Shamrock Rovers 3
Bohemians 1
SHAMROCK ROVERS put their stuttering start to the season behind them as they earned a convincing 3-1 win over Bohemians in the Premier Division this evening.
A record attendance at Tallaght of 10,094 watched on as clinically taken second-half goals from Johnny Kenny, Darragh Burns and Aaron Greene handed the Hoops a victory over their arch-rivals.
A last-gasp Declan McDaid strike did little to lift the away fans’ spirits on a glum night for the Gypsies.
Bohemians began the evening a point ahead of the Hoops in the table in sixth, with both sides experiencing sub-par starts to the season.
It was new manager Alan Reynolds’ first game in charge, succeeding Declan Devine, who departed following the club’s disappointing early form.
There were two changes to the hosts’ team following the 1-0 win in Galway earlier this month.
Johnny Kenny and Gary O’Neill replaced Rory Gaffney and Markus Poom in the starting XI.
The visitors made two alterations from their most recent game, a 2-1 win over Derry City on 15 March.
Oluwaseun Akintunde and Aboubacar Keita came into the team for the unavailable Filip Piszczek and Cian Byrne.
Bohs began brightly. Jordan Flores nearly punished an unsuccessful attempt to play out from the back, shooting narrowly wide from the edge of the area after a Dylan Watts pass put Gary O’Neill under pressure.
The ensuing period was consistently scrappy and largely uneventful, characterised by numerous stray passes and a lack of attacking penetration from either team.
Rovers had a rare chance on the half-hour mark. Roberto Lopes met Watts’ corner, but his downward header was too close to goalkeeper Kacper Chorazka.
The crowd came alive again moments later — Daniel Cleary’s incisive pass picked out the onrushing Darragh Burns, whose powerful shot was parried away by Chorazka for a corner.
But these were anomalies amid an invariably uninspired 45 minutes.
Yet the lethargy of the first half was soon forgotten, as Rovers looked sharper and took the lead shortly after the re-start.
Jevon Mills headed away a Josh Honohan cross but the ball fell to Watts, whose miscued shot put Johnny Kenny through on goal and the Celtic loanee made no mistake with the finish.
Shortly thereafter the hosts doubled their advantage. The Bohs defence failed to deal with a Graham Burke cross and Burns rifled home inside the area.
Kenny almost added a third on the hour mark. The striker blazed over the bar after being sent through on goal by Burke.
Bohs introduced Danny Grant and Brian McManus in a bid to rescue the game and the latter almost made an immediate impact, poking a shot narrowly wide from close range.
It was mainly one-way traffic though and down the other end, the increasingly influential Burke slipped through Darragh Nugent, but the youngster dragged his shot wide from a tight angle.
The hosts made it three with 17 minutes to go when substitute Greene outmuscled Aboubacar Keita and slotted home after great work down the right by Nugent, who provided the assist with a low cross.
It was probably no coincidence that an unimpressed Reynolds withdrew Keita from the action moments later for James McManus.
Burns shot narrowly wide late on before Richie Towell’s effort was deflected away for a corner by Chorazkha’s leg.
With virtually the last kick of the game, Declan McDaid got one back for the visitors finishing past the stranded Leon Pohls after being sent through by Danny Grant’s long ball.
But it was little consolation on a dreadful night for the visitors as their early-season woes continued.
Shamrock Rovers: 1. Leon Pohls 2. Josh Honohan 4. Roberto Lopes 5. Lee Grace 6. Daniel Cleary 16. Gary O’Neill (Poom 58) 7. Dylan Watts (Towell 70) 15. Darragh Nugent 21. Darragh Burns (Clarke 81) 10. Graham Burke (Noonan 81) 24. Johnny Kenny (Greene 70)
Subs: 25. Lee Steacy 3. Sean Hoare 9. Aaron Greene 14. Cian Barrett 17. Richie Towell 18. Trevor Clarke 19. Markus Poom 32. Cian Dillon 34. Conan Noonan
Bohemians: 30. Kacper Chorazka 3. Paddy Kirk 4. Aboubacar Keita (J McManus 77) 6. Jordan Flores 38. Jevon Mills 27. Michael Lilander 15. James Clarke 17. Adam McDonnell (Grant 64) 10. Dylan Connolly (B McManus 64) 8. Dayle Rooney 11. Oluwaseun Akintunde (McDaid 70)
Subs: 1. James Talbot 7. Declan McDaid 12. Daniel Grant 14. James McManus 18. Brian McManus 20. Stan Reinkfort 24. Cian Byrne 29. Nickson Okosun 41. Luke Matheson
Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin)
Attendance: 10,094
