoy, Stephen Traynor (Keith Buckley 45), Dave Mulcahy; Dave Scully, Kevin Devaney. Subs not used: Greg Murray, Shane Murray, Dwyane Wilson, Conor O’Brien , Andy Mulligan.

Derry City: Gerard Doherty, Simon Madden, Shane McEleney, Ryan McBride, Thomas Crawley (Dermot McCaffrey 83); Patrick Kavanagh (Michael Duffy 79), Barry Molloy, Ruaidhri Higgins, Patrick McEleney; Barry McNamee, Michael Rafter (Mark Griffin 80). Subs not used: James Gallagher, Ryan Curran, Tony McNamee, Conall Kelly.

One suspects that they have a couple of gears to go up, and as they begin to have even more top-class players available to them (Joseph Ndo, Danny North), the lads starting for Ian Baraclough won’t want to ease up.  Shels’ disciplinary record this season only compounds what one suspects will be a task way beyond them this weekend and Sligo can be backed with reasonable confidence on the Asian Handicap.

The RTE cameras visit the Home of Football again as Derry roll into town in great form, and seen by most as the team most likely to challenge Sligo for the league – if indeed any team are going to put up much of a challenge.  It will be interesting to see how Derry set up to play against us, as they are a team with a similarly young age profile to our own.  They are uncompromising at the back, but this game is unlikely to be as bad-tempered as some recent meetings between the sides as they know where the net is and have been able to win games well, with notable results including a narrow win away to Cork and a 6-0 thumping of UCD, a team we scraped past against ten men.  There is little to suggest that we can get much out of this, but our defence has been impressive enough this season, and it’s unlikely that Derry will beat us quite as easily as Sligo did.  At a general price of 8/15, under 2.5 goals could be the bet.

Elsewhere in the league, Shamrock Rovers will be looking to get closer to Sligo before they lose sight of them completely, but Drogheda have been a stubborn outfit this season, if not quite as impressive as last season.  Their only defeat this season was a 0-1 at Richmond Park on the opening night when they were some way short of their best.  Shamrock Rovers’ perceived on-pitch problems (over-intricate, lack of cutting edge in the final third, unable to put away inferior teams) aren’t going to be solved in a hurry and you’d be more and more confident as the game goes on of Drogs being able to claim a point once they don’t concede early.  3.91 the draw with Pinnacle is more than acceptable here.

Bray have been tough enough this season and remain unbeaten.  St Pat’s will have their backers but it’s hard to trust them in a single bet.  They are yet to draw a game this season but it’s not impossible that they’ll do precisely that tonight.

Dundalk’s home game with Limerick is a candidate for both teams to score.  Neither team has looked great at the back but both sides possess some decent attacking talent and so both teams to score here could be the best bet.

In the First Division, Wexford will find it tough to get anything from the long trip to Donegal and the fit, hungry Finn Harps can be backed at 4/5 to take all 3 points.

Recommended:
Sligo Rovers -1.5, 1pt 9/11 (Pinnacle)
Bohs-Derry under 2.5 goals, 1pt 8/15 (general)
Shamrock Rovers-Drogheda draw, 1pt 3.91 (Pinnacle)
Dundalk-Limerick both teams to score, 1pt 19/20 (Hills)
Finn Harps, 2pts 4/5 (general)

“Their experience counted when Shelbourne had us pinned back for 20 minutes in the second half,” said Callaghan.

In his first league start for Bohemians Ciaran Nangle (pictured) did “really well, he brought a bit of balance to the team on the left side, and he showed calmness”, according to the manager.

Victory over Shelbourne moved Bohemians out of a group at the bottom of the table and“it was vital to get those three points”, Callaghan noted.

Derry will present formidable opposition, having scored seven goals in their last three games, while conceding none.

“They will be coming to us full of confidence. They have had a good start to the season. We have to make sure our preparation is right and we have to concentrate on our own performance, and make sure we don’t make those errors that cost us against Sligo”, said Callaghan.

Against Shelbourne, a couple of players who were starting regularly were rested, and one or two of those may come in again against Derry.

Michael Barker has joined the injury list with an ankle injury from training. Owen Heary (knee) and Chris Lyons (ankle) remain out.

Callaghan has sought to keep the whole squad tuned up with friendlies, like a short game played on Wednesday at the IT Blanchardstown complex. He has arranged another friendly against Irish Universities for the 11-day period between Friday’s game and the trip to Limerick on 16th April.

