Bohemians 3-1 Shamrock Rovers
Dave Donnelly reports from Dalymount Park
BOHEMIANS HAVE TWO shots at securing European football as they kept their league fate in their own hands with a thrilling Dublin derby victory over Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park.
The Phibsboro side secured a third home win of the season over their bitter rivals but, just as importantly, a win in Sligo next week will secure fourth, barring an eight-goal swing to Derry City.
A Lee Grace own goal had set Keith Long’s side on their way just past the half hour but they were pegged back six minutes later by former Bohs man Danny Mandroiu.
Both Long and Rovers boss Stephen Bradley were sent to the stands as things turned ugly on the sidelines but Bohs struck twice in four minutes to take a two-goal lead into the break.
Promise Omochere produced a wonderful solo goal that, any other day, would have dominated the headlines before Rob Cornwall added a third on the stroke of half time.
That there was do much to dissect at the break would have been difficult to predict on the back of a tense first quarter that produced few chances.
Tyreke Wilson produced the first moment of real quality as he curled a free kick towards the top corner, but Leon Pohls produced a top-class fingertip save to turn it onto the post.
Bohs did hit the front just past the half hour as Ali Coote swung in a free kick and Sean Hoare was caught under it, obscuring the view of Grace, who saw the ball fly in off his knee.
Rovers weren’t behind for long, however, and they were on level terms seven minutes before half time as two former Gypsies linked up.
Dylan Watts, the league’s top assist-maker, dug out a cross from the endline and found Rovers’ top scorer Mandroiu to head home at the back post.
Mandroiu made a beeline for the Bohs Ultras with whom he’d clashed, and received a ban for throwing an object at, when the sides met here in the FAI Cup.
The two benches went at it in the aftermath and referee Paul McLaughlin took a zero tolerance approach in breaking it up, dismissing both Long and Bradley.
Long had barely made his way to the opposite touchline when his side regained the lead and it was a goal of rare quality from the 20-year-old Omochere.
He beat Hoare to control the ball on half way and, his first touch sending the ball into his path, he rounded Pohls before aiming an inch-perfect finish into the roof of the net.
And Bohs were in dreamland as the clock ticked towards 45 minutes when a half-cleared corner fell to Cornwall, and he buried a shot in the bottom corner against his former club.
Rovers brought on Richie Towell at the break as they sought a route back in but they created little other than long-range efforts for Burke and Watts, neither of which found the target.
The best chance fell to Mandroiu as he was slipped in by Burke but, running away from goal, he was closed down by James Talbot and Bohs saw the game out comfortably.
BOHEMIANS: James Talbot; Tyreke Wilson, Rob Cornwall, Ciaran Kelly, Anto Breslin; Keith Buckley, Conor Levingston, Keith Ward (Stephen Mallon 81); Ali Coote (Roland Idowu 90+3) Liam Burt, Promise Omochere.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Leon Pohls; Joey O’Brien (Dylan Duffy 75), Sean Hoare, Lee Grace (Max Murphy 40); Sean Gannon, Gary O’Neill, Dylan Watts, Neil Farrugia (Richie Towell 46); Graham Burke, Danny Mandroiu, Aaron Greene.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal).
