IF THE FIRST half at Tallaght last night was a reminder of why Shamrock Rovers started the day seventh in the table a point behind Bohs, the second half reinforced why they are a side going for a fifth league title on the bounce.
Very little of note occurred in a dire opening 45 minutes. There were a handful of half-chances, but the game threatened to be a major anti-climax on the day when a League of Ireland fixture’s attendance exceeded 10,000 for the first time this century.
After the break though, Rovers were a different animal. It was immediately clear as the contest re-started that the hosts looked much sharper and more threatening compared to the lacklustre first-half fare.
Within four minutes they were ahead thanks to Johnny Kenny’s clinical finish.
By the 53rd minute, the game appeared over as a contest when Darragh Burns doubled their advantage and Aaron Greene put the icing on the cake soon after.
Rovers’ sudden dominance was remarkable, particularly given that the first half was relatively even.
If anything, the 3-1 final score flattered Bohs, whose defence was an accident waiting to happen and who offered very little in attack before Declan McDaid’s last-gasp consolation.
So what went so right for Rovers and wrong for their opponents?
Arguably the biggest problem was the wide areas.
Man of the match Josh Honohan and Darragh Burns — who are both already looking like smart off-season acquisitions — excelled for the Hoops on either side.
Honohan kept Dylan Connolly quiet and added plenty in an attacking sense, while similarly, Burns caused plenty of problems for Dayle Rooney and Paddy Kirk on Bohs’ left.
All the hosts’ goals came from crosses while individual errors by Bohs defenders aided each.
For the opener, Jevon Mills’ weak header put his side under pressure and while there was an element of fortune about how Dylan Watts set up Kenny with a mis-hit shot, the Celtic loanee was in acres of space and completely unmarked as he had all the time in the world to finish.
For the second goal, Mills and Michael Lilander should have done more in the build-up to stop Graham Burke’s cross from coming in.
And for the third, Aboubacar Keita has to be stronger and not allow Aaron Greene to shrug him off so easily — perhaps unsurprisingly, new boss Alan Reynolds substituted the American defender four minutes later.
And inexperience was undoubtedly a big reason behind Bohs’ woes. Reynolds was just two days into the job while his starting XI had a makeshift feel and based on that performance, major surgery is required.
Of the backline that started, both centre-backs are loanees. Similarly, Lilander and Kacper Chorążka are playing Premier Division football for the first time this year.
Left-back Paddy Kirk, with over 100 league appearances under his belt, was the only experienced defender who started the match for the visitors.
Yet while some charitable defending helped Rovers’ cause, Stephen Bradley suggested a half-time tweak was at the root of their success.
“First half, I thought we were hesitant, we were slow in everything we did,” he said afterwards. “The spaces were there, the gaps were there. We knew how they pressed. Alan [Reynolds] presses that way, he did that with Derry. We knew how he presses. The spaces were there, we just didn’t see them first half.
“And as a result, they came into the game off our mistakes. At half-time we had a look at it and the players, to be fair, recognised it straight away. They really hurt them then with those spaces, the penetration was a lot quicker and as a result, it could have been four or five [goals], to be honest with you.”
Bradley acknowledged the pre-match hype about the 10,000 tickets sold may have impacted his players and explained their lacklustre first-half display.
“Maybe that played a part in how hesitant we were in our play and seeing the spaces and rushing things. It was unlike us but in the second half we just went 10 yards higher up the pitch, were more aggressive, played quicker, ran quicker and the spaces were there.
“We’ve worked with these players. They get it. We’re working that way, four years, five years. That’s the frustrating bit, they see it. So when you show it to them, they understand it. So in the second half, it was just about trusting it and going and penetrating. Like I said, how they pressed, we knew the spaces would be there, we just had to exploit them.”
The reigning champions have started the season sluggishly, winning just two of their opening six fixtures.
Shelbourne, by contrast, are the early pacesetters, winning six of their opening seven matches. They sit seven points ahead of Sligo in second and 10 beyond the Hoops, who have a game in hand.
Yet Stephen Bradley has been in similar situations before, with Rovers traditional slow starters in recent times before coming good when it matters most.
So while they will be happy to let Damien Duff’s men receive the accolades for now, there is no doubt that the Tallaght outfit remain the team to beat.
The second 45 minutes on Friday felt like a warning sign to their rivals.
“When you look at it, you have Neil [Farrugia] in the stands, Jack [Byrne] in the stands, Aaron [McEneff]. Trevor [Clarke]‘s just coming back, Richie [Towell]‘s just coming back, Sean Kavanagh. So you’re talking six top players there,” added Bradley.
“I think we’re only getting started, to be honest. I said at the start of the year I sense a freedom around them that I didn’t sense last year, which is nice.
“I’d worry more if we won a game and our performance is well off. The group know because we’ve shown them the stats and how we feel. We don’t lie to them.
“When we’re in that mindset of being aggressive in everything we do with penetrative running, I don’t think a team in the country can live with us. They did that in the second half.”
