Alan Reynolds has told his players to focus on performances and the results will come.

Bohemians travel to the Showgrounds this evening to take on Sligo Rovers on the back of two 1-0 defeats last week, to Galway United on Monday and Derry City on Friday.

Reynolds was bitterly disappointed by his side’s performance at home to Galway, but noted a marked improvement despite coming home empty-handed from their trip to the Brandywell.

Reynolds said: “It was a much better performance. I’ve told the players that that’s what we need to focus on. We need to keep on improving our performances and I believe if we continue to work hard on that, then results will come.

“We’ve had a very positive week in training, and are working hard to right the wrongs in our performances. I can’t fault their effort.

“We need to be more clinical in front of goal. Obviously we hit the crossbar and James Akintunde had a great opportunity. He was unlucky, but he has scored some very important goals before and is an important player for us.”

Reynolds says his side will be up against it to get back to winning ways, adding: “Sligo are a good team with a very good young manager. They’re solid, particularly when playing at home, so we know we will have to be at our very best.”

Team news

Paddy Kirk returns from suspension but Jordan Flores will sit this one out. Bohemians continue to be without long-term absentees Brian McManus, Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall.

Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm the signing of experienced defender Jake Carroll.

Having started his career with St Patrick’s Athletic, the full-back returns to League of Ireland football after a decade in England and Scotland where he amassed over 200 appearances most notably with Hartlepool United, Cambridge United and Motherwell.

Having trained with Bohs since pre-season as he recovered from a serious knee injury, the 32-year-old is back to full fitness and cannot wait to get started.

Welcoming Caroll to Dalymount Park, manager Alan Reynolds said: “Jake has been with the club now for a number of months and we have seen first hand the experience and quality he can add to this team.

“He has gained great experience of playing at a really good level in both England and Scotland and I believe will be an outstanding addition to the squad. He has great leadership qualities too, and we can’t wait to get him back playing.”

Carroll said: “I am delighted, it has been a long time coming. I’ve been with the group a while now, so it is great to finally get it done.

“There’s a really good group here, a good mix of youth and experience, and they have been really good with me.

“I have had some good conversations with the manager and with Stevie O’Donnell too since he’s come in. There is a really good group and structure here, including the medical staff who have been brilliant with me since I came in.

“It was a difficult injury that I had, and I have worked tirelessly to get back from it. When you have an injury like that, it is important to have confidence in your medical team and that’s what I have had here since I’ve come in.

“They have got me to a great stage now where I am ready to rock, and now I want to play as much as possible and achieve something with this club.

“There are young defenders here too who I want to help along the way. They want to learn too, which is great. As you get older, you take on more responsibility and that’s what I am looking to do. It’s great to be home now and back in the league.”

Phizzfest returns this weekend with a wide range of art, talks, music and events, starting today.

New for 2024 will be a football history element centred around Dalymount Park.

Over Saturday and Sunday, there will be a range of speakers, holding forth on a variety of topics taking place in the Dalymount bars.

Included will be such topics as the visit of the USA national team to Dalymount in 1924, the life and career of Mark Rutherford, the goalscoring brilliance of Bohs striker Mick O’Flanagan and how he ended up in New York with Belfast Celtic, what the objects we treasure and collect can tell us about football, as well as a guided run of the Bohemian Way walking tour.

It is hoped that the football history element and grow and develop in future years as part of the festival. The individual events are:

• Saturday 11th: Memories & Memorabilia with Siobhán Doyle
• Saturday 11th: Mark Rutherford with James Curry
• Saturday 11th: Confession Box to Penalty Box with Padraig Coyle
• Sunday 12th: Bohemian Way tour with Gerard Farrell
• Sunday 12th: The American Olympians in Dalymount with Michael Kielty

Alan Reynolds says his side have looked back to learn from their mistakes but are focused on looking forward.

Bohemians make the trip to the Ryan McBride Stadium to face Derry City tonight having slipped back to fifth place with a 1-0 defeat to a dogged Galway United side at Dalymount Park on Monday evening.

Having given as good as they got in the 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers at the same venue just three nights previously, Reynolds was left frustrated by the defeat and performance against the Tribesmen.

He said: “We were very disappointed as a group with our performance on Monday against Galway after giving a good account of ourselves against Shamrock Rovers.

“We’ve looked back and reviewed the game extensively. The desire wasn’t there from the group and we have got to be so much better than that performance. There is no shying away from that. It just wasn’t good enough.”

Reynolds is demanding a response from his players on Foyleside this evening.

He said: “We know that this group is capable of good performances and good results. We showed it against Shamrock Rovers last Friday, we showed it last month when we beat Shelbourne in Tolka Park, and the players showed it when they beat Derry City before I came in.

