Bohemians 1

Shamrock Rovers 0

Gavin Cooney reports from Dalymount Park 

CALL IT ANOTHER Bohemians’ rhapsody against Shamrock Rovers, and give the starring role to Keith Ward. 

He was the game’s outstanding player as Bohs’ maintained their recent dominance of the Dublin Derby; tonight’s 1-0 win means they haven’t been beaten by Shamrock Rovers since May 2017. “It’s happened again” roared the Bohs fans as Rovers left the field. 

The decisive goal came from the penalty spot: Dinny Corcoran converting in the second-half after the outstanding Ward was fouled by Ronan Finn. 

Rovers task was greatly complicated by the fact they had to play more than an hour with ten men, following the sending off of striker Aaron Greene.

Rovers started best, passing the ball crisply: Jack Byrne’s volley in the penalty area was well blocked by James Finnerty while Sean Kavanagh’s long-range effort rebounded off the chest of Bohs’ ‘keeper James Talbot.

Had Rovers’ striker Aaron Greene been loitering around the penalty area it would have been a glorious chance to score, but he had been caught unaware. 

Greene was then sentenced to be nowhere but the dressing room beyond the 29th minute. His wild swipe in front of the Bohs’ dug-out caught the ball but, in the opinion of referee Rob Harvey, a significant chunk of Keith Ward with it, and he was shown a straight red card. 

By that stage, Bohs should have been ahead: Ward’s corner was flicked on at the near post by Luke Wade-Slater to Darragh Leahy, but the full-back could only head tamely into the arms of Alan Mannus from point-blank range. 

Rovers were then hit with further disruption: Ethan Boyle was lost to injury, with Roberto Lopes’ introduction sending the assured Joey O’Brien shuffling across to right-back. 

At this stage the atmosphere was beginning to roil: Bohs’ Conor Levingstone was booked for cynically tripping Aaron McEneff as he countered with Jack Byrne. 

Rovers’ steadied after the red card, but Bohs’ passing became ragged and imprecise, with their best opportunity after the sending off Dinny Corcoran’s shanked effort from the edge of the penalty area, coming after he robbed the dawdling McEneff. 

Stephen Bradley sacrificed Byrne’s guile for Dan Carr’s pace at half-time and they again started the second-half well, finding joy when switching play to their left-flank. A first-time cross by Kavanagh almost picked out Dan Carr in the penalty area, and Sean Kavanagh’s whipped effort from the same position evaded a touch and role narrowly wide of Talbot’s left-hand post. 

Bohs, meanwhile, saw Wade-Slater plant a header wide of Mannus’ post, having been picked out by the jinking Ward. 

Much like the first-half, however, Bohs’ grew back into the game, and took the lead after 65 minutes. Ward ghosted past Ronan Finn into the penalty area and Finn, who had replaced Watts three minutes earlier, shoved him to the round. Dinny Corcoran sent Mannus the wrong way. 

As Bohs’ fans indulged themselves with chants of ‘there’s only one Stephen Bradley’, Rovers went to work, and only a great reaction stop from Talbot prevented Keith Buckley from heading the ball into his own net. 

Ward’s threat wasn’t blunted, however, with Joey O’Brien diving at full stretch to block his goal-bound effort. The rebound was volleyed over the crossbar. 

Rovers continued to press, with a Trevor Clarke effort deflected narrowly wide with Talbot rooted to the ground. 

The better part of their threat remained down their left flank, and a low cross from Clarke skidded by everyone until Paddy Kirk diverted the ball behind for a corner, which Talbot did well to punch clear. 

Bohs’ chances to counter frequently perished at the feet of Danny Mandroiu, a disappointingly peripheral figure all night. 

There was another late flourish of drama: after Trevor Clarke won a corner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Rovers’ goalkeeper Alan Mannus trotted forward…but couldn’t divert his header on target. 

Mannus was on the end of another corner two minutes later, but again couldn’t find the target. 

That was the final act, and Bohs scooped the prizes: bragging rights to which they have become accustomed, along with something with which they are less familiar.

As they players trooped off the field, they were met with chants reminding them of it: “We are top of the league…we are top of the league.”

Bohemians: James Talbot; Derek Pender, Rob Cornwall, James Finnerty (Aaron Barry 75′), Darragh Leahy (Paddy Kirk 63′); Keith Buckley, Conor Levingstone; Luke Wade-Slater, Danny Mandriou, Keith Ward (Ali Reghba 80′); Dinny Corcoran (Captain)

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Ethan Boyle (Roberto Lopes 36′), Lee Grace (Captain), Joey O’Brien, Sean Kavanagh; Dylan Watts (Ronan Finn 58′), Greg Bolger, Jack Byrne (Dan Carr HT), Aaron McEneff, Trevor Clarke; Aaron Greene

Referee: Rob Harvey