Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm that academy graduate Chris Lotefa has signed his first professional contract with the club.

The forward, 18, came to Bohs from partner club St Kevin’s as a schoolboy and progressed right through the Bohemians academy from U15 to U19 level.

He made his senior debut as a late substitute against Finn Harps in September and has tasted first-team action this season too with a standout performance against Crumlin United in the Leinster Senior Cup.

First-team manager Declan Devine said: “I am delighted for Chris. He is a player who has been around the first-team panel way before I came here.

“As well as congratulating Chris, I have to congratulate the academy staff and all the coaches who have helped him get to this point.

“He is a fantastic young talent. He is very dynamic, he is very tricky. He knows he has further to go and it will only benefit him being around the first-team group of players – good people who will help him reach the next level.

“Before I came to the club, I saw him come on against Finn Harps up in Ballybofey and he had a goal very harshly ruled out, and he played in our last round of the Leinster Senior Cup against Crumlin recently and was the best player on the pitch.”

Lotefa said: “I am really delighted. This is a proud day for me and it is a proud day for my family too.

“I feel I have worked hard to get to this point. It has been a great journey to get here and now I want to work even harder to push on more again and do everything I can to play for Bohs.

“I know that there are young players, including friends of mine, who have been given first-team opportunities at Bohs so I will work hard to make sure I am ready when given an opportunity.”

Head of Academy Craig Sexton said: “Chris came from St Kevin’s and right through the academy system.

“We are delighted that the pathway has opened up for him to progress to the first team.

“Declan has given him a great opportunity to develop both as a footballer and a person in a full-time first-team environment.

“We are very proud of his progress so far and for all the coaches who have helped him in his development so far.”

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday May 5 2023
Tallaght Stadium, 7.45pm

Declan Devine believes his side have learnt lessons from their last Dublin Derby and says Bohemians know the level of performance they must deliver to get a result in Tallaght.

Bohs go into the game top of the table with four points separating them and tomorrow’s opponents in second.

Their hosts have lost just once this season and come into this game after impressive back-to-back wins against Sligo Rovers, St Pat’s and Derry City.

Bohs cross town with their tails up too as well after a convincing 5-0 against 10-man Cork City on May Day.

Devine was delighted with the response of his side in that game, having frustratingly conceded a late equaliser in a below-par performance away to UCD on Monday.

He said: “It was important to start the match positively. It would have been easy at five o’clock on a Bank Holiday Monday after the disappointment of conceding late on Friday to start slowly and sluggishly.

“But that is something we spoke to the players about and full credit to them, they started really well. Their ability to be patient and move the ball was excellent.

“And sometimes when you are playing against 10 men, it is not as easy as people think. You look at our performance with 10 men against St Pat’s, you look at Sligo with 10 men against St Pat’s. So the way we won the game was very pleasing.

“Again, we got three goals from our subs. That is the fourth game in a row that players coming off the bench have scored. That is a real ace up your sleeve to have – quality players who can come on and really influence a performance and result.

“Throughout the season we have shown great character and we have scored 14 goals in our first six home games. We want to score goals at home and we want to entertain.

“Some of the football we have played in the early part of the season has been pleasing. We have gone away from home and dug out clean sheets too.

“It is finding that happy medium going out to Tallaght to get a positive performance and a positive result.”

That game could have gone so differently were it not for James Talbot’s world class save after 27 seconds from Ruairi Keating’s free header.

Devine, himself a former goalkeeper, hailed his No 1, and said: “That’s not surprising from James. The only surprising thing was the fact we gave them that opportunity to score in the first place.

“James has been an outstanding player for this club and he will continue to be in the years to come.

“A really pleasing thing for me was we have Keith Buckley as captain, Jordan Flores as vice-captain, and when neither of those have played, Adam McDonnell has captained the side.

“But to see Jordan Flores coming off, and take the decision himself to run to James and give him the armband, I think that shows the esteem in which James is held by his fellow players.”

Devine was also relieved to see the return of Jordan Flores from suspension and Ali Coote from injury. The former opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick, while the latter helped himself to two goals having been introduced as a second-half substitute.

During his brief absence, Flores and his partner celebrated the arrival of their daughter Sophia and Devine said: “He and his partner have just had a baby girl.