“But the desire has to be there in every game we play. We have looked back and reflected on our performances but we have to look forward as a group too.

“We have trained really well all week. Stevie O’Donnell coming in as assistant manager, and the knowledge he brings to training, has given the players another big lift. We are working hard and determined to improve.

“We know a lot about Derry but they know a lot about us too. The team got a good win against them in Dalymount before I came in but it is always a tough game for any team in the Brandywell.”

Team news

Paddy Kirk is suspended, and Brian McManus is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle ligament injury last week against Shamrock Rovers.

Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall remain out.

Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm the appointment of Stephen O’Donnell as men’s first team assistant manager.

The 38-year-old returns to Dalymount Park where he won a league and cup double as a player in 2008. He went on to win leagues with Shamrock Rovers and as captain at Dundalk.

O’Donnell won the FAI Cup in his first managerial job at St Patrick’s Athletic, beating Bohs in the final on penalties in 2021, before taking the managerial reins at Dundalk.

Welcoming O’Donnell back to Dalymount Park, manager Alan Reynolds said: “Stephen will bring fantastic qualities to the club from the vast experience he has had in the league over many years as both a player and a manager in his own right.

“He has a fantastic approach to the game and we share similar beliefs on how the game should be approached. He’s a winner, and I am really looking forward to working with him.

“I also want to thank Trevor Croly who stepped up from his role as U20s manager to assist me with the first team on a temporary basis since I came to the club. His experience and knowledge has been invaluable to me, and will remain invaluable as he brings players through from the U20s to the first team.”

O’Donnell said: “I can’t wait to get cracking. I’ve always had a good relationship with Alan, and the stars aligned in recent weeks with me leaving Dundalk and with Alan looking for a permanent assistant manager.

“I’ve great memories of my time here as a player, and I believe I’ve gained a lot of experience in my 18 years in the league as a player and a manager.

“I’ve watched from afar as Bohs have grown over the past number of years, and you can feel the potential that there is at the club.

“There is great scope to build on that potential here and to be successful under Alan. We have a lot of hard work to do to make that happen and that is a challenge I am really looking forward to being a part of.”

Alan Reynolds believes Friday’s performance against Shamrock Rovers is evidence that Bohemians have improved during his five weeks in charge but says they need to be even better to beat Galway United at Dalymount Park tomorrow.

Filip Pisczek gave Bohs the lead in the Dublin derby and Reynolds’ side will have been frustrated that they spurned chances in the first half to extend that advantage.

They were pegged back to 1-1 two minutes before half-time, which perhaps had some supporters fearing a repeat of when the sides met at the end of March in Reynolds’ first game in charge.

On that occasion, Bohs also went in level at the break but were steamrolled by Rovers in the second half, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat.

On Friday, however, there was no repeat. Bohs stood firm against increased Rovers pressure, and could even have nicked the win in the end with a flurry of late corners.

Reynolds said: “We were disappointed that in the first half we didn’t take our chances when we had the opportunities to extend our lead. On another day we would have been 2-0 up.

“Filip took his goal very well and it is pleasing to have him scoring because he’s had a bit of a stop-start season since coming to the club with injuries and trying to get back up to speed.

“But the most pleasing thing for me was that when Rovers were in the ascendancy in the second half, we coped well with the pressure.

“They taught us a bit of a lesson when we played them in Tallaght back in March. I had only had two training sessions with the players at that stage, and they did well in the first half, but in the second half Rovers picked us off.

“This time around we did what we needed to do well when Rovers upped the ante, and in the end we could have nicked it.

“Obviously we are still a work in progress, we saw that in Dundalk. I feel that there is still a lot that we need to improve on and change but what I like is what I saw on Friday was a really strong never-say-die attitude from our players.”

Friday’s result leaves Bohs in fourth place, but with a game in hand against the sides above them. They host Galway United at the earlier time of 5pm tomorrow, with John Caulfield’s side just three points behind having played the same number of games.

The Tribesmen have earned a reputation of being an extremely difficult side to beat and to break down this season.

Indeed, Bohs’ 2-1 win at Eamon Deacy Park at the beginning of April is the only time a side has scored two goals against them in any game this season.

On that occasion, Bohs had the set-piece prowess of Dayle Rooney to thank – the first goal a free-kick met by Mills and the second a corner met by Akintunde.

Reynolds said: “Galway have shown what a difficult side they are this season and they have caught out a lot of teams this year.

“No result against Galway this season will come easily. We had to work extremely hard to beat them last month and we will need to be even better to do so again.

“We played well on Friday but if we want to build on that we need to improve further. We’ll obviously freshen up the team with the game coming so soon after Friday.

“But anyone who takes to the pitch will know that if they don’t work hard enough against this Galway side, they will frustrate and punish you.”

