BOHEMIANS 1 – 1 DERRY CITY
Home comforts continue to elude Bohemians and Owen Heary as the first round of SSE Airtricity League games wrapped up with the Gypsies yet to register a victory at Dalymount. Derry City were the latest obstacles to that elusive home win, and the Bohs boss will be bitterly disappointed to come away with a second consecutive 1-1 draw.
After a simply blistering opening 10 minutes in which Bohs played their best football of the season, and the fact that they went in at half time a man to the good, that disappointment is justified. Even when the numbers were evened up following a red card for Dinny Corcoran, Bohs continued to be the better team, and really should have converted at least one of their chances. Roddy Collins’ Derry City offered little or no threat, and were undeniably there for the taking, writes KEVIN FAGAN. Heary made just one change to the team that drew in Cork last week, with Dinny Corcoran replacing the suspended Craig Walsh. Taking up from where they left off on the banks of the Lee, Bohs came out of the blocks at a ferocious pace. First, Paddy Kavanagh fed Corcoran who swiveled in the box, and saw his shot deflected over for a corner by the legs of Derry keeper Ger Doherty. Bohs kept up the pressure, and scored brilliantly on 3 minutes. Karl Moore put in his best performance of the season by far, and was instrumental in the opener. He gave Roddy Collins Jr an absolute roasting down the left flank, looked up, and pulled a pinpoint cross back to – who else – Jason Byrne, who steered a lovely left-footed shot into the far corner. Byrne’s 5th league goal of the season, and Brendan Bradley’s record inches ever closer. The great start continued as Bohs piled on more pressure from a Kavanagh corner, which came back to the taker via Aidan Price. Kavanagh cut outside his man and whipped a curling shot towards the top corner, but Doherty palmed it away smartly. Byrne could have had a similar second when Steven Beattie marauded forward from right back, but this time the shot went agonizingly wide of the opposite post. Corners were looking dangerous for Bohs, and Byrne was denied by an amazing point-blank save from Doherty following a fizzed centre from Kavanagh. Just a minute after that, Derry grabbed an unlikely equalizer. Aidan Price had a torrid first half, and got himself into a clumsy tangle with Patrick McEleney that saw the Derry man skip through and pull across a lovely ball that had to be cut out by Steven Beattie. The ball was recycled out to McEleney who cut back inside from the right wing, and unleashed a delicious left foot curler that caught the upright of Lee Murphy’s goal and slid into the net. No doubt that McEleney meant it, and a Goal of the Month contender was born. Although that was in the 42nd minute, there was still time for a flash of action before the break. A waist-high bouncing ball was contested and won by Dave Mulcahy, but Rory Patterson came late to the party with a raised-studs challenge. Mulcahy was caught on the thigh, and referee Anthony Buttimer reached for his back pocket to send Patterson off. Clearly still struggling from the quad injury that made him a doubt for the game, Aidan Price was spared the second half after being replaced by new signing Eoin Wearen at the break. The first ten minutes of the 2nd period saw Bohs pressing their one-man advantage. The excellent Moore continued to give poor Roddy Jr nightmares right in front of Roddy Senior, who prowled the dugout in his finest Louis Copeland suit. Neither Collins could stop Moore, who flashed a perfect ball across the six yard box that was just begging to be tapped in. Paddy Kavanagh whipped an equally good ball from the opposite wing that Byrne couldn’t quite get his head to. Then, on 55 minutes, Bohs were halted in their tracks. An off the ball incident involving Dinny Corcoran and Ryan McBride was spotted by the near-side linesman, who flagged for a good 15 seconds before Buttimer spotted him (the play was continuing on the opposite wing). Buttimer trundled over to his assistant, who whispered his instructions, and Corcoran was given a straight red. The Derry players were gesturing that Dinny had kicked out at McBride, which, if true, was a silly action with Bohs in the ascendancy. With 10 v 10 for the remaining half hour, Derry managed to stem the flow of Bohs chances, but the Gyspies continued to dominate possession. Moore was bizarrely replaced by Kevin Devaney, and the substitute had a great chance to feed Kavanagh in the dying moments, but the ball was just too far ahead of PK, who mis-controlled and allowed Derry to clear. One third of the season gone, Bohs have just 3 points from 6 home games. Heary will be hoping that tally is doubled next week against UCD. Before that, Champions St Pats travel to Dalymount for an EA Sports last 16 cup tie. Bohemians: Lee Murphy, Derek Pender, Roberto Lopes, Aidan Price (Eoin Wearen 45), Steven Beattie, Paddy Kavanagh, Dave Mulcahy, Ryan McEvoy, Karl Moore (Kevin Devaney 76), Dinny Corcoran, Jason Byrne. Subs not used: Dean Delany, Stephen Traynor, Jake Hyland, Darragh Reynor, Keith Buckley. Derry City: Ger Doherty Roddy Collins Jr, Cliff Byrne , Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry, Patrick McEleney (Raymond Foy 82), Jon Paul McGovern, Danny Ventre, Michael Duffy (Ryan Curran 60), Enda Curran (Mark Stewart, 76), Rory Patterson. Subs not used: Ciaran Gallagher, Dean Jarvis, Nathan Boyle, Tony McNamee. Mr Green Bohemian Man of the Match: Jason ByrneREAD MORE
