Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm the signing of centre-back Leigh Kavanagh from Brighton on a multi-year contract.

The 20-year-old joins after spending four years with Brighton having previously come through the Bray Wanderers Academy, making his first-team debut in 2020, before which he played schoolboy football at St Joseph’s and St Kevin’s.

Subject to International Transfer Certificate (ITC), Kavanagh will be eligible for Thursday’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division game away to Galway United.

Manager Alan Reynolds said: “Leigh is coming back home to relaunch his career and we are delighted to have him on board because he is a really exciting young prospect.

“He is a very highly regarded centre-back, who has been on the bench for the first team at Brighton. He fits the age profile and type of player we want to bring to the club.

“He’s young, he’s hungry, good on the ball, and a really good defender. We are looking forward to getting to work with him.”

Kavanagh said: “I am a ball-playing centre-half and I feel I am aggressive, passionate and will do everything to win and get three points every week.

“Bohs is a huge club. The stadium is packed out every week, so Bohs caught the eye straight away when I heard the club was interested.

“Alan Reynolds and Stephen O’Donnell spoke to me about the plans they have here and how they want the team to evolve, and I want to be a part of that.

“I have looked at players’ pathways coming back to the League of Ireland from the UK, and I believe coming into Bohs and into the full-time set-up here will really help me progress as a player.”

There were some familiar faces when joins up with the squad, with Kavanagh adding: “I grew up playing with and against Cian Byrne. When I was with St Joseph’s, he was with Lourdes and then we played together for a year at St Kevin’s, so I am looking forward to playing alongside him again.

“I know Brian McManus well too, and he spoke very highly of the club and the set-up.

“I also spoke with Jamie Mullins, who is at Brighton now having come through at Bohs, and he gave me a real feel for the club, and I also spoke to players with the Ireland U21s who told me about Alan Reynolds and how he wants to work, so I can’t wait to get started.”

Alan Reynolds hopes the mid-season break can act as a reset for Bohemians as they look to get back to winning ways and to push back up the table.

Bohs headed into the break on a sour note when they conceded an injury-time goal to lose 2-1 to Derry City at Dalymount Park a fortnight ago.

That defeat leaves Bohs in eighth position in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division, albeit with games in hand, in many cases several, on all the teams ahead of them.

Reynolds has been busy making changes to his squad in recent weeks as he looks to tackle the second half of the season head-on.

Bart Kukulowicz, Michael Lilander and Sten Reinkort all had their contracts terminated by mutual consent, while Luke Matheson returned to Bolton Wanderers after his loan spell came to an end.

One major arrival was announced last week, with Ross Tierney returning from Motherwell. He featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly against TNS at the Oscar Traynor Centre on Monday, where Filip Piszczek scored both of Bohs’ goals in a 2-1 win, but he will have to wait until the transfer window opens on Monday before he can play in a competitive game.

Reynolds expects to announce further additions in the coming weeks but for now, his focus has turned to getting the better of his former mentor Stephen Kenny at Richmond Park.

Tomorrow’s opposition are three points ahead of Reynolds’ men but have played four games more, and St Pat’s come into this game buoyed by a 96th-minute winner at home to Shamrock Rovers a fortnight ago.

Reynolds said: “Stephen will have St Pat’s well prepared but we will be as well. We have our own game-plan and we have worked on a lot of things.

“Richmond Park is a great place to play football and there should be a great atmosphere, so everyone is looking forward to it after last weekend off.

“St Pat’s had a good result, scoring in the last minute, so they went into the break thriving on that so I’m sure Stephen will be looking to build on that.”

Reynolds comes into this game having addressed 250 of the club’s members at a members forum on Wednesday where he was joined by assistant manager Stephen O’Donnell and first-team coach Derek Pender.

It was the first opportunity for Reynolds to meet with the club’s members after his appointment at the end of March.

He said: “It was important to do. It was something that we wanted to do since I came in and we felt after the mid-season break was the right time to do it.

“It’s easy to do those things when things are going well but there is frustration there, which we get. There is frustration from everybody, so it was important to have that first conversation with our members and tell them what we are here to do.