Team news

Brian McManus is ruled out after being forced off injured on Friday, while Jordan Flores, Filip Piszczek and Luke Matheson are doubts. Rob Cornwall and Keith Buckley remain out.

Alan Reynolds is hoping for another electric atmosphere in Dalymount Park for tomorrow’s sold-out Dublin derby against Shamrock Rovers.

Five weeks in charge, Reynolds is hoping for a response from his side following last week’s defeat away to Dundalk, but feels that they are better equipped to take on Rovers than they were in his first game in charge.

In March, three days into his tenure, Bohs gave as good as they got in the first half at Tallaght Stadium as the sides went in scoreless at the break.

But they were picked off in the second half, with Rovers cruising to a three-goal lead before Declan McDaid grabbed a goal in injury-time that was of little consolation.

Reynolds said: “We are all really looking forward to the game, and we well know the importance of Dublin derbies to everyone involved.

“I’ve been here five weeks now, so I’ve had time to see many players. I would like to think that we are fitter and better organised than we were when we last played Shamrock Rovers in my first game but we know it is going to be a very tough game.”

Reynolds is keen for supporters to play their part too, highlighting how his players thrived on the encouragement from the stands in their last home game, a 1-0 win over Drogheda United a fortnight ago.

He said: “I don’t think there will be much motivation needed from anyone, but we all have a part to play.

“The crowd was electric in our last home game. They were exceptional and the players spoke about it afterwards and how they fed off that energy.

“We hope for more of the same because it can really make a difference, but the players know that they have to do their bit too.”

Bohs come into this game after a disappointing 2-0 defeat away to Dundalk last week, a loss that ended an encouraging three-game winning run.

So Reynolds knows his side will be up against it facing a resurgent Rovers side who have been steadily climbing up the table in recent weeks.

He added: “Before last week’s game, I felt we were getting the basics right. We were winning our duels, our individual battles.

“But that is something we didn’t do last Friday against Dundalk. We were disappointed with our performance, particularly in the first half.

“There was a bug in the team last week, which played a part as it affected three or four players. It affected us in terms of the changes we needed to make at half-time too. But thankfully, bar Danny Grant, it is gone from the group this week.

“We know that there will be a slightly different game plan against Shamrock Rovers this time compared to how we played them the last time. But we have prepared well.

“The lads were disappointed with themselves last week, particularly in the first half as I said, and I want to see a response from them.”

Team news

Danny Grant (bug) will sit this one out alongside long-term absentees Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall.

Alan Reynolds has told Bohemians they cannot afford to ease off as they aim to make it four wins in a row when they travel to Oriel Park to take on Dundalk.

It was the first time since a four-game winning run in March and April of last year that Bohs won three league games in succession, but Reynolds says they must keep fighting for every victory in what is a congested league table so far this season.

He said: “We keep our players grounded. We know we still have loads to do.

“We compliment them on how well they have done but we are pushing them to improve standards, which is something you will hear from me on repeat, because we can never ease off. We have won three on the bounce, and now we want to make it four.”

Tomorrow’s meeting between the sides comes just 11 days after Bohs beat the same opposition 1-0 at Dalymount Park, sandwiched between a 2-1 win away to Shelbourne and a 1-0 victory at home to Drogheda United.

But there is a new man in charge at Oriel Park following the appointment of Noel King this week, and Reynolds says his side must be prepared for a Dundalk team looking to impress their new manager.

He said: “We only played Dundalk two weeks ago, and they were good. They were good against Sligo Rovers too. They have good players, so we are not expecting anything easy.

“With Noel coming in, their players will want to impress him too, so we have got to be ready for all of that, and I am hoping we will be.”

A busy fixture schedule in Reynolds’ first month in charge at Dalymount has necessitated squad rotation but also afforded him the opportunity to assess the options available to him.

He said: “We have had a chance to look at most of the players now over the past few weeks in games. You take a gamble doing that, but I felt it was important.

“I felt after the week we played Rovers, Galway and Waterford that it was necessary too as we lacked a little bit of energy, and we needed to freshen up and make changes. Thankfully it worked.”

While it has been a collective effort, Reynolds singled out Jordan Flores – on the doubtful list for tomorrow with a bug – for leading by example and James Akintunde for the contribution they have both made in Bohs’ improvement in form.

He said: “I don’t want to single out people as I think they have all been really good but Jordan as captain has been outstanding. He has turned into a real leader, which I am delighted with.

“You can see now that he is getting to an age where he is taking on a lot of responsibility within the group.

“When you look at the likes of Jordan and James Akintunde, they aren’t young lads. They have been around and that experience has been very important to us over the past number of weeks.

“There is a good mixture of young and senior players. I was told when I came in that the dressing room was good, with the likes of Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall, and that has proved to be the case. But with them being out, lads have stepped up and are running it on the pitch.”

