Q&A WITH KARL MOORE AND KEITH WARD
Q. 1) Bohs’ two main highlights of the season were undoubtedly beating rivals Shamrock Rovers 4-0 in Dalymount and then subsequently getting our first win against them out in Tallaght. Both were special, but which was your favourite?
KARL MOORE: I’d say the 4-0. Obviously mainly because I scored twice, which was special. But a scoreline like that against your rivals is a total embarrassment, which was just great from our point of view.
KEITH WARD: I’d say the beating away was even more special than the 4-0. It was just amazing. To be part of the first Bohs team to beat them there was just a great feeling for all of us. In both games, you could see how much it meant to the fans. It was amazing.
2) Aside from the two victories against Shamrock Rovers, what other memorable highlights will you take from this season?
KM: Personally I’d say the first game of the season at home in Dalymount, against Portadown in the Setanta Cup. I scored good goal and we won, which was obviously an amazing feeling for me as a Bohs fan on my home debut.
KW: Definitely beating Shelbourne in Tolka. Shels had beaten us in Dalymount at the start of the season, so it was great to get one over them in Tolka, especially as it was so late in the game, which was great for the fans too. It was a great game.
3) If you ask any Bohs fan, the lowlights from this season were losing to Thór in the Europa League and then being beaten at home to Dundalk in the FAI Cup. Which was worse?
KM: I’d probably say the European one. It was the manner of it more than anything else, especially having come just after beating Rovers 4-0. We’re a better team than Thór – I think we’re a better team than Dundalk too – but we didn’t show it over there. You also look at the disappointment of the supporters who paid a fortune to go over to see us play. It was really disappointing for everyone.
KW: Both of them were just awful, really awful. But if I had to pick one, it would have to be Thór. What made it worse was they were one of the worst sides I’ve played against, they really were. We just had an off day and made them look good. Everything about that night was just dreadful, the dressing room afterwards, the long flight home after losing… everything.
4) FIFA 2013 has recently been released. If you were to pick your FIFA ratings for the game, what would they be?
KM: I think I’m at 57 now, which is fair enough. I’ve always been around 57 to 60, so I’ve no complaints.
KW: I just got me PlayStation fix with it yesterday! Ha, I’d say 10. No, I’m not even that good to be honest!
5) Bohs have scored some notable stunning goals this year. If you had to pick a Bohs Goal of the Season, what would it be?
KM: I don’t know if it can count or not but Ryan McEvoy’s against Monaghan. I was standing behind him thinking, ‘WHAT is he thinking shooting from there?’ and then it went in. It was one of the best goals I’ve ever seen.
KW: Does Ryan McEvoy’s against Monaghan still count? That was a fantastic strike. It was absolutely unstoppable. In terms of teamwork, it would have to be against Dundalk.
6) Who’s the best player you’ve come up against this season?
KM: I’d probably say Ger O’Brien at St Pat’s. I think I’ve played against him twice this season and he’s always been really solid whenever I’ve seen him. Other than him, probably Alan Keane at Sligo.
KW: Ronan Finn. His runs off the ball, his fitness; everything about him is just pure class. I know Rovers are having a bad season but he’s carrying that team.
7) If you had to pick a Player of the Year/Young Player of the Year for Bohs and the league, who would they be?
KM: It’s a hard one to call between Evan McMillan and Kevin Feely but I’d go for Evan just because he’s been scoring so many goals at one end as well as keeping them out at the other! So obviously then I’d then go for Kevin as Young Player of the Year. He’s quality and is playing like he’s been around the league for 10 years.
Overall Player of the Year, I’d go for Quigs at Sligo and for Young Player of the Year, I’d go for Stephen McLaughlin at Derry City. He’s scored so many goals all season while playing out on the wing, you can’t really argue with that.
KW: My Bohs Player of the Year would have to be Evan McMillan. It’s not even his goals when he’s put up front, everything he’s done has been excellent. He’s a great defender. Young Player of the Year? I can’t say Owen Heary, no?! In that case I’ll say Kevin Feely. He’s been class all season. To be honest I always get Kev and Evan mixed up anyway…
My league Player of the Year would be Mark Quigley. I know Bohs fans don’t like him so much! But I played with him at Dundalk last season and he’s the best technical player in the league, without a doubt. He mightn’t have shown that at Bohs when he playing out on the wing but he’s shown how good he is at Sligo this year. My Young Player of the Year would be Paul Corry, that’s who I filled out on my PFAI form. I played with him at UCD and he’s shown how good he is again this year and deserved his move to England (Sheffield Wednesday).
8) Is there a player in world football who you look up to or looked up to when you were younger?
KM: I always admired Arjen Robben growing up. He was always very direct, skillful and had an eye for goal. I think he’s one of the main reasons behind how wingers have adapted in the modern game – cutting in through the centre and not just staying on the wing and that. Nowadays I love watching Iniesta. He’s just a genius.
KW: I grew up supporting United, so you’d always admire the likes of Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes. Nowadays I always look at the smaller players – the likes of Luka Modric and Cazorla – and how they do things. But definitely Scholes, that lad just takes the p***!
9) What were your expectations coming into the season?
KM: I thought we’d a good chance of getting sixth and, with a rub of the green, fifth and hopefully have a good cup run. We’re still in with a chance of getting fifth and finishing above the likes of Shels, Derry and Cork, given the budgets, they have would be a great achievement. We were really disappointed with the cup. If we’d prepared ourselves a bit better or taken it a bit more seriously or whatever, we could have beaten Dundalk in Dalymount and then a home semi-final against St Pat’s would have been anyone’s game. So that was disappointing.
KW: When I signed I knew a few of the lads from before, so I thought there was a making of a good team here. Obviously I didn’t know all the younger lads who were coming through at Bohs. But when we got going in pre-season, you could see we’d a good side capable of doing well and getting to mid-table. We got off to a bad start. No win in your first five games never looks good but I knew once we got the first, we’d turn it around. We can still get fifth, which I think will be seen as a good season for us.
10) Outside of playing football, how do you spend your time?
KM: I’m in college studying to become an accounting technician, so that takes up a lot of my time. Over the closed season, I guess I’ll hit the gym as I need to bulk up a bit!
KW: Oh no, I’m going to sound really boring! I play way too much FIFA and hang around with my mates. I also text Derek Pender all the time to keep him occupied and so he doesn’t get bored in work too! And Slush Puppies, I love my Slush Puppies!
