Bohemians 0
Shamrock Rovers 2
NO BETTER WAY to spark your season into life.
Shamrock Rovers cruised to victory over bitter rivals Bohemians as the champions’ revival gathers pace.
This was a victory, courtesy of goals either side of the break from Neil Farrugia and Rory Gaffney, which owed to a combination of intensity, precision and killer instinct.
Not to mention defensive solidity.
All the qualities that had been lacking in the opening period of a sloppy season that saw Rovers head into this fierce Dublin derby 10 points adrift.
Bohs sat top of the table – even more galling for the Hoops faithful dreaming of a four-in-a-row of Premier Division titles – but the manner of this win shows it will take a monumental effort from Declan Devine’s side to remain there.
“We are top of the league,” the home fans chanted in defiance, as the seconds ticked away and plenty headed home.
“Top of the league, you’re having a laugh,” the jubilant Rovers fans responded.
From the moment Gaffney squirmed a shot under the feet of goalkeeper James Talbot in the 67th minute the away fans were well and truly about to enjoy their night.
Bohs had no response to that second goal and with Jack Byrne and Graham Burke excelling, they could barely get hold of the ball.
Farrugia’s powerful running added to the dynamism of a performance which, fresh from that 4-0 thumping of Dundalk last time out, should provide the catalyst for the kind of winning run which will remind the league of Rovers’ strength.
For the first time since 2010 they went into this fixture behind Bohs in the table and it was the home side who did manage to set the early tempo.
And, on another night, they could easily have raced into a two-goal lead. Ali Coote and Dylan Connolly were central to the threat, the pair combining to fashion openings.
The first, after four minutes, saw Connolly use his blistering pace down the right flank to latch on to Kacper Radkowski’s long ball into space.
The winger maintained composure to pick out the run of Coote who met the perfectly-weighted tee-up but flashed his first-time shot inches wide.
Bohs’ tails were up, the fans buoyed by the league leaders’ intent against their fiercest rivals.
On 12 minutes the same two players combined again, this time Coote producing a lovely reverse pass for Connolly whose clever run from outside to in sent him through on goal.
Only a stunning covering tackle from Lee Grace prevented what seemed certain to be a certain goal, the stand-in Hoops skipper filling the void left by Roberto Lopes at the back.
The Cape Verde international was on the bench alongside club captain Ronan Finn, while Gary O’Neill, Richie Towell and Aaron Greene all missed out on a place in the squad due to a virus that spread around the Rovers camp.
But after surviving those two early scares the champions settled. They carried a threat of their own at times, reigning player of the year Gaffney advancing into the box from a Byrne pass over the top only to take a heavy touch and lose the initiative.
A set-piece on the half hour saw the away side come closest, Byrne again delivering a corner with intent and Sean Hoare powering a header off the crossbar.
It wasn’t quite an onslaught but it was an indication of Rovers’ growing confidence.
Then, a minute before the break, Farrugia ensured it sky rocketed with a deft glancing header from Byrne’s cross.
Burke, excellent all night in finding space and keeping Rovers in possession, crossed from the left and just when it looked like it might drift out the other side, Farrugia did well to keep it alive.
He returned possession to Byrne and then drifted back into the six-yard box where he remained unmark to head the opener.
The only response after the break came from Rovers, who dominated the play and continued to probe for that crucial second.
As the minutes ticked by and it didn’t come it felt like a night where maybe Bohs could pilfer a point in punishment.
Instead, it was Bradley’s men who kept their foot on the gas and ensured their superiority was rewarded.
Farrugia was dragged back by Radkowswki and the resulting free from Byrne was poorlt dealt with by Krystian Nowak who could only divert the ball into the path of Gaffney at the back post.
The angle was tight but he somehow found a gap under the feet of Talbot.
It was a narrow angle but this felt like a gulf in class.
Bohemians: Talbot; Horton, Nowak, Radkowski, Kirk; McDaid (O’Sullivan 68), Buckley (capt) (McManus 59), McDonnell, Coote (Williams 77), Connolly (Twardek 68); Afolabi.
Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Cleary, Hoare, Grace (capt); Farrugia, Poom, Watts (Clarke 90), Byrne (Lopes 90), Burke (Nugent 81), Kavanagh (Ferizaj 90); Gaffney (Kenny 81).
Referee: R Harvey (Dublin).