“We know where we want to go. There is a short-term plan and a long-term plan. We want to change the culture here, and we are working on it.

“It’s going to take a little bit of time. We are chipping away with new signings, which is something we discussed with the members last night, but they have to be the right signings. That is the important thing. I know what type of player I want to bring to the club.

“We want good players with the right attitude and desire to get to where we want to be. We have brought Ross Tierney in, we finally got Jake Carroll playing before the break, and we are looking at more because we know we have to add to what we have here.

“Ross fits the mould of the type of player we want to bring in, and Jake brings the kind of experience at the back that we need. He is serious about his football and a model professional, similar to Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall, who we have really missed this year.

“We want to build on what we have and build a team that has passion and real energy about it. That’s what I want and I believe that’s what this club wants.

“Listening to our members, I think they understand the phase we are in. There is frustration but they know we are working at bringing the right players in and at getting things right.

“We have got to stick together to swing it around. I am confident we will, and that we will be in a stronger place united together.”

Team news

Bohs are likely to be without Declan McDaid and Dylan Connolly.

Brian McManus, James McManus, Rob Cornwall and Keith Buckley remain out.

Bohemian FC is delighted to announce the appointment of Trevor Croly as Academy Director.

Croly will bring a wealth of experience to the role with almost 20 years of League of Ireland coaching experience.

He served as assistant manager to the Bohemians under Keith Long from 2017 until 2022 and since then has served as the club’s U19/U20s team manager and as lead academy coach.

Prior to his arrival at Dalymount Park, Croly served as manager at Shamrock Rovers having previously served as assistant manager at Rovers and at St Patrick’s Athletic.

As part of the role, Croly will be a key part of a new Strategic Footballing Group that will comprise three senior football staff members of both Bohemians and St Kevin’s FC. This group will work closely on new players joining the academy and the U13 and U14 teams.

Croly said: “I am really looking forward to the role of Academy Director. The objective of the role from a player’s perspective is to provide young players with the best expertise, environment and opportunity to maximise their talent.

“The objective from the club’s perspective is to provide the first team with the best young talent in the country who can play in the Bohemian first team, and with the potential and ambition to play at the very highest level.

“I am in the privileged position to understand a rich part of Bohemian Football Club’s history has always been providing talented young footballers with first team opportunities that later lead to the potential of at the highest level and of receiving international recognition.

“From Billy Young and Turlough O’Connor, right through to the present day, Bohemian Football Club have constantly provided young players with opportunities.

“I have had the privilege of experiencing firsthand the benefits of guiding young players through our own underage system through to the first team.

“Over recent years we have had players such as Andy Lyons, Paddy Kirk, Warren O’Hora, Seán Grehan, Dawson Devoy, Ross Tierney, Jamie Mullins, Danny Grant, Ryan Graydon, Promise Omochere, James McManus, Cian Byrne and Evan Ferguson progressing to our first team from the academy system.

“An exciting part of the role is the exceptionally talented players we presently have within the academy, combined with an exceptionally talented and driven group of scouts and coaches that are working relentlessly to add more talent and to develop the talent we have further.

“When you merge talented players, a highly motivated group of academy staff together with the purchase and development of the Oscar Traynor Complex, it is an exciting time to work in the Bohemian Football Club Academy.”

Director of Football Pat Fenlon said: “The club have invested resources into getting back to a place where we can now be confident that we can attract the best young talent in the country to the club’s academy and have the right structures in place to ensure that they have the coaching expertise, support and facilities to help them push on as footballers capable of establishing themselves in our first teams.

“The work going on in the background by the club to develop the facilities at the Oscar Traynor Centre cannot be overstated and will provide the club with the strongest possible platform to develop our academy system into one of the best in the country.

“Key to those objectives is having the right personnel within our academy, which is why Trevor Croly is an extremely important appointment.

“Not only does Trevor have years of experience as a coach operating at the highest level in this league, but he knows what it takes for young players to transition from underage and academy football to senior football.

“He has a proven track record in this regard, and I believe that his knowledge and experience will be of enormous benefit as the club looks to realise our aims in the coming years.”

