JAMES CLARKE CAME back to haunt old club Drogheda United and once again prove the man for the big occasion for Bohemians as they took a giant step towards a return to European football in 2026.
They will need a favour from Shamrock Rovers in next week’s FAI Cup final to secure their place. Gypsies’ supporters don’t often cheer for their greatest and fiercest rivals. Needs must, however.
St Patrick’s Athletic’s failure to beat Shelbourne opened the door for the Gypsies and they emphatically stepped up. Colm Whelan and Tierney’s goals gave the result a gloss it hardly deserved but no Bohs supporter cared about when news from Drumcondra filtered through.
For Alan Reynolds to, almost, steer his side into Europe represents a major achievement at the end of a season which he at times appeared at major risk of not finishing.
The teams entered the pitch to flares and fireworks with the reputation of Sullivan & Lambe Park as one of the league’s tougher places to go for visiting teams laid bare for all to see.
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A view of a Tony Montana tifo before the game. Andrew Paton / INPHO
Andrew Paton / INPHO / INPHO
The every involvement of Douglas James-Taylor was met with a vitriolic response from the home support. Fans who hold fond memories of the English striker firing them to survival and FAI Cup glory last year had no room for sentimentality with a place in Europe – potentially – on the line.
It wasn’t James-Taylor but another former Drogheda star however, that proved the biggest threat to United completing a mission considered by many to be impossible at the season’s start: a top four finish.
No player had scored more goals for Bohs this season than Clarke and he underlined his importance to the Gypsies cause with both goals, either side of Conor Keeley’s first-half leveller.
His first came when he controlled the ball with his chest just outside the area before surging past two Drogheda players and beating Luke Dennison with a left foot shot across goal.
The opening 45 minutes had it all, almost. Those of a Drogheda persuasion will say Paul Norton’s failure to brandish a red card to John Mountney had a decisive impact on the outcome.
The veteran right-back received a second minute yellow card for a foul on Conor Kane and might have been shown another when fouling the same player just prior to the Drogs’ leveller. Instead, the referee let it slide and Alan Reynolds took the chance to replace him with Niall Morahan.
It was a let off for Bohs, but Drogheda did gain some revenge when they levelled the game from the subsequent free-kick. The talismanic Conor Keeley headed in Shane Farrell’s delivery for his seventh goal of the season.
It took only four minutes for Bohs, with their full complement, to regain their lead. Clarke again provided the finish touch to a goalmouth scramble after Dennison failed to gather a cross.
The second half was pallid in comparison. Josh Thomas was sent off in the 76th minute for an elbow on Bohs’ Tierney. He could have few complaints and it made his team’s task all the more difficult. They barely threatened Bohs after that.
Substitute Whelan and the superb Tierney wrapped up the points with a brace of goals late in the game. There were multiple exultations from the away dugout and supporters who prematurely thought events in Tolka Park had gone their way.
Eventually, the full-time whistle went there around five minutes after it had on the Windmill Road. It isn’t job complete yet for Bohs, but it was job done here.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Luke Dennison; James Bolger (Luke Heeney, 69), Conor Keeley, Andrew Quinn; Owen Lambe (Jack Stretton, 77), Shane Farrell (Warren Davis, 57), Ryan Brennan, Conor Kane (Kieran Cruise, 69); Darragh Markey; Josh Thomas, Dare Kareem (Thomas Oluwa, 57).
BOHEMIANS: Kacper Chorazka, John Mountney (Niall Morahan, 34), Cian Byrne, Leigh Kavanagh, Jordan Flores (Rob Cornwall, 78); Adam McDonnell, Dawson Devoy; Ross Tierney, James Clarke, Dayle Rooney; Douglas James-Taylor (Colm Whelan, 64).
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Bohs hope for favour from Rovers after win in Drogheda
Drogheda United 1
Bohemians 4
Barry Landy reports from Sullivan & Lambe Park
JAMES CLARKE CAME back to haunt old club Drogheda United and once again prove the man for the big occasion for Bohemians as they took a giant step towards a return to European football in 2026.
They will need a favour from Shamrock Rovers in next week’s FAI Cup final to secure their place. Gypsies’ supporters don’t often cheer for their greatest and fiercest rivals. Needs must, however.
St Patrick’s Athletic’s failure to beat Shelbourne opened the door for the Gypsies and they emphatically stepped up. Colm Whelan and Tierney’s goals gave the result a gloss it hardly deserved but no Bohs supporter cared about when news from Drumcondra filtered through.
For Alan Reynolds to, almost, steer his side into Europe represents a major achievement at the end of a season which he at times appeared at major risk of not finishing.
The teams entered the pitch to flares and fireworks with the reputation of Sullivan & Lambe Park as one of the league’s tougher places to go for visiting teams laid bare for all to see.
The every involvement of Douglas James-Taylor was met with a vitriolic response from the home support. Fans who hold fond memories of the English striker firing them to survival and FAI Cup glory last year had no room for sentimentality with a place in Europe – potentially – on the line.
It wasn’t James-Taylor but another former Drogheda star however, that proved the biggest threat to United completing a mission considered by many to be impossible at the season’s start: a top four finish.
No player had scored more goals for Bohs this season than Clarke and he underlined his importance to the Gypsies cause with both goals, either side of Conor Keeley’s first-half leveller.
His first came when he controlled the ball with his chest just outside the area before surging past two Drogheda players and beating Luke Dennison with a left foot shot across goal.
The opening 45 minutes had it all, almost. Those of a Drogheda persuasion will say Paul Norton’s failure to brandish a red card to John Mountney had a decisive impact on the outcome.
The veteran right-back received a second minute yellow card for a foul on Conor Kane and might have been shown another when fouling the same player just prior to the Drogs’ leveller. Instead, the referee let it slide and Alan Reynolds took the chance to replace him with Niall Morahan.
It was a let off for Bohs, but Drogheda did gain some revenge when they levelled the game from the subsequent free-kick. The talismanic Conor Keeley headed in Shane Farrell’s delivery for his seventh goal of the season.
It took only four minutes for Bohs, with their full complement, to regain their lead. Clarke again provided the finish touch to a goalmouth scramble after Dennison failed to gather a cross.
The second half was pallid in comparison. Josh Thomas was sent off in the 76th minute for an elbow on Bohs’ Tierney. He could have few complaints and it made his team’s task all the more difficult. They barely threatened Bohs after that.
Substitute Whelan and the superb Tierney wrapped up the points with a brace of goals late in the game. There were multiple exultations from the away dugout and supporters who prematurely thought events in Tolka Park had gone their way.
Eventually, the full-time whistle went there around five minutes after it had on the Windmill Road. It isn’t job complete yet for Bohs, but it was job done here.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Luke Dennison; James Bolger (Luke Heeney, 69), Conor Keeley, Andrew Quinn; Owen Lambe (Jack Stretton, 77), Shane Farrell (Warren Davis, 57), Ryan Brennan, Conor Kane (Kieran Cruise, 69); Darragh Markey; Josh Thomas, Dare Kareem (Thomas Oluwa, 57).
BOHEMIANS: Kacper Chorazka, John Mountney (Niall Morahan, 34), Cian Byrne, Leigh Kavanagh, Jordan Flores (Rob Cornwall, 78); Adam McDonnell, Dawson Devoy; Ross Tierney, James Clarke, Dayle Rooney; Douglas James-Taylor (Colm Whelan, 64).
Referee: Paul Norton
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