“It’s a fantastic time in his life – his second child, and it is so important that family life is good and strong.

“Jordan is a wonderful person and everyone at the club is delighted for him – the boys all chipped in to buy them a nice present that Bucko presented to them last week.

“Having Jordan back in from the start against Cork was massive for us. He has been a top, top player for a long, long time. He has really hit the ground running this season too.

“Ali, Jordan and James Akintunde would be massive losses for any squad but thankfully we have had big performances and have been able to pick up results without them too.”

Underlining what a loss Coote was to the team, his form prior to being struck down with a thigh injury saw him named the SSE Airtricity / Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for March.

Devine said: “Ali has really lit it up this season. He is a very talented lad and it is great to have him back. He is instrumental to how we want to play.

“But we also have to understand that he hasn’t played in three or four weeks and we have to see how he is.

“He was actually very sick over the weekend. He was very doubtful for Monday as, having returned to training at the start of the week, he didn’t train with the group over the weekend because of illness.

“So for him to come in and perform how he did was brilliant. The threat he can pose to teams is very important to us.

“He is going to be massive for us with so many games coming up in the next few weeks before the break – as will James Akintunde when we get him back in the next week or so.”

Devine believes his side have learned lessons from their previous Dublin Derby against Rovers, which ended in a 2-0 defeat at Dalymount last month.

Devine added: “We have come a long way in a short space of time. It is only 20 weeks since we finished sixth last season.

“But there is a lot to learn from the last time we played them. To give away a goal in the 46th minute of the first half was a big blow for us having dealt with the opening 25/30 minutes being on top, creating chances, and being positive in our approach.

“As a new group we have to accept and realise that we are going to have setbacks. But this is another game where we really want to go and perform to our highest levels. We want to win. We have played positively away in other games in difficult venues.

“This is another difficult venue, and we go into this game with our eyes wide open.

“We want to play to the highest level we can. We certainly won’t be going there to sit back. We have got to go there and try to attack, and be better defensively than what we were when we played them at home.

“We know the intensity we have to bring to this game and we know what it means to players, players’ families and supporters. But ultimately it is just another opportunity for us to try to get another three points.

“We have got to bring our A game and we know if we can do that, we will do ourselves justice because we have players that can hurt any team.”

TEAM NEWS

This game is likely to come too soon for James Akintunde (hamstring).

Bohemians can confirm that goalkeeper Reece Byrne will join English Premier League side Newcastle United this summer for an undisclosed fee.

The 18-year-old will leave having helped the Bohs U19s to Enda McGuill Cup success last year, having made his first-team debut against Dundalk last October, and having featured in the Ireland U19s’ Uefa European Championships qualifying campaign.

Wishing Reece the very best of luck in his future career, manager Declan Devine said: “It’s a fantastic move for the boy.

“It’s not every day you get the chance to sign for a giant in the Premier League and that’s what Newcastle are.

“When I came in I gave him his first-team debut against Dundalk and I thought he did very well.

“This is the next step for him. He wants to get across to England and play at the highest level he can.

“His development is a testament to the academy staff and what they have done with him over the last number of years and providing him with the platform to go on and play first-team football. They deserve enormous credit.

“We will all look on with great interest to see how his career progresses.”

Bohemians Head of Academy Craig Sexton said: “We are delighted for Reece and wish him every success with the move.

“He has shown what he is capable of, performing really well at U19 level both for the club and for his country, to the point that he was given an opportunity in the first team.

“He has great ability to push on now, and his development is a testament to the hard work of the coaches working in our academy.”

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday April 28 2023, UCD Bowl, 7.45pm

Declan Devine says Bohemians need to bring the right attitude and intensity to Belfield tomorrow if they want to beat UCD.

It is top against bottom at the UCD Bowl but Devine says his side cannot afford to underestimate any team in this league.

Devine said: “We had a very difficult game against them when we played them at home. I expect nothing different.

“We will take a big crowd there and I ask our fans to come out and really get behind the team and generate the kind of atmosphere we had in Drogheda, the Brandywell and Sligo.

“I ask every fan to help us because it can be a difficult venue – UCD always go on a run, every year, and we have got to make sure we go there with the right attitude and intensity.