Bohemian FC is delighted to announce the signing of midfielder Ross Tierney on a multi-year contract.

The 23-year-old returns to Dalymount Park where he made his big breakthrough in senior football before moving to Motherwell at the end of the 2021 season.

Tierney, who joined Bohs academy after starring for St Kevin’s all the way through at underage level, tasted first-team football for the first time in 2019.

He rapidly established himself as a first-team regular, a fans’ favourite and earned international recognition for Ireland all the way up to U21 level.

He starred in Bohs’ memorable European run in 2021, scoring a vital goal away to Dudelange, and his form that season helped Bohs reach the FAI Cup final and saw him nominated for the PFA Ireland Young Player of the Year Award.

Since then, he has spent the last two-and-a-half years in Britain – a year-and-a-half with Motherwell and a season on loan at Walsall.

Manager Alan Reynolds said: “Firstly, I want to welcome Ross home. He is obviously my first signing of this transfer window, so I am delighted that my first signing is very much a signal of where we want to go as a club, and where we are going to go as a club.

“I see getting Ross back to the club as a coup, and a reflection of the ambition we have to get Bohs back to where we belong. He is the calibre of talent I want to bring to this club.

“He has turned down bigger offers from other clubs to come back to the club that he loves, and there has been a huge amount of work in the background to get this over the line.

“Bohs means an awful lot to Ross, and it is clear that he wants to come back and be part of something new and exciting here.

“He is a player with passion, an eye for goal, and real quality in the final third. He also has the work ethic that I want to see from players.

“He has a great profile, and has already been a great player for Bohs, but what is most exciting for me is that I feel that the best is yet to come for Ross.

“He is a great guy, on and off the pitch, and I believe our fans will take to him again like they did here before.”

Tierney said: “I am buzzing to be back. I am not just coming back to be happy being home – I am coming back to help Bohs push on, get back to where we belong, challenging for trophies and getting back into Europe.

“I have spoken to Rennie quite a bit since he came in and when I knew there was a chance I might come home. I know Rennie from the Ireland U21s. I know what he is about and what he wants to achieve here. I want to be a part of that and I can’t wait to get started.

“I’ve been to a good few games since I came back for the summer and I’ve always gone to games when I’ve been back home for breaks. The atmosphere in Dalymount is still there – we just need to start paying back that support with results on the pitch now.

“Those nights we had in Europe when I was here before are still the best nights I have had in my career and that’s where the club needs to be. That’s what I am here for.

“I am young, and I want to have a big career here with Bohs and to perform the way I was before I left and to push on further.”

Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm that 18-year-old winger Rhys Brennan has signed his first professional contract with the club.

Brennan joined from Crumlin United in December and made an early impact, scoring the winning goal in Bohs’ 1-0 Leinster Senior Cup win over Malahide United in January.

He has not looked back since – earning plaudits for his goal-scoring and creative form for Trevor Croly’s Bohs U20s, and international recognition for Ireland at U19 and U20 level.

He just turned 18 on Saturday, and first-team manager Alan Reynolds believes he has a bright future ahead of him.

Reynolds said: “Rhys is a really quick and direct winger who chips in with goals. He has loads of pace – he is rapid quick – and that really causes problems for teams.

“He has been training with the first team in recent times and has really impressed all of us. He is an old-fashioned out-and-out wide player and, given time, he has the potential to do really well for this club.”

U20s manager Croly added: “Rhys has really impressed since he came in. When he came in initially, he had an injury. But once we got him up to speed, he has been excellent for the U20s and has gone on to train for the first team and has really impressed at that level too.

“He is a flying winger, who can play right or left, and is lightning fast. I love watching players like that, so I really think he will excite people.

“He likes to go past defenders, and reminds me a bit of Daniel Kelly when he came to Bohs. That is the type of player he is, and I believe he has the potential to go on and become a fans’ favourite.”

Alan Reynolds says Bohemians need a big night at Dalymount Park tomorrow if they are to get back to winning ways before the mid-season break.

International call-ups saw last week’s Dublin derbies against Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers postponed so Reynolds’ men are refreshed and relishing taking on title-chasing Derry City.

