FAI Cup Report: Bohemians 2 - 0 Galway United

Bohemians ended their eight game run without a goal as they advanced to the next round of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup with a 2-0 win over Galway United on Friday evening at Dalymount Park.

The Gypsies were looking to end their dreadful run but were quickly on the back foot as a Dave Mulcahy slip let Vinny Faherty feed Gary Shanahan on the right. Derek Pender was there though to get an excellent block in.

Bohs were slow to start but quickly made the tide turn as Ismahil Akinade drove a dangerous ball into the Galway box but the ball could only be cleared to Derek Pender who fired a speculative shot over the bar.

It wasn’t long however before Bohs ended their goaless run. Having been called up to the Tunisian squad for the upcoming African Cup of Nations, Ayman Ben Mohammed swung in a ball after some fine work down the left and Paddy Kavanagh got the ball out of his feet and hit a beautifully hit shot into the bottom left corner. The relief was massive around Dalymount Park.  

Ben Mohammed’s confidence was soaring and ran straight through the Galway midfield as he was brought down on the edge of the box by Kilian Cantwell. The Galway defender was booked and Paddy Kavanagh had a well hit free kick parried away by Conor Winn.

The Tunisian winger then did well again down the left and his cross was headed over the bar by Paddy Kavanagh who found it a little too high to get any power on the header.

It wasn’t until 23 minutes in that Galway had their first meaningful chance when the impressive Shanahan crossed a low ball into Faherty who turned well but he could only manage a deflected shot that just went wide of the post.

From the resulting corner, Shanahan flicked on a very dangerous ball deep into the Bohs six yard box but the ball was cleared as Paddy Kavanagh broke only to be cynically taken down by Alex Byrne. Byrne was booked for the challenge. Unfortunatly, Kavanagh couldn’t get back on his feet and was substituted for Keith Buckley.

Ben Mohammed did brilliantly again on the half hour mark as he skipped his way through down the middle and put Akinade through whose shot cleared Winn but not the line as Kevin Devaney raced back to clear off the line.

Not much was going Galway’s way as Eric Foley’s dipping effort two minutes later was all that tested Dean Delaney’s goal. Foley’s shot couldn’t drop in time though to hit the target.

Bohs took their lead into the half time break as Colm Horgan’s speculative shot just before the half time was the only further threat to Bohs’ goal advantage.

Galway would have looked for an immediate response as the second half kicked off but it was Ben Mohammed again who was looking the most dangerous on the pitch.

Firstly, great work on the left wing enabling him to swing in a tantalising cross only to be gathered by Winn and then breaking from deep and causing Foley to bring him down as he clearly had the better of him. Foley got booked for his troubles.

After 55 minutes, it was another significant contribution from the Tunisian that brought Bohs their second goal of the game. After quick thinking from subsitute Mark Quigley, he played his free kick on the left to Wearen who squared it to Ben Mohammed behind the Galway wall and the Bohs man was brought down as the Referee pointed to the spot.

Quigley, who has suffered indifferent form of late, stepped up and confidently made it two for the goal shy Dublin club.

Galway were growing frustrated and were struggling to mount a comeback with their best chance coming on 67 minutes when the ball was cut back to John Sullivan who had his shot pushed away by Delaney.

Long thow-ins were becoming a feature for Galway as they pressed for an equaliser and Shanahan got on the end of one with 18 minutes to go but Akinade was there to clear just inside the six yard box.

Subsitute Ruairi Keating then tried his luck as he cut inside of Stephen Best to fire a low shot straight at Delaney two minutes later. Keating had created a great deal of space and will have been disappointed to have not got Galway back in it.

Another throw in followed on 78 minutes when Galway defender Armin Aganovic headed a low ball towards the corner but Delaney did well to get down and save.

Bohs had a chance of their own to make it three when Akinade played a great square ball into Wearen who put Ben Mohammed in on the left and his shot was beaten away by the left boot of Winn.

Akinade was getting more and more confident. He did brilliantly with ten minutes remaining to get to the end line but his ball back to Quigley didn’t have the direction it deserved.

With full time fast approaching Galway were getting even more desperate and were restricted to long range efforts, like that of Marc Ludden’s effort which was easily saved from the left wing by Delaney.

Space was developing as Galway poured forward and Roberto Lopes broke completely clear to go one on one with Winn but the Bohs midfielder couldn’t get his shot past the Goalkeeper to make it three.

Unfortunately for Galway, they were unable to meander a way back into the game and despite picking up three injuries, to Derek Pender, Kavanagh and Jake Kelly, will be delighted to have finally ended their eight game barren run without a goal and advance to the next round of the cup.

Bohemians: Dean Delaney, Derek Pender (Stephen Best 54’) , Roberto Lopes, Dan Byrne, Eoin Wearen, Jake Kelly (Mark Quigley 43’), Patrick Kavanagh (Keith Buckley 27’), Dave Mulcahy, Ayman Ben Mohamed, Dylan Hayes, Ismahil Akinade

Subs Not Used: Lee Steacy, Derek Prendergast, Kurtis Byrne, James Kavanagh

Booked:

Galway United: Conor Winn, Colm Horgan, Marc Ludden, Alex Byrne, Killian Cantwell, John Sullivan, Vinny Faherty, Kevin Devaney (Ruairi Keating 45’), Gary Shanahan, Eric Foley (Conor Melody 56’), Armin Aganovic

Subs Not Used: Jesse Devers, Paul Sinnott, Cormac Raferty, Kevin Horgan, Andrew Connolly

Booked: Kilian Cantwell 10’, Alex Byrne 24’, Shanahan 55’, Foley 53’

Referee: Neil Doyle

Attendence: 853

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Aymen Ben Mohammed (Bohemians)

You can view Tom Beary's, Martin Doherty's and Eddie Lennon's pictures from the game here.