“If we can get our fans to push us on, it will be a massive help for us.”

His side come into this game on the back of a 2-0 win away to Drogheda United last week, which extended their lead at the top of the table to five points.

Bohs started that game at full pelt, and their pressure paid off when Paddy Kirk claimed his second goal of the season on 17 minutes.

Drogheda came out all guns blazing in the second half, however, and piled bodies forward in search of an equaliser.

Bohs stood firm though, and Declan McDaid swooped to put the game beyond doubt in injury-time.

Devine said: “I think for half an hour of the game we were fantastic – the opening period where we moved the ball really well.

“If you look back at Paddy’s goal, it was a fantastic team goal. We worked it in from one side, switched play, a really good effort from the edge of the box and then Paddy does magnificently well to score.

“One of the things said about us last season was that we were a bit soft in our defending but we showed great improvement in that regard against Drogheda.

“The players showed great willingness to defend on the back of disappointing goals conceded against St Pat’s the week previously, so I have nothing but praise for them.

“Every three points in this league are difficult to get and when you play so well for the opening 20 minutes and move the ball so well, and then Drogheda, who are a good side, come after you, I am pleased that we stood firm against that.

“There are going to be games where mistakes happen – any team in this league is capable of scoring against anyone. We just have to make sure we are as defensively solid as we can be and do our jobs for every second of the game.

“There are going to be ups and downs. The biggest compliment I can give our players is that they have always responded after a low.

“We took our defeat against St Pat’s on the chin and went up to a very difficult venue, won and kept a clean sheet.”

Devine was particularly delighted that father-to-be McDaid soaked in the atmosphere when he sealed all three points in the fourth minute of injury-time.

He said: “Declan has had great news – his partner is going to have a baby soon.

“You see from the enjoyment on his face in Drogheda, when he grabbed the ball and ran to the crowd, that this is an important time in his life.

“To have that emotion and that feeling when he got the goal, to be able to run to that magnificent support, I am just delighted for him.

“We asked for that relationship between players and supporters, and I feel the players are giving supporters something to cheer about.

“The supporters have really bought into the desire and work ethic of the team. Long may that continue.”

Devine was also pleased that the opening goal came once again from one of his defenders.

He said: “If you look through the group, defence have chipped in with five goals, midfield have chipped in with six goals, and our attackers have chipped in with six goals.

“There’s a massive spread. Whenever teams set up against us, they try to block off certain avenues of our attacking play, but we have shown that we have others across the team who can chip in, which is really pleasing.

“I still feel we can add more to our game but I would bite your hand off for that return.”

He joked that the only position that has not chipped in with a goal so far is his goalkeeper.

But that could have changed when James Talbot misheard instructions from the dugout and raced up to the opposition’s box when Bohs, trailing St Pat’s 3-2 a fortnight ago, won a free-kick in injury time a fortnight ago.

Devine added: “I told him to go up and take the kick but he misheard me and I look around and he’s running past defenders in their 18-yard box. I thought, ‘Jesus Christ! There’s about six minutes left’.”

TEAM NEWS

Ali Coote (thigh) returned to training this week and will be assessed before the game.

James Akintune (hamstring) and Jay Benn (calf) are out, while Jordan Flores is suspended.

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday April 21 2023
Weavers Park, 7.45pm

Declan Devine has demanded intensity from start to finish from his Bohemians players against Drogheda United tomorrow night and says their eyes are wide open about how tough a game it will be.

Last time out, Bohs lost 3-2 at home to St Patrick’s Athletic. A cracking strike from Adam McDonnell had given Devine’s men the lead in the 14th minute.

But they were carved open far too easily in a crazy 12-minute spell where they conceded three times before going down to 10 men on the stroke of half-time when Jordan Flores was given his marching orders.

Despite that mountain to climb, they had the Saints on the ropes in the second half and will have been disappointed not to have got anything out of the game having pulled one back through substitute Dean Williams.

Now Devine wants to see that second-half performance replicated for the full 90 minutes when his side travel to Weavers Park tomorrow to face a Drogheda side who, like Bohs, have lost just three of their opening 10 games.

Devine said: “We played at our levels in the second half. I don’t think there was anything surprising about that, that has to be the starting point.