To avoid a clash with the opening night of the European Championships, all of this week’s League of Ireland fixtures take place on Thursday night, with Bohs not in action again until the Friday June 28 Dublin derby away to St Patrick’s Athletic.

Tomorrow will be the third meeting between Bohs and the Candystripes this season with Reynolds determined to finish on a high before the league takes a mid-season break.

Goals from Dayle Rooney and James Akintunde gave Bohs a 2-1 victory over Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men when the sides met at Dalymount in March.

But Reynolds’ side were left cursing squandered opportunities in the reverse fixture at the Brandywell last month when Michael Duffy’s goal five minutes from time was enough for the hosts to claim all three points.

Reynolds said: “We need a really big night and a really big shift from everyone at Dalymount as we are expecting a tough game against a really good side.

“We know plenty about Derry and they know plenty about us. We’ve beaten them here before I came in and they’ve beaten us in the Brandywell.

“But we played well against them, and had chances to get a result. There has been very little between the sides but Derry have come into a bit of form now.

“They are only two points off the top of the table so we are under no illusions about how difficult this game is going to be and how hard we are going to have to work to get a result.”

Bohs’ last outing saw them succumb to a 2-1 defeat away to Reynolds’ former club Waterford at the RSC a fortnight ago.

They went into that game looking like they had turned a corner – buoyed by an encouraging injury-time 2-2 draw against St Patrick’s Athletic and a 3-0 win away to Sligo Rovers – so the result and the performance were of frustration for Reynolds.

He said: “We played well for 25 to 30 minutes but we weren’t good enough after that, and we failed to deal with Waterford’s direct play. But that has been the story of our season so far and it has to change. We need to have consistency.”

Those inconsistency issues predate Reynolds’ arrival to the club in March, and he is determined to make changes to his squad when the transfer window opens next month in an effort to address it.

One man who will not be part of those plans is Bart Kukulowicz, who has returned to Poland after his contract was terminated by mutual consent, while Luke Matheson is due to return to parent club Bolton Wanderers next week when his loan spell comes to an end.

Reynolds added: “Bart hasn’t been in the team as often as he would have liked this year, so we both felt that it was the right time for him to move on and find a new club. We thank him for his efforts and I wish him all the best for the future.

“We all know that we need to strengthen next month. We have some very good players at the club but there are clearly certain areas where we have to improve if we are to push on.

“We have watched a lot of players and we have spoken to a lot of players. It is an extremely competitive market out there for all clubs at the moment but we know the areas we need to prioritise.”

Team news

Declan McDaid is a doubt while James McManus (foot), Brian McManus (ankle), Keith Buckley (knee) and Rob Cornwall (knee) remain out.

Bohemians manager Ken Kiernan says his players are still on a high after the reception they received at last month’s historic game against Palestine.

Now they are hoping for another packed crowd for tomorrow’s Dublin Derby at Dalymount Park when they host Shamrock Rovers in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division.

Last month’s international solidarity friendly saw the sold-out signs go up for the first time for a Bohemians women’s fixture.

Kiernan says the importance of the occasion will live long in the memory of his players, whose focus has now turned to redoubling their efforts to climb back up the league table.

He said: “All of our players recognise the gravity of the situation in Gaza, the historical significance of the game and the importance of the reception that the Palestinian players got when they came.

“The whole occasion meant a lot to our players – it was huge for everyone associated with the club. The run-up to the game and the game itself really set something off, and really captured the imagination of people.

“There were people all over the world talking about the game and, for our players, it was the first time that they had an opportunity to play in front of a sold-out Dalymount, which was brilliant for them.

“You could see after the game how they were buzzing, how they thrived on the reception of the crowd and on what it all meant to the Palestinian players. We were proud to be part of that.

“There was already a great sense of pride in this team pulling on that jersey but the reception the players have had since the Palestine game has brought that sense of pride to another level. They have really felt the love for the club that is out there.

“That buzz has continued since – tomorrow is our first game back in Dalymount since and we have been inundated with well wishes in the community.

