Shamrock Rovers 0
Bohemians 0
THERE WAS NO separating Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians in Tallaght tonight in their Airtricity League clash, but the home side will feel they should have taken the victory.
The opening period saw both teams cancel each other out, with Stephen McPhail and Patrick Cregg going up against the Bohs pairing of Roberto Lopes and Keith Buckley in the middle of the park.
Young Stephen Best was deployed at the heart of the visiting defence as Keith Long shuffled the pack due to Anto Murphy’s suspension, and he looked solid having had a superb season so far for the U19s.
Indeed, chances were at a premium for both teams inside the first quarter of an hour, with Patrick Kavanagh’s strike just wide of Craig Hyland’s post after 11 minutes the only scoring opportunity of note.
Mikey Drennan began to influence the play after that, and he linked up well with Keith Fahey on two occasions, but his first cross was cut out by Best, and his second went high over the bar.
A floated delivery from Sean O’Connor then handed the Hoops the best scoring opportunity of the half, but David Webster headed over from 10 yards.
The second half proved equally tight, but the home side did up the tempo, and early shots from Drennan and O’Connor forced Delany to save, albeit comfortably.
Dean Kelly, playing as the lone striker for Bohemians, was isolated for much of the tie, and he was replaced by Jason Byrne with 10 minutes remaining.
By that stage, Rovers had really upped the anti, and the introduction of Kieran Marty-Waters had given them some real potency in their attack.
He first teed up fellow substitute Ryan Brennan, who had a point-blank header saved by Delany, and then the goalkeeper denied Waters with an equally impressive stop after an almighty scramble in the Bohs box.
With five minutes to go, Pat Fenlon went for two up top with the introduction of Danny North, and he had a late chance to win it, but his header from Waters’ cross grazed the top of the goal frame.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Craig Hyland, Simon Madden, David Webster, Conor kenna, David O’Connor, Pat Cregg, Stephen McPhail (Ryan Brennan, 61), Keith Fahey, Gary McCabe (Danny North, 85), Sean O’Connor (Kieran Marty Waters, 71), Michael Drennan.
BOHEMIANS: Dean Delany, Derek Pender, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Roberto Lopes, Derek Prendergast, Keith Buckley (Kealan Dillon, 61), Dean Kelly (Jason Byrne, 79), Patrick Kavanagh, Adam Evans (Karl Moore, 75), Robbie Creevy, Stephen Best.
Man-of-the-match: Dean Delany
Referee: Paul Tuite