“That has to be the intensity we play at all the time whether it’s 10 men or 11 men or first half or second half. So the second half was pleasing, but it has to be the norm from the start.

“That kind of intensity has brought us a lot of joy this year. We have to understand that they are the levels we have to reach for every minute of every game.

“There were a lot of positives. The 15-minute period in the first half where we conceded the three goals has to be a once-off.

“It is something we have discussed and is something we have to take on board; that is the nature of this league. If you lose concentration, then it will cause you problems.

“We have hopefully learned from that. We have experienced it, and we have to make sure we don’t let it happen again.”

Despite his frustration with that first half performance, he is full of praise for their positive start to the season, which sees them four points clear at the top of the table, and is thoroughly enjoying working with the group of players he has assembled.

Devine said: “We have to understand that we are such a new group that there will be rollercoasters; highs and lows. We are all finding out about each other, and it has been very, very positive.

“I love coming in everyday and working with this group. But we are going to have days where we have to do ugly stuff well.

“Things aren’t always going to be plain sailing, and when it’s not plain sailing, we have to have that ability to dig in and grind out.

“These boys fill me with energy, they fill me with happiness. They are so together. I know they will be hurting more than anybody about last week.

“But when we win a game, we put it to the back of our minds. And when we lose a game, we put it to the back of our minds.

“After we discussed it, it was put to the back of our minds. Now we are completely focused on going to Drogheda and trying to win.

“We have a lot of boys pushing to start. We have boys eager to play whether they start or whether they come on.

“We have had 11 different goalscorers in all competitions this year in 11 games. That in itself shows you the strength right through our squad and our ability to get goals from anywhere on the pitch. That is really pleasing, but we have to keep going.”

But that will be easier said than done against Kevin Doherty’s Drogheda side who have once again put it up to teams this season.

Devine added: “They are a very good side. They are a side that have impressed me this year. Even when we played them at home, we were fortunate to come out on the right side of the result.

“Especially at home, Kevin will have them really well drilled. They have a lot of experience in their team in Gary Deegan and Ryan Brennan. They have added a lot of exciting players, and Darragh Markey is a very talented boy.

“They are working really hard to get results, and have been really impressive in the opening series of games.

“We have discussed where we think we can have joy, and we have also discussed where they can hurt us.

“But we are going in with our eyes wide open – we are facing a difficult team at a difficult venue.”

TEAM NEWS

Ali Coote (thigh) and James Akintunde (hamstring) are doubts. Jordan Flores is suspended.

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday April 14 2023, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm

Declan Devine believes his players have the belief and desire to build on their positive start to the season.

Bohemians bounced back from Good Friday’s Dublin derby defeat to Shamrock Rovers, with Dean Williams’ penalty enough to give his side victory against Derry City in the Brandywell on Easter Monday.

That win extended Bohs’ lead at the top of the table to six points and made it seven wins from their opening nine games.

Devine said: “We have a really tight group, who are really close together. They came in on Saturday morning and the defeat was still hurting as you would expect.

“But I think they guys knew we had underperformed. We let the game affect us mentally, and we just wanted to learn from that, get up to Derry on the Monday and show what we are capable of.

“We didn’t defend well against Shamrock Rovers. We attacked them well at certain points but we did not defend well enough.

“Our willingness to defend was something we have been good at this year and that’s what was disappointing in the Rovers game.

“We spoke about that, freshened things up with four new faces for the Derry game. The guys who came in did really well, it was a real team performance.

“Dean Williams has been flying in training but has had the best striker in the league ahead of him. Dean came in and scored the winner and showed again how good he can be for us.

“Kris Twardek has been an outstanding player over the years, has been outstanding in training too and came in and did really well.

“Jay Benn is getting fitter by the week and came in and his match sharpness was first class.

“James Clarke, who was probably Bohs’ best player after he came in last season, came in and showed again that he will have a huge role for us.

“There is serious competition and everyone wants to play. That is without James McManus who has not started the last couple of games, who was probably one of our best players this season, John O’Sullivan has come on in recent games and done really well.

“We have Jordan Flores coming back now which is a tremendous asset. Keith Buckley has come back and had a massive performance in Derry. Then you have people like Adam McDonnell who has been a constant 9/10 in every game.

