Bohemians 3
Waterford 0
Dave Donnelly reports from Dalymount Park.
BOHEAMIANS’ YOUNGSTERS came to the fore as Keith Long’s side made it four wins from their last five and continued a rich vein for form with a dismantling of Waterford.
Ireland underage stars Dawson Devoy, Ross Tierney and Andy Lyons were on target as the Gypsies wore down a stubborn Waterford outfit to move fifth in the table.
Bohs have put a difficult opening to the season, which saw them win just two of their opening nine games, behind them as their slick, passing football has started to reap dividends on the pitch.
It wasn’t quite the goalfest that saw Dundalk put to the sword on Monday at the same venue, but much of that was down to the form of ex-Bohs keeper Brian Murphy in the Blues’ goal.
The former Queens Park Rangers and Ipswich Town man, who has been recalled by Marc Bircham after being exiled by former manager Kevin Sheedy, made a string of top-class saves.
The first, after 14 minutes, may go down as the save of the season as a furiously-struck 20-yarder from Conor Levingston was somehow parried up and over the bar by the Waterford native.
Bohs were finding acres of space down Waterford’s left-hand side, where Cian Browne had little protection from Jamie Mascoll, and it was from there that most of their chances originated.
Lyons played Devoy into space on the right and he crossed for Georgie Kelly, who looked certain to score only for Swansea City loanee Cameron Evans to make a superbly-timed tackle.
Devoy forced Murphy into a routine save and curled another inches wide, before finally breaking the deadlocked seven minutes before half time.
Again, it came from the right, as Lyons scampered into space and had time to pick out Devoy’s late arrival to the box, and the new Ireland U21 call-up swept the ball home.
The second arrived four minutes later as Josh Collins could only clear a corner as far as Rory Feely, and he headed it into the path of Tierney, who needed no invitation to nod past Murphy.
Murphy prevented Bohs from taking a three-goal lead into the break, as he stuck out a leg to deny the rampaging Lyons.
Lyons would get his goal midway through the second half, after Waterford sub Isaac Tshipamba had been shown a straight red for a mistimed tackle on Ciaran Kelly.
Another slick passing move saw Kelly tee up Liam Burt, who overran it, and the striker instead found Lyons running in from the right and he squeezed his shot in from an acute angle.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Andy Lyons, Rory Feely, Ciaran Kelly, Anto Breslin; Conor Levingston, Dawson Devoy (Keith Buckley 78), Ross Tierney (Keith Ward 73); Ali Coote, Liam Burt (Stephen Mallon 78), Georgie Kelly.
Waterford: Brian Murphy; Darragh Power (Isaac Tshipamba 46), Cameron Evans, Josh Collins (Jack Stafford 60), Cian Browne; Adam O’Reilly, Niall O’Keeffe, Shane Griffin; James Waite (Prince Mutsvunguma 73), Jamie Mascoll (Eric Molloy 73), John Martin (Cian Kavanagh 46).