VICTORY FOR BOHEMIANS and history for the League of Ireland.
Shamrock Rovers will take no joy at all from being merely a footnote to this momentous occasion in front of 33,208 supporters.
There were new faces in red and black who impressed. Niall Morahan and Connor Parsons look as though they will provide added grit and guile for Alan Reynolds’ men.
But it was Ross Tierney who scored the goal that secured all three points. It was technically a home game for the Gypsies and their fans greeted the final whistle as they would any derby win. Usually there is a trophy on the line when League of Ireland sides play here in the FAI Cup final.
Rovers boss Stephen Bradley said his players needed to start with intent and purpose if they were to set a marker down for reclaiming the title that Shelbourne took from them in 2024. It was a miserable year for Bohs and this victory should provide impetus for them to build momentum.
Rovers weren’t exactly banging the door down for an equaliser in the final moments, but the pressure did come on and the Gypsies never wilted. That bodes well.
Maybe the early plan was to test that resolve. Dawson Devoy was hacked down twice in the opening quarter with Dan Cleary and Danny Mandroiu both going in the book.
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Tierney scores the only goal of the game. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
There was also an early indication of the threat that Parsons would pose when he stood Adam Matthews up for a one on one and got into the box with ease.
Roberto Lopes was there to cover the danger, but he would be unable to stop the flying winger later in the half when Bohs took the lead on 25 minutes. The game had sparked into life moments before the breakthrough when an inspired piece of skill and quick-thinking from Graham Burke down the Rovers right left John Mountney stranded.
He burst into the box, pulled a cross back that was deflected into the path of Mandroiu only for Rob Cornwall to make a firm block. Bohs countered down the other end immediately but Lys Mousset was unable to break free from Lopes and get a shot away from 18 yards.
Then came the goal, a brilliant Bohs move that was a mixture of poise and confident, one-touch play.
Mountney went wide to Parsons who was under immediate pressure from Mathews. The Gypsies No.7 zipped a pass inside to Mousset for a give and go that left Lee Grace trailing once the former Premier League forward got his pass away.
Tierney, the eventual goal scorer, was just about to break from the centre circle in the Rovers half when Parsons raced onto the return.
Lopes was backtracking and Parsons had speed as well as composure to attack the Hoops captain and tease him just enough with a sniff of the ball before nicking it by him.
A dejected Dylan Watts (left) and Danny Mandroiu. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Parsons opened his body and aimed for the far corner. The onrushing Ed McGinty made a superb save but it only served to deflect the ball onto the post, bouncing kindly for Tierney who had shown instinct as well as ambition to support the attack.
Grace threw himself at the midfielder, but his finish nestled neatly in the corner. He sauntered in front of the Rovers fans at that end to celebrate while the Bohs faithful flung themselves into abandon.
Once the red and black smoke from the pyro dissipated, it became clear that Matthews had also suffered an injury in a collision with McGinty. He was replaced by former Bohs man Danny Grant, and they suffered another injury blow before the half was out when Gary O’Neill had to be replaced by Matt Healy.
The latter would have likely started Thursday’s UEFA Conference League knockout phase play-off second leg with Molde anyway, while Matthew was set to deputise for suspended Dan Cleary.
Their only concern here was rediscovering the early composure that was evident before falling behind. A lose Lopes clipped ball was headed by Devoy into Dayle Rooney’s path five minutes before half time and only for the anticipation of McGinty it would have been 2-0.
Teenager Michael Noonan followed up his history-making night in Molde by leading the line for Rovers and he was at the heart of their best moments along with the superb Burke.
James Talbot was restored as No.1 goalkeeper for the new season after previously stepping away from the game to focus on his mental health. He made a fine tackle to clear the threat from Noonan when he had latched onto an under hit Mountney back pass on 50 minutes.
Just on the hour mark and the 16-year-old was inches away from connecting with Grant’s cross for what would have been a similarly impressive finish in the six-yard box.
The sight of Mandroiu limping off on 70 minutes would be another major concern for the Hoops, who were beginning to look more dangerous, the best opening of all coming barely 60 seconds after Victor Ozhianvuna was sprung from the bench by Bradley.
Some of the record 33,208 crowd. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
He only turned 16 in January and had a scuffed close-range effort cleared off the line by Liam Smith after Burke again jinked down the right to drill a ball across goal.
Noonan was there for the rebound but it struck another sub, Aaron McEneff, and trickled wide.
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Bohs stayed firm for the win as Rovers look to their clash with Molde on Thursday for some European joy.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Liam Smith, Rob Cornwall, Leigh Kavanagh, John Mountney; Niall Morahan, Dawson Devoy (captain) (Archie Meekson 73); Dayle Rooney (Adam McDonnell 73), Ross Tierney, Connor Parsons (Keith Buckley 87); Lys Mousset (Colm Whelan 56).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Daniel Cleary (Victor Ozhianvuna 70), Roberto Lopes (captain), Lee Grace; Josh Honohan, Gary O’Neill (Matt Healy 41), Dylan Watts, Daniel Mandroiu (Aaron McEneff 70), Adam Matthews (Danny Grant 28); Graham Burke, Michael Noonan.