“I am so happy with the squad – we were without James Akintunde and Ali Coote. But our squad has pace and power, technical ability, physical ability.”

The latter was today named as SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for March, and Devine could not hide his delight for his star man.

He said: “I am really proud of Ali. I have a lot of happiness for him. I am so happy for him. His work ethic has been outstanding.

“His work that he puts in off the ball has been as important as when he has been on the ball. His assists and his goals have been so important for us too.

“He is a pleasure to work with and the award is fully deserved.

“He has been the best player in the league, and it is important that our players enjoy individual success as well as collective success.”

Being without such key performers meant Monday’s win all the more pleasing.

Devine said: “Our work ethic was outstanding. To win in places like the Brandywell is brilliant. We defended from front to back – our attacking players had to plug a lot of gaps – and our midfield expended a lot of energy.

“I listened to some reports of the game saying that Brian Maher didn’t have a save to make, but James Talbot barely had a save to make until injury time either.

“We felt comfortable in the game. Our goalkeeper didn’t have a save to make until the 95th minute, and we didn’t have balls cleared off lines.

“It wasn’t backs-to-the-wall in the way it has been reported. It was a battle in midfield with defences on top. It certainly was not a smash-and-grab but we showed great resilience, and keeping clean sheets away from home gives you a platform to win.

“It was really pleasing. We have been outstanding on the road this year, and that has given the players great belief. We have seven wins from nine, which is a good start. But we want to keep improving. We want to get the eighth now.”

Bohs beat tomorrow’s opposition the last time they met as goals from Afolabi and Williams gave them a 2-1 victory in Inchicore.

But the Saints have had an upturn in form since, and Devine says his side will have to be at their very best once more to claim victory.

He said: “St Pat’s are on a good run of form. Their results have been very positive – they have won three on the spin.

“They are a good team. They were a good team when we played them the last time. They have a really good squad of players.

“In every game we have got to work as hard as we possibly can and this will be a very tough game that we will be ready for.

“The games cannot come quick enough for our players at the minute. They are loving playing for the club. They are loving the atmosphere that our supporters are generating.

“I have managed and coached in the Brandywell for a hell of a long time and it’s the biggest and best away crowd I have ever seen in the ground in my career.

“Our fans have been magnificent, absolutely magnificent. They have been incredible in getting the team across the line. The players are bouncing off the fans right now.”

That bond was evident from the many videos and photos circulated online following a chance meeting between the players and fans making their way home from Derry on Monday.

Devine said: “We actually met a bus load at a petrol station in Monaghan on the way home. It was incredibly pleasing for me to see the togetherness of the players and fans, and them all relating with each other, singing together, and just enjoying the moment. It was special.”

TEAM NEWS

James Akintunde (hamstring) remains out, while Ali Coote (thigh) is a doubt.

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Monday April 10 2023
Ryan McBride Stadium, 7pm

Declan Devine says his Bohemians players have to take Friday’s Dublin derby defeat on the chin as they try to get back to winning ways away to his hometown club Derry City tonight.

Bohs started brightly against Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount, creating goal-scoring opportunities in a lively opening 25-minute period.

But they conceded at one of the worst possible times – a minute before half-time – and struggled in the second half as Rovers added another to win 2-0.

Tonight’s opponents’ defeat to Drogheda United kept Bohs top of the table on Friday night but they face a tough task remaining there at the Ryan McBride Stadium tonight.

Devine said: “The boys have come to difficult venues, played in difficult circumstances at times and up to now have been superb.

“We have to take Friday’s result on the chin and go to Derry and do all we can to get a result.

“We have players hurting but there is a long way to go.

“There are a lot of other clubs that would like to be sitting where we are in terms of points return from the opening lump of games.

“Whether the result on Friday was a win, lose or draw, you have to put that behind you and get ready for the next one. That’s what we have done.

“We have good lads and good players. But we have to strive to get better to make sure that in the real tight games, we defend better than we did on Friday.

“We are not very happy with certain aspects of the game but we have to learn.

“A lot of players were playing in their first Dublin derby and we have got to understand that these are things we have to make sure we can rectify as the season goes on. These are fine margins in games.