“It is important to have that connection. Our players are real ambassadors in the community. They are in with different age groups in schools every week and it is important that young children, in particular young girls, have female sportspeople to look up to and to learn from, and that our players know that this club means something to them.

“Our players are fast-becoming role models for these children – they talk about their set-backs, and their determination to succeed. It’s important for the children but it’s just as important for our players.”

Tomorrow, Kiernan is hoping to harness that positive energy as his side go in search of victory against the club’s biggest rivals.

Shamrock Rovers entered the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division last year for the first time and finished third in their debut season.

Seven games into the 2024 season, Rovers are still in search of their first victory but Kiernan knows it will be a tough game.

He added: We all know the significance of this game. Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers is the biggest rivalry in Irish football.

“Rovers are a good side. I went to their last game against Galway United. They lost the game 1-0 but they went toe-to-toe with the team that is top of the league.

“For our part, our last few performances have been good and we are improving. I expect a very energetic game and, given the playing styles of both teams, I think there will be lots of chances so we will need to defend well.

“We have prepared very well for the game, and have worked on where we think we can exploit Rovers and where we need to work hard defensively. It’s been a very positive few weeks and we want to build on that now.”

Alan Reynolds wants Bohemians to build on a positive fortnight when they travel to take on his hometown club Waterford this evening.

Bohs followed up a 3-0 win away to Sligo Rovers two weeks ago with a last-minute equaliser from Danny Grant to draw 2-2 with St Patrick’s Athletic last Friday.

Reynolds was disappointed to see his side behind in that game in the first place – mistakes at the back costing Bohs dear in an otherwise encouraging performance.

He said: “We are really looking forward to this game. We’ve had an encouraging couple of weeks but we know we need to keep that going now

“We had a very good win down in Sligo and I felt we had a good performance against St Pat’s too.

“We shouldn’t have been behind in the first place, and we were disappointed that we were, but the pleasing aspect of it was that we never gave up.

“They had worked hard in training all week and didn’t want to come away empty-handed and I think that showed in how we kept pushing and pushing to get an equaliser.

“I was delighted for Danny to get the goal. You could see it meant a lot to him. He’s chomping at the bit to play and to get a chance. Hopefully this can spur him on now to have a strong second half of the season.”

Tonight’s trip to the RSC poses another big test for Bohs. It is Reynolds’ first game away to his former club since taking the reins at Dalymount Park at the end of March.

Waterford is a club he played for and managed and, most recently, served as assistant manager to Keith Long.

Waterford came out on top of a 1-0 scoreline when the sides met in Dalymount at the beginning of April but that was only Reynolds’ third game in charge and he feels his side are in better shape now.

He added: “Waterford are a very good side. I obviously know a lot about them, and helped to sign a good few of them too!

“But for us it is about focusing on our own performance. We still have a lot of work to do and improvements to make but I think we are further down the road to where we want to be than when we last played Waterford.

“A lot of work has gone into training this week, it will be a very different game to our last couple of games, but the lads are well prepared and looking forward to it.”

Team news

James Clarke returns from suspension but James McManus (foot) joins Brian McManus (ankle), Keith Buckley (knee) and Rob Cornwall (knee) on the sidelines.

Luke Matheson, Jordan Flores and Dayle Rooney, who all saw their gametime against St Pat’s curtailed with knocks, are available for selection.

Alan Reynolds wants to see Dalymount Park rocking once more when Bohemians host St Patrick’s Athletic in another big Dublin derby on Friday night.

Bohs come into the game after a comprehensive 3-0 victory away to Sligo Rovers thanks to goals from James Clarke, Boubacar Keita and Dayle Rooney.

That was Bohs’ biggest win since Reynolds took charge at the end of March, their biggest league win since the final game of last season and their biggest league win away from home since April 2022.

Rooney was the star of the show, setting up the opening two goals before helping himself to the third, but is set to miss out on Friday’s game through injury while Clarke, who claimed his opener last week just 90 seconds into the game, is suspended.

Reynolds said: “We are missing a few for this one which is a blow for such a big game. Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall are obviously long-term ones and Brian McManus will be out for another month or so.

