CRUMLIN UTD v BOHEMIANS
Extra.ie FAI CUP QUARTER-FINAL
Monday September 16 2019, Richmond Park, 8pm
Keith Long wants a big travelling support at Richmond Park tonight as they look to reach the semi-finals of the FAI Cup for the second year running.
Bohemians travel to Inchicore to take on Leinster Senior League side at the home of St Patrick’s Athletic with a home semi-final against Shamrock Rovers on Friday week at stake.
Kick-off is 8pm but congestion is expected so it is advised to arrive early.
Bohs have ridden their luck against First Division sides in this competition. That fact coupled with a mounting injury crisis means nobody in the first-team set-up will be taking tonight’s opposition lightly.
In the first round, Long’s men found themselves 2-0 down against Shelbourne as late as the 85th minute but grabbed the tie by the scruff of the neck to win it 3-2 in injury-time.
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The goalscorers that night – Keith Buckley and Danny Mandroiu – are among seven players likely to miss out tonight because of injury.
Mandroiu and Darragh Leahy’s involvement with the Ireland U21s’ Euro 2021 qualifiers against Armenia and Sweden was one of the reasons for this tie not taking place on the scheduled weekend of September 6/7/8.
Cruelly, their involvement with the U21s saw them both pick up injuries that now sees them miss tonight’s game anyway.
As well as difficulties against Shelbourne, in the last round, Bohs needed a penalty shootout to progress against Longford Town.
Crumlin are a side with League of Ireland pedigree throughout their team.
Dean Kelly – Bohs’ two-goal hero in the memorable 3-1 2015 Dublin derby win over Shamrock Rovers famously captured by Copa 90 – is in their ranks. So too are fellow former Bohs men Craig Walsh and Conor Murphy.
Other players of note include Robbie Brady’s brothers Liam and Gareth in midfield as well as John Sheridan, a consistent performer in the Premier Division for many years most memorably in spells with Bray Wanderers and Galway United.
Long said: “Crumlin have good players. They would more than hold their own in the First Division if not more. They’re a settled team who will fancy having a go at us.
“We are favourites and rightly so. It is a tie we are expected to win. But we have to give Crumlin the respect you give every team as they do have players who can hurt you. Our performance has to be right.
“It’s a cup quarter-final. We all want to progress. Crumlin will have a big support out for them and it’s vitally important that we bring a big crowd over behind us from the start as well.”
Bohs’ 2-1 defeat to Waterford on Friday was disheartening in respect of the side’s efforts to consolidate its position in third place.
They remain there for now thanks to St Pat’s drawing with UCD at home and Derry City not having a league game at the weekend due to their involvement in the EA Sports Cup final where they lost on penalties to Dundalk.
But while Friday’s result rankled, there were many positives to take from the performance.
Andy Lyons, 19, at right-back won the official man-of-the-match award from RTÉ but there was a starring role in the centre of the park from 18-year-old Ross Tierney and an encouraging full debut from 17-year-old Dawson Devoy alongside 19-year-old Ryan Graydon.
All four came through either the Bohs U19s and Bohs-SKB U17s.
Another man who came through the Bohs U19s was Danny Grant, who despite not training all week due to a viral infection, made an immediate impact off the bench, receiving a pass from Devoy to set up Tierney to slot home for Bohs’ only goal of the game.
The average age of the starting Bohs team was 21½. Take captain Derek Pender out, it was 20½.
While Bohs and St Kevin’s have rightly earned plaudits for the progression of young players coming through from Bohs-SKB LOI teams through to the U19s and on to the first team, on this occasion the extent of youth and inexperience on show was by necessity rather than design.
Long said: “We’re at the business end of the season when results matter more than development. But with the injuries we have at the moment, our hand was forced.
“Our defending for the goals wasn’t good enough but I was proud of how many of the lads did. A lot of the players unavailable are across midfield. It’s a big step-up from U19s to first-team football and it takes players a while to adapt but the lads who have played did very well.
“Ross has come in a few times and he’s done very well for us and Dawson is only a boy at 17 but did well and this will stand to him. They tired a bit towards the end but that is to be expected. They are not yet used to the tempo and intensity of first-team football.
“Scott Allardice was excellent too. He’s had to be patient to get a chance in the team but he showed what he is capable of on Friday.”
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Bohs are without Darragh Leahy (ankle), Danny Mandroiu (hip), Keith Buckley (hamstring), Keith Ward (knee), Conor Levingston (groin), Dinny Corcoran (ankle) and Cristian Magerusan (cruciate).
