JOSH THOMAS was sprung from the bench to score a late winner as Drogheda United maintained their hoodoo over Bohemians with this smash-and-grab victory — a third in a row at Dalymount Park.
With Drogheda defending tenaciously as Bohs all but owned the ball throughout the second half, the Boynesiders struck on the counter-attack on 86 minutes.
Conor Keeley, imperious in the heart of Drogheda’s defence throughout, broke forward to thread a pass straight down the middle for the run of Thomas.
The striker, making his first appearance in the league since scoring in the 3-0 win over Sligo Rovers back in February, used his power and pace to hold off the challenge of both Rob Cornwall and Niall Morahan to skip between them and dink his shot past Kacper Chorazka.
It’s now just one win over Drogheda from their last seven meetings for Bohemians, who controlled much of the play here but lacked a real cutting edge in the final third against Kevin Doherty’s resilient side.
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While Drogheda move level on 41 points with third-placed Derry City, Shamrock Rovers were potentially the other winners here; a victory over Derry at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday evening will put them 10 points clear at the top of the table with 10 games to play.
Missing their chief summer signing, ex-Drogheda striker Douglas James-Taylor, due to illness, sloppiness almost saw Bohs punished inside four minutes when Cian Byrne was dispossessed by an alert Dare Kareem.
The big Drogheda striker surged forward, his drive just lacking sufficient venom to seriously trouble Chorazka, who saved comfortably.
In a helter-skelter opening, Bohs threatened for the first time after 15 minutes.
A delightful piece of magic from Dawson Devoy saw the skipper thread a sublime pass through for Ross Tierney. Racing off his line, Luke Dennison made himself big to deflect the volley out for a corner.
A Conor Kane long throw soon caused Bohs issues at the other end, the ball was nodded back by James Bolger for Keeley to dip a volley on the turn just over the Gypsies’ crossbar.
Bohs had further worries minutes later. Kane’s free kick into their area wasn’t fully cleared, with Andy Quinn’s scuffed shot saved by Chorazka.
Bohs dominated the ball from the resumption, Keeley rescuing Drogheda eight minutes in with a vital touch to deflect James Clarke’s effort out for a corner following a neat one-two with Collie Whelan.
The home faithful were then on their feet, thinking Bohs had taken the lead on 72 minutes. Tierney’s powerful volley from Connor Parson’s cross had merely found the side-netting.
But it was Drogheda’s raucous following who would almost lift the roof off the Mono stand four minutes from the end of regulation time to salute Thomas’s winner.
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Drogheda earn smash-and-grab victory at Bohs
Bohemians 0
Drogheda United 1
Paul Buttner reports from Dalymount Park
JOSH THOMAS was sprung from the bench to score a late winner as Drogheda United maintained their hoodoo over Bohemians with this smash-and-grab victory — a third in a row at Dalymount Park.
With Drogheda defending tenaciously as Bohs all but owned the ball throughout the second half, the Boynesiders struck on the counter-attack on 86 minutes.
Conor Keeley, imperious in the heart of Drogheda’s defence throughout, broke forward to thread a pass straight down the middle for the run of Thomas.
The striker, making his first appearance in the league since scoring in the 3-0 win over Sligo Rovers back in February, used his power and pace to hold off the challenge of both Rob Cornwall and Niall Morahan to skip between them and dink his shot past Kacper Chorazka.
It’s now just one win over Drogheda from their last seven meetings for Bohemians, who controlled much of the play here but lacked a real cutting edge in the final third against Kevin Doherty’s resilient side.
While Drogheda move level on 41 points with third-placed Derry City, Shamrock Rovers were potentially the other winners here; a victory over Derry at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday evening will put them 10 points clear at the top of the table with 10 games to play.
Missing their chief summer signing, ex-Drogheda striker Douglas James-Taylor, due to illness, sloppiness almost saw Bohs punished inside four minutes when Cian Byrne was dispossessed by an alert Dare Kareem.
The big Drogheda striker surged forward, his drive just lacking sufficient venom to seriously trouble Chorazka, who saved comfortably.
In a helter-skelter opening, Bohs threatened for the first time after 15 minutes.
A delightful piece of magic from Dawson Devoy saw the skipper thread a sublime pass through for Ross Tierney. Racing off his line, Luke Dennison made himself big to deflect the volley out for a corner.
A Conor Kane long throw soon caused Bohs issues at the other end, the ball was nodded back by James Bolger for Keeley to dip a volley on the turn just over the Gypsies’ crossbar.
Bohs had further worries minutes later. Kane’s free kick into their area wasn’t fully cleared, with Andy Quinn’s scuffed shot saved by Chorazka.
Bohs dominated the ball from the resumption, Keeley rescuing Drogheda eight minutes in with a vital touch to deflect James Clarke’s effort out for a corner following a neat one-two with Collie Whelan.
The home faithful were then on their feet, thinking Bohs had taken the lead on 72 minutes. Tierney’s powerful volley from Connor Parson’s cross had merely found the side-netting.
But it was Drogheda’s raucous following who would almost lift the roof off the Mono stand four minutes from the end of regulation time to salute Thomas’s winner.
Bohemians: Chorazka; Byrne (Buckley, 71), Cornwall (Stods, 90), Flores; Rooney, Morahan, Devoy, Parsons (Brennan, 80); Tierney, Clarke; Whelan (McDonnell, 80).
Drogheda United: Dennison; Lambe, Quinn, Keeley, Bolger (Cooper, 87), Kane; Heeney (Farrell, 77), Brennan (O’Sullivan, 87); Markey; Oluwa (Davis, 63), Kareem (Thomas, 63).
Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).
Attendance: 4,372.
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Boost JOSH THOMAS League of Ireland LOI Bohemians Drogheda United