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Bohemians show class and resolve to win historic derby against Shamrock Rovers
Bohemians 1
Shamrock Rovers 0
VICTORY FOR BOHEMIANS and history for the League of Ireland.
Shamrock Rovers will take no joy at all from being merely a footnote to this momentous occasion in front of 33,208 supporters.
There were new faces in red and black who impressed. Niall Morahan and Connor Parsons look as though they will provide added grit and guile for Alan Reynolds’ men.
But it was Ross Tierney who scored the goal that secured all three points. It was technically a home game for the Gypsies and their fans greeted the final whistle as they would any derby win. Usually there is a trophy on the line when League of Ireland sides play here in the FAI Cup final.
Rovers boss Stephen Bradley said his players needed to start with intent and purpose if they were to set a marker down for reclaiming the title that Shelbourne took from them in 2024. It was a miserable year for Bohs and this victory should provide impetus for them to build momentum.
Rovers weren’t exactly banging the door down for an equaliser in the final moments, but the pressure did come on and the Gypsies never wilted. That bodes well.
Maybe the early plan was to test that resolve. Dawson Devoy was hacked down twice in the opening quarter with Dan Cleary and Danny Mandroiu both going in the book.
There was also an early indication of the threat that Parsons would pose when he stood Adam Matthews up for a one on one and got into the box with ease.
Roberto Lopes was there to cover the danger, but he would be unable to stop the flying winger later in the half when Bohs took the lead on 25 minutes. The game had sparked into life moments before the breakthrough when an inspired piece of skill and quick-thinking from Graham Burke down the Rovers right left John Mountney stranded.
He burst into the box, pulled a cross back that was deflected into the path of Mandroiu only for Rob Cornwall to make a firm block. Bohs countered down the other end immediately but Lys Mousset was unable to break free from Lopes and get a shot away from 18 yards.
Then came the goal, a brilliant Bohs move that was a mixture of poise and confident, one-touch play.
Mountney went wide to Parsons who was under immediate pressure from Mathews. The Gypsies No.7 zipped a pass inside to Mousset for a give and go that left Lee Grace trailing once the former Premier League forward got his pass away.
Tierney, the eventual goal scorer, was just about to break from the centre circle in the Rovers half when Parsons raced onto the return.
Lopes was backtracking and Parsons had speed as well as composure to attack the Hoops captain and tease him just enough with a sniff of the ball before nicking it by him.
Parsons opened his body and aimed for the far corner. The onrushing Ed McGinty made a superb save but it only served to deflect the ball onto the post, bouncing kindly for Tierney who had shown instinct as well as ambition to support the attack.
Grace threw himself at the midfielder, but his finish nestled neatly in the corner. He sauntered in front of the Rovers fans at that end to celebrate while the Bohs faithful flung themselves into abandon.
Once the red and black smoke from the pyro dissipated, it became clear that Matthews had also suffered an injury in a collision with McGinty. He was replaced by former Bohs man Danny Grant, and they suffered another injury blow before the half was out when Gary O’Neill had to be replaced by Matt Healy.
The latter would have likely started Thursday’s UEFA Conference League knockout phase play-off second leg with Molde anyway, while Matthew was set to deputise for suspended Dan Cleary.
Their only concern here was rediscovering the early composure that was evident before falling behind. A lose Lopes clipped ball was headed by Devoy into Dayle Rooney’s path five minutes before half time and only for the anticipation of McGinty it would have been 2-0.
Teenager Michael Noonan followed up his history-making night in Molde by leading the line for Rovers and he was at the heart of their best moments along with the superb Burke.
James Talbot was restored as No.1 goalkeeper for the new season after previously stepping away from the game to focus on his mental health. He made a fine tackle to clear the threat from Noonan when he had latched onto an under hit Mountney back pass on 50 minutes.
Just on the hour mark and the 16-year-old was inches away from connecting with Grant’s cross for what would have been a similarly impressive finish in the six-yard box.
The sight of Mandroiu limping off on 70 minutes would be another major concern for the Hoops, who were beginning to look more dangerous, the best opening of all coming barely 60 seconds after Victor Ozhianvuna was sprung from the bench by Bradley.
He only turned 16 in January and had a scuffed close-range effort cleared off the line by Liam Smith after Burke again jinked down the right to drill a ball across goal.
Noonan was there for the rebound but it struck another sub, Aaron McEneff, and trickled wide.
Bohs stayed firm for the win as Rovers look to their clash with Molde on Thursday for some European joy.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Liam Smith, Rob Cornwall, Leigh Kavanagh, John Mountney; Niall Morahan, Dawson Devoy (captain) (Archie Meekson 73); Dayle Rooney (Adam McDonnell 73), Ross Tierney, Connor Parsons (Keith Buckley 87); Lys Mousset (Colm Whelan 56).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Daniel Cleary (Victor Ozhianvuna 70), Roberto Lopes (captain), Lee Grace; Josh Honohan, Gary O’Neill (Matt Healy 41), Dylan Watts, Daniel Mandroiu (Aaron McEneff 70), Adam Matthews (Danny Grant 28); Graham Burke, Michael Noonan.
Referee: Rob Hennessy.
Attendance: 33,208
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