Bohemian FC 2
Sligo Rovers 0
Darryl Geraghty reports from Dalymount Park
BOHEMIANS KEPT HOT on the heels of the top two with a hard fought 2-0 win over an injury ravaged Sligo Rovers side.
Goals in either half from man-of-the-match James Clarke and substitute Declan McDaid proved enough in the end despite a spirited performance from John Russell’s men.
It was third versus seventh in the Dublin 7 sunshine as a bumper crowd of over four thousand were treated to their first win in five that kept them in the conversation in the title race.
Declan Devine opted for three changes to the side who were frustrated seven days ago in a fiery Dublin derby with Shelbourne, and was able to call on the services of influential skipper Keith Buckley who replaced the suspended starlet James McManus in the heart of the Gypsies midfield but it was another of his changes – James Clarke – who stole the show.
The visitors, facing an injury crisis with Garry Buckley and Gary Boylan already out with ACL injuries, went on to lose Nando Pijnaker to injury and John Mahon through suspension in last week’s impressive 1-0 victory at home to Derry City were cursing their luck losing two more big players within the opening half hour as Eanna Clancy and Greg Bolger fell foul to the Bit O’Red injury curse.
Just after the half hour mark Bohs, having made all of the early running, broke the deadlock when Clarke collected Kris Twardek’s ballon his chest and finished brilliantly into the far top corner.
The second half started at a rip-roaring pace with both sides missing huge chances in quick succession. Johan Brannefalk burst down the right and into the area, but saw his low shot cleared off the line by the alert Krystian Nowak, before the big centre half saw his header catch the top of the crossbar from Ali Coote’s delightful delivery.
Bohs secured all three points when substitute Declan McDaid showed a great first touch to control Coote’s volley across goal before finishing sharply on the turn from close range.
To their credit the visitors kept plugging away and looked a huge threat at set-pieces and were inches away from getting back into the game but both David Cawley and Max Mata failed to hit the target from close range.
Bohs saw out the game in professional manner as they now sit three points off the top of the table with a valuable game in hand.
Bohemian FC: James Talbot, Jay Benn, Krystian Nowak, Kacper Radkowski, Jordan Flores, Kris Twardek, Keith Buckley, Adam McDonnell, Ali Coote (Chris Lotefa, 90+2), James Clarke (John O’Sulivan, 80’), James Akintunde (Declan McDaid, 61’)
Sligo Rovers: Luke McNicholas, Johan Brannefalk, Niall Morahan, Eanna Clancy (Danny Lafferty, 9’), Reece Hutchinson, Frank Liivak, David Cawley, Greg Bolger (Lukas Browning, 29’), William Fitzgerald, Kailin Barlow (Stefan Radosavljevic, 68’), Max Mata
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea
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