The visitors’ midfield trio of Dave Mulcahy, Ryan McEvoy and Stephen Traynor controlled what was often a scrappy affair, with neither side able to fully commit to passes due to the bobbly and uneven Tolka Park pitch.

Following a disappointing defeat but a promising performance against champions Sligo Rovers on Friday, Bohs came out of the blocks all guns blazing against their near-neighbours. Traynor’s slaloming run forced an early corner, which was whipped in by McEvoy. Stephen Paisley, in for the injured Owen Heary, miskicked in the six-yard box, and the ball fell to Devaney, who fired a low drive into the bottom corner of Niall Burdon’s net.

It was the kind of start that Callaghan would have dreamed about, and the Gypsies continued in a confident vein. Ciaran Nangle and Devaney were occupying the flanks to good effect, while the bustling Dave Scully was proving a nuisance to the Shelbourne defence.

The home side’s captain Ian Ryan was booked for a particularly high challenge on Nangle, while Devaney saw yellow for an unfortunate slip that comically clattered former Bohs man Robert “Boccer” Bayly.

Bohs forced a string of first-half corners but just couldn’t quite find a second goal that would have been richly deserved at the break. Devaney could have doubled his tally but for a last-ditch block by Brian Shortall with the goal gaping. Shelbourne, and Philly Hughes in particular, had a couple of half-chances, but Dean Delany was never really troubled.

Whatever Alan Matthews said to his charges at half-time, it definitely worked. The home side were a different animal after the break and Bohs found themselves pinned in their own half. A series of free-kicks and corners brought a couple of good saves from Delany, while Paisley and Roberto Lopes were kept busy by a smattering of long balls into the Bohs box.

One of these was cleared out to Bayly 25 yards out, and he screamed a shot that cannoned back off the crossbar. That seemed to shake Bohs back into life, and the introduction of Dwayne Wilson also relieved some pressure. The gangly and unorthodox Wilson managed to win a few frees with a series of powerful runs, providing much-needed relief to a stretched Bohs back-line.

Bohs got the cushion of an extra man with 20 minutes remaining. Wilson fed Scully in space, and after the striker flicked it past Ian Ryan, he found himself body-checked to the ground. Referee Sutton had no choice but to give Ryan a second yellow. After that, Bohs could well have had a second but for some lax play in the final third.

The excellent Mulcahy marauded forward on more than one occasion, but after he set Wilson through, the sub could only shoot at Burdon’s feet. Bohs saw out the final minutes without incident, and can go into Friday’s televised clash with Derry City with renewed confidence.

Shelbourne: Niall Burdon; Robert Cornwall (Mark Leech, 86), Ian Ryan, Brian Shortall, Jack Memery, Adam Hanlon, Pat Flynn, Paul Crowley, Robert Bayly (Stephen Hurley, 82), Dean Kelly, Philly Hughes. Subs not used: Sean Brennan, Alex Prizeman, Craig Mooney, Darren Tinnelly, Eoin Comerford.

Bohemians: Dean Delany, Derek Pender, Roberto Lopes, Stephen Paisley, Luke Byrne; Ciaran Nangle, Ryan McEvoy, Stephen Traynor (Dwayne Wilson, 64), David Mulcahy; Kevin Devaney (Keith Buckley, 77), Dave Scully. Subs not used: Greg Murray, Shane Murray, Karl Moore, Michael Barker, Andy Mulligan.

Attendance: 1,329

Bohs Man of the Match: Dave Mulcahy

“For long periods of the game I thought we played well, and moved the ball well,” said Callaghan. “The early goal was a kick in the teeth but we responded well and we were back in the game for 25 minutes after that. But we didn’t pass and move it as quickly as we would like and we’ve got to work on that.”

That work begins immediately with Monday’s clash with Shelbourne who have, according to Callaghan, been “performing well, but losing by a goal here or there, rather like us at the start of last season”.

The Bohemian manager fully expects Shelbourne to improve.

“They have a lot of experience through the side with players like Glenn Cronin, Paul Crowley, Graham Gartland and Philly Hughes. But then, every team in this league has the potential to turn over any other.”

Bohs and Shels had exactly the same satisfactory result, a scoreless draw, in their recent matches against Shamrock Rovers, suggesting they may be more closely matched than the league points indicate.