While relying on players to step up on the pitch, Reynolds believes supporters have stepped up off it too as he remarked on a noticeably improved atmosphere in Dalymount against Drogheda.

He added: “The support last Friday was absolutely brilliant. It was the best we’ve had since I’ve come here.

“We know we have to do our part on the pitch but having the fans encouraging the players last week as they did last week made a huge difference.

“They drove the team on. I’m hoping as a team that we get better on the back of that because building confidence is important.

“Obviously there were players here who were a bit shaky at the start of the season after a few up and down results. But confidence is a massive part of being able to push on, and fans can play a massive part in that as they did last week.”

Team news

Jordan Flores (bug) is a doubt. Rob Cornwall and Keith Buckley remain out.

Bohemian FC is pleased to confirm the appointment of Seán Fogarty as men’s first team goalkeeping coach.

Fogarty joins from Dundalk’s first team, was previously Burnley’s lead academy goalkeeping coach and has also worked with St Patrick’s Athletic and Ireland underage teams.

Fogarty said: “I am delighted to be here at the club. I’ve been in for a few days now and it’s a great environment to come into from the staff and players.

“There’s a really good group of goalkeepers in the club. Having worked with them the last few days, I can see the qualities they possess so I’m looking forward to helping them to continue to develop and improve, and I’m excited to work with the wider staff and group.”

Bohemian FC is also pleased to confirm that long-serving goalkeeping coach Chris Bennion will remain with the club, where he will be taking up a new role in the academy.

Bennion said: “It has been a privilege to work with the first team at Bohs for the past eight years. I’ve worked with some great goalkeepers and people in that time and have enjoyed my time immensely.

“I am pleased to be staying involved with the club and look forward to helping the great young talent we have in our academy to develop and progress.”

Bohemians v Drogheda United
SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division
Friday April 19 2024, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm
Tickets: tickets.bohemians.ie

Alan Reynolds has called on Bohemians fans to give his side the encouragement they need to make it three wins in a row.

Bohs made it two wins in a row for the first time this season when they followed up last week’s 2-1 victory away to Shelbourne by coming out on the right side of a 1-0 scoreline at home to Dundalk on Monday night.

Tomorrow, they face another Louth side at home when Drogheda United are the visitors to Dalymount Park.

Reynolds said: “We want to build on a positive week, make it three out of three, keep the momentum going and try to go on a run.

“There is always a great sense of occasion and great atmosphere at games at Dalymount Park, and we want to send our home fans happy.

“But there is expectation when you play at home at Dalymount Park too, and with that expectation comes pressure on the players. I think the players felt that even more so this season because there was an up and down start.

“They don’t want to let the fans down but we know too that we are still a work in progress, and I think our supporters know that too.

“That means we need patience during games and, most importantly, all the encouragement from fans that we can get because when they get behind us, and really encourage our players, it builds their confidence and is something that spurs them on.

“There is a positivity among the players now after two wins on the bounce and we need everyone, fans and players, to pull in the same direction to build on that.”

Those two wins propelled Bohs up to third place but Reynolds says Bohs are still looking over their shoulder as much as they are at those teams currently ahead of them in the table.

Drogheda have already beaten Bohs this season – in Declan Devine’s penultimate game in charge – and Reynolds knows his side will have to dig deep once more to beat Kevin Doherty’s men.

He said: “We’ve seen now what a couple of wins can do in terms of moving up the table but we know too what a couple of defeats can do in dragging you back down again.

“We are conscious of both ends, and it is so early in the season. All we can do is take it game by game and do everything we can to win.

“We kept a clean sheet on Monday and that gave us a platform to build on. That has to be your starting point – being hard to beat – and we will get better attacking as we go. But first and foremost, we have to be hard to beat.”

Injuries, suspension and a congested fixture list have forced Reynolds’ hand somewhat when it comes to picking his starting XI.

He made six changes for Monday’s win, but was glad of the opportunity to change things around and assess the depth of his squad.

Reynolds added: “It gave me a chance to see more of what we’ve got, and what they can do. I need to see everybody.

“I got to see Filip Piszczek play for the first time. He has only been back training a few days but we threw him in and he did well. He is a handful and I believe he will get better as he gets more games under his belt.

“James Akintunde has done exceptionally well up front in recent weeks, and came off the bench to score on Monday, but we need those options. I always thought that the lads on the bench would play a big role, and come on and affect the game. James, Declan McDaid and others did very well when they came on.

“With three games in a week, there will obviously be changes around again. Obviously Jordan Flores returns from suspension, and he is a big player for us. It’s up to everyone to take their opportunity to impress when they get it.”

Team news

Jordan Flores returns from suspension. Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall remain out.