BRAY WANDERERS v BOHEMIANS
SSE Airtricity League, Carlisle Grounds, Friday June 13, 7.45pm
Bohemians are aiming to bring last week’s form into a league match that could be “just as big” as the FAI Cup win over Limerick., writes BRIAN TRENCH.
For manager Owen Heary both these two games before the summer break were like cup finals. A win over Bray could lift his side out of the bottom two in the league and help hold a mid-table position as the season continues.
“We need to take our cup form into the league. If I had to choose, I’d take three points on Friday. This is just as big, if not bigger, than last week’s game.
“Against Limerick we had a very positive performance and two well-taken goals. Overall, we were very strong and we let them create little or nothing.
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“I hope we can take last week’s hard work into the Bray game. We’re not conceding many goals and, if we can take our scoring chances, we will move up the table.”
Bray will be “hurting” after their defeat last weekend in the FAI Cup, Heary believes. “It’s going to be a difficult game but, if we go there positive, we can get the points.”
Friday’s game brings Heary back to the scene of his first match as Bohemian manager in July 2013. Heary watched that game from the TV gantry, as he was banned from the touch-line. Bohemians won 3-1 to lay the foundations for their survival in the Premier Division.
“I’d happily sit in the gantry again as long as we come away with the three points,” said Heary.
His team beat Bray 5-1 early this season in the Leinster Senior Cup and drew 1-1 at Dalymount in the league playing 70 minutes with ten men.
Bohemians come to Friday’s game with doubts over the availability of Derek Pender (quad injury), who was substituted at half-time in Thomond Park, and of Dave Mulcahy (hamstring), who replaced him.
Jason Byrne (shoulder injury) has missed training since being an unused sub against Limerick but could face his old club if he completes a full training session on Thursday evening.
Steven Beattie misses Friday’s game due to a one-match suspension (yellow cards) following his goal-scoring and Man of the Match performance against Limerick, playing up-front alongside Dinny Corcoran.
Subject to Byrne being available, Heary may well opt again for a two-man strike force. Meanwhile, he has brought in another attacking option with the signing of Adam Evans (20), an ex-Belvedere player and under-19 international, who was most recently with Inverness Caledonian. He has been training with Bohemians and will be available when the transfer window opens.
Facing into the second half of the season Heary takes comfort from the adaptability of his players, knowing that they may be called on to cover for injuries or suspensions in various positions. Eoin Wearen and Roberto Lopes were effective in mid-field last week, though more usually featuring in the back four. Beattie has provided cover at right-back and proven himself a potent attacker.
“We don’t have a big squad and when we’re down one or two bodies it affects us more than other clubs. But we have good young lads who are fully committed and we need to keep them focused.”