In last season’s encounters, the sides won one match each, both away from home, and drew the third match at Dalymount.

Bohemian goalkeeper Dean Delany and defender Stephen Paisley will be making a quick return to Tolka Park after signing from Shelbourne in the off-season. Paisley made his Bohemian debut on Friday as a half-time substitute for Owen Heary.

Heary, a long-serving and inspirational leader at both clubs, will miss this north Dublin derby due to a knee injury which caused that substitution. Chris Lyons remains out for Bohemians with an ankle injury.

Callaghan welcomed back Dave Mulcahy into the Bohs midfield, with Kevin Devaney leading the line in place of the injured Chris Lyons in a 4-5-1 formation.

In a departure from their usual tactics, Sligo played an orthodox 4-4-2, with Cretaro partnering top scorer Elding up front. But for all their quality, the Bit O’Red were gifted the first goal with barely 90 seconds on the clock.

A deep cross by Ross Gaynor was uncharacteristically misjudged by Owen Heary. Cretaro chested the ball over Heary, but it looked like Roberto Lopes was about to clean up. However, both he and Heary seemed to say “after you”, allowing the Tubbercurry Tornado to poke the league leaders in front. A very sloppy goal from a Bohs point of view.

Credit to Callaghan’s side, the early goal didn’t faze them. They played the better football in the opening periods, with the Dalymount pitch noticeably improved from the draw with Shamrock Rovers. While the surface doesn’t quite lend itself to the flowing passing that Callaghan has instilled, a good April’s growth should see the pitch come back to its best.

An equalizer would have been no more than the Gypsies deserved, and Devaney had a golden chance to do just that on the half hour mark. After sterling work from Derek Pender down the right, Stephen Traynor clipped a lovely ball through. Devaney’s shot was at the angle of the six yard box, but he fired wide at the near post instead of shooting across goal.

Just when Bohs were asserting their dominance, another old boy popped up with a sucker punch. Aaron Greene received the ball on the edge of the box from Alan Keane with his back to goal. Their seemed to be little danger with Lopes tight to the winger, but with a quick turn flash of his left boot, Bohs were suddenly two down. His 20 yard effort went in off Dean Delany’s near post. The Bohs keeper had no chance.

Despite the deficit, Bohs continued to play the kind of football that will surely serve them well throughout the season. McEvoy and Traynor were again impressive, with Luke Byrne continuing to show why he’s so well thought of at Dalymount. Half time came at a bad time for Callaghan’s charges who were well on top when the whistle went.

Captain Heary, who had suffered a torrid first half, was replaced by Stephen Paisley for the second period. With a game against Shelbourne on Monday, Bohs will be hoping that the 37 year old’s knock isn’t too serious.

Sligo soaked up all Bohs second half pressure with the experience of Champions. Evan McMillan was particularly solid. Devaney struggled against the former Bohs and UCD defender. Dave Scully arrived to bolster the Bohs attack, but they could do little to break down the Sligo banks of four. The visitors sealed the victory with one final devastating counter in the 70^th minute. Lee Lynch snet Cretaro through down the right, and his delightful clipped cross found Elding un-marked at the back post. The league’s top scorer made no mistake, heading his 8^th goal in 7 games for the Bit O’Red.

Bohs don’t have long to reflect on this defeat, with a Dublin Derby in Tolka Park looming on Easter Monday. The perfect tonic for a team looking to bounce back.

Bohemians: Dean Delany, Derek Pender, Owen Heary (Stephen Paisley, 46), Roberto Lopes (Darragh Hanaphy, 83), Luke Byrne, Keith Buckley, Dave Mulcahy, Stephen Traynor, Ryan McEvoy, Karl Moore (Dave Scully, 59), Kevin Devaney. Subs not used: Greg Murray, Michael Barker, Shane Murray, Ciaran Nangle.

Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers, Alan Keane, Jeff Henderson, Evan McMillan, Ross Gaynor, Ryan Connolly (Kieran Djallili, 60), David Cawley, Lee Lynch, Aaron Greene (Pascal Millien, 79), Raffaele Cretaro (Liam Martin, 87), Anthony Elding. Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Iarfhlaith Davoren, Hugh McFadden, Marty Owens

Bohs Man of the Match: Luke Byrne