“When we are on top in the opening period, where the crowd is right behind us, if we can take one of those chances and put it in the back of the net, that gives us the lift we need at that time.

“We have to psychologically learn from the goal we conceded. You take your 1-0 and make sure you don’t concede a second.

“I just think it was one that we nearly felt a wee bit sorry for ourselves because we had been on top so much for the opening period.

“We have to learn that these things happen in the game and we have to understand you dust yourself down and be ready for the next game.

“We are just trying to make sure we get better week in, week out.”

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday April 7 2023, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm
Live on Virgin Media 2

Declan Devine takes charge of his first Dublin derby against Shamrock Rovers as Bohemians manager this evening and says there is more to come from his side.

With six wins from their opening seven games, Bohs sit on top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division table. Devine is not getting carried away, but is relishing tonight’s game.

He said: “We can’t wait. I have been fortunate to be in the game for a long time and these are the kind of games you want to be involved in.

“I’ve been involved with games against PSG, Gothenburg, Celtic and Rangers, but a Dublin derby, being involved with Bohemians and getting to know the club and its people over the past few months, is something I am really looking forward to and the players are looking forward to.

“It’s another game, nothing will be decided other than three points. But we want a performance that represents this football club and everyone involved in it.

“We have had a positive start, and it still galls me that we have lost one, albeit with 10 men. We need to continue to grow and improve, and the players can take huge belief from their performances so far, never mind results.

“If we continue that level of performance, work ethic and desire, along with the togetherness of the fans behind us, then there is no reason why we cannot continue to push on.

“Nothing surprises me with these players because I’ve seen it from day dot. I thought our recruitment was spot on. We brought in players with good experience, but also with a real technical ability.

“There were also very good players already here. You look at Jonathan Afolabi, look at Ali Coote. Ali, for me, has been the best player in the league over the course of the last six or seven weeks.

“We treat each game the same and we do our homework on opposition exactly the same.

“But we are not naive. This game is different. We have told the players and shown them clips of previous games so they know what to expect in terms of atmosphere and intensity.

“The players are well versed. They are used to playing in front of sell-out crowds at Dalymount, so that is a huge plus going into this game too.

“But I expect the game to be 100 miles an hour, for it to be intense, but that is how we want to approach every game.

“We know we are up against a tough opponent but that is fine, we have played other tough opponents already too. We just have to make sure we take care of our own mentality and our own tactics when we take to the pitch.”
Bohs come into tonight’s game after a hard-fought win away to Sligo Rovers last Saturday.

Devine added: “Sligo are a good side. Rovers and Pat’s have gone to Sligo and haven’t won. The pitch wasn’t great and didn’t allow us to play the way we wanted to play.

“But I thought we grew into the game really well. Our ability to defend and do the ugly bits well gave us a platform to go and win the game with a late goal.

“It is very pleasing that for such a new group, that they didn’t allow their heads to drop. We enjoyed the win. You have got to enjoy every win. But we are not getting carried away.

“I looked towards the end of the game at the fans, singing the Auld Triangle, and it was passionate. You want that passion, you need that passion.

“We want that togetherness and when our fans are enjoying it, we want to enjoy it with them, because there will be days when it’s tough so when the fans really get behind you like they did once again in Sligo, you want to recognise that. We all have a role to play in trying to achieve success.”

TEAM NEWS

Keith Buckley (calf) and Jordan Flores (quad) are doubts.

Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm that midfielder James McManus has signed a new and improved multi-year contract with the club.

Having come through at partner club St Kevin’s Boys and the Bohemian FC academy, McManus, who turned 18 last month, broke into the first team last season, making his league debut against UCD in April 2022, and went on to make 13 league appearances last term.

He has pushed on further this season, and has not looked out of place, playing a starring role in the five games he has played for Declan Devine’s side so far in this campaign.

Devine said: “I am extremely pleased that we are in a position to reward James’ contribution to the team with a new and improved contract.

“He is an incredible prospect as anyone who has seen him play will know. We want to keep our best young players for as long as we can and I have no doubt that James can go on and play at the highest level.

“Every player and member of staff loves working with him. He is grounded, is a class act and is very brave in his approach to games.

“He is turning a lot of heads as we knew he would, and we hope that we can help him develop further in the coming seasons and I see him playing an integral part as we strive to improve and get to where we want to be as a team.”