“But we’re without Dayle Rooney for this one now too which is a blow because he was involved in all three goals last week and is a big threat for us.

“Jordan Flores, who has been such an important player for us this season, is still out as is Luke Matheson, and James Clarke is suspended, so we are down a lot of bodies for such a big game.”

With that in mind, Reynolds is acutely aware how hard his side will have to work to get a result but believes the absentee list provides an opportunity for others to step up and show what they are made of.

Reynolds: “When you have players missing there is added pressure on players who come in to step up. We had that last week. With Bucko, Rob and Jordan all out last week, it was the first time Paddy Kirk captained the side.

“That was a big moment for him having come through and captained the U19s at Bohs, so I was very pleased with how he stepped up and that we got the win with him as captain. We need to see that level of commitment from everyone who gets an opportunity to play.”

Despite only taking charge at Inchicore last week, former Ireland and Bohemians manager Stephen Kenny has already had two games under his belt.

Both have ended in defeat but St Pat’s will have been kicking themselves not to have taken something out of Monday’s game against league leaders Shelbourne, who scored in the sixth minute of injury-time to claim a 2-1 victory at Richmond Park.

Reynolds said: “St Pat’s are a good side. Much like Bohs, they haven’t had the start they wanted this season but it is a very close and congested league table, and there is a lot more football to play.

“Stephen is barely there a week, and wouldn’t have had a lot of time to work with the team until this week but he will have learnt a lot from his team over their past two games.

“Pat’s are a good side. They finished third last year and won the FAI Cup and you don’t become a bad team overnight.

“They have quality players who can hurt any team in this league so we will need to be at our very best to get a result against them.”

Reynolds is hoping though that fans in Dalymount can replicate the vocal levels of support his side received in the Showgrounds last week.

He added: “The support we had down in Sligo was brilliant, and that’s what we will need again for a game like this against a team as good as St Pat’s.

“We have seen in games this season that when the crowd is behind us, our players are spurred on by that.

“Our players know that there is an onus on them to perform at home but we all have our jobs to do, and we need our fans to be loud and on our side right from the start.”

Team news

Bohemians are without the injured Jordan Flores, Dayle Rooney, Luke Matheson, Brian McManus, Rob Cornwall and Keith Buckley. James Clarke is suspended.

A powerful documentary made by PushPull Media on the historic first-ever visit of a Palestinian National Team to Europe as they played an international solidarity friendly against Bohemian FC last Wednesday can now be viewed here.

The sold-out match marked the 76th anniversary of Nakba and highlighted the human rights violations in occupied Palestine.

It was one of the most emotional and important games ever held at Dalymount Park in its long and storied history since 1901.

As well as raising over €100,000 for three Palestinian humanitarian organisations, and covering all costs to bring the Palestinian team to Dublin for five days, it was a huge show of solidarity and the power of sport to unite and uplift us.

This documentary captures this powerful emotion across the game and the whole visit, which included receptions at Áras an Uachtaráin and the Mansion House.

The film takes on an ever greater relevance given today’s announcement by the Irish government finally formally recognise the State of Palestine.

Filmmaker Jamie Goldrick of PushPull Media said: “It was a real privilege to travel with the Palestinian team for the week and document this historic trip. Everything came together on the night; the weather, the football on display and, most importantly, the solidarity and love that was present in Dalymount Park.

“I hope as filmmakers that we were successful in capturing the energy that was present in the Stadium that night. People can be cynical and ask what a small country like Ireland can do, but to chat to the players and to see the impact of thousands shouting Free Palestine is a memory that they can take home, and let other Palestinians know that they are seen and heard. It was beautiful and overwhelming – this is where the seeds of optimism and hope are sown, this should not be overlooked.”

Bohemians Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert said: “The game in Dalymount was the most emotional sporting event most in attendance will ever have witnessed, and it sent a strong message of solidarity to the Palestinian people from Ireland. What Jamie and the team at PushPull have managed to do is capture that feeling right across the whole visit and demonstrate the huge positive force that football can be. Well done to them and indeed to our club staff, volunteers and the many others who helped make this possible.”