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Saturday April 1 2023, The Showgrounds, 7.45pm

Declan Devine says his Bohemians players have spent the international break working hard together to build on their impressive start to the season.

Five wins from six saw Bohs top the table going into this weekend’s series of games but Devine believes they will have to be at their very best to beat Sligo Rovers in the Showgrounds.

He said: “We want more, and we want to get better. We are just six games into a long season but the response from the players, staff and everyone has been very pleasing.

“The break has been important for us for a number of reasons.

“It allowed us to get a couple of the lads back, and we hadn’t previously had much time to work on certain aspects of our defending because some of the players we brought in came to the club so late in the transfer window.

“But we have had time now over the past couple of weeks to work on that side of things. Attacking-wise, we have been very good, and now we want to pull it all together.

“The break allowed those lads who came to the club late in the window opportunities to get away for a couple of days too; head home, see their families and parents, and have a bit more preparation in terms of moving here and settling in properly.

“But after those couple of days off, we were all back at it full pelt. We have been in everyday, players have had double sessions, and they have been enjoying working with each other on the training pitch.

“It was important, after a busy start to the season, that we had 10/11 days to really work with the players. Hopefully we will see the benefits of that now.

“There is a serious fight for positions, there is a real energy about the place, and we will need that as games are coming thick and fast.

“We have great flexibility within the group and we have players who haven’t had much playing time but that will change when you look at the schedule coming up.

“But our sole focus now is going to Sligo and trying to win at a very difficult venue.”

Although the season is only in its infancy, Bohs have already enjoyed a couple of enjoyable performances away from home this year.

Devine said: “We have been good on the road so far – going to difficult venues like Turner’s Cross and Richmond Park and winning, and were unfortunate in Tolka Park when we were down to 10 men.

“But this is another huge test for us going to the Showgrounds in front of a full house on a Saturday night.

“It is a game that every single person at the club is looking forward to – the games cannot come quick enough for us, and we have to embrace them.

“Sligo have good players. John Russell has them playing a completely different brand of football to what they had been playing.

“They have been formidable at home. They beat St Pat’s with 10 men, scored a last-minute equaliser against Shamrock Rovers, and went to the Brandwell and drew.

“They have been performing really well in big games so we know that it is a really difficult fixture where we will have to be at our very best.”

Bohs come into the game on the back of a 2-1 win against UCD a fortnight ago. A difficult first half saw Bohs go in at the break a goal down having had a perfectly good goal from Johnny Afolabi ruled out, while Ali Coote missed a penalty.

While heads were bowed coming off the pitch, the players responded to the great encouragement they received from the Dalymount faithful as second half goals from Paddy Kirk and man-of-the-match Coote saw Bohs claim all three points to remain top of the table.

Devine said: “There were a lot of positives to take from the game. We suffered a lot of setbacks in the first half – a goal disallowed, missing a penalty and going a goal behind – but we showed great resilience in how we went out and attacked the second half.

“We have good footballers and good characters who work hard on a daily basis, so it was pleasing to get the next goal and to build on that very quickly to get the second.

“But we have to learn from the game too – we want to put teams to bed. We do not want to be holding on in the last five/six minutes of games.

“The most pleasing thing was fans and players staying together as a group to get the three points.

“Coming off at half-time, the players were a bit flat but the fans were magic and gave them an enormous lift.

“Our fans have been absolutely brilliant and our players have responded. They have given them something to enjoy so far and long may it continue.

“We need energy in the stands and we need energy on the pitch.

“There are going to be times in games when things aren’t going so well. Like times against UCD, like times against Drogheda, like times against Cork; our fans were needed to get us across the line.

“No doubt on Saturday there will be times where we will be under pressure and that is where we need our fans the most.

“It was the same at the first game of the season down in Cork. We were under serious pressure in the last 10/15 minutes and I looked around to the crowd and they got going again for us.

“You need that in those difficult moments even more than when you are on top. That is what we have had so far this year – the reaction between the fans and players.

“We all get our rewards then when we score goals, and you can see how much it means then from the reaction of the players running to celebrate with our fans.”

TEAM NEWS

Bohemians have a full squad to choose from.