Leinster Senior Cup Report: Bohemians 0 - 3 Shelbourne
Shelbourne triumphed in Monday’s north Dublin Derby in the Leinster Senior Cup, coming out on top 3-0 against a youthful Bohemians side at Dalymount Park.
A fantastic finish from Dayle Rooney and two goals from James English gave Shels a deserved win on the night after controlling much of the game against their local rivals.
The first chance came after just two minutes, with Rooney's corner being turned towards goal by Mark Hughes. Alan Byrne caught it on the volley but sent it over the bar.
Bohs went down the other end on the break and nearly had one for themselves when Dean Casey strode in towards Jamie Quinn, but the Shels ‘keeper smartly turned away his effort at his front post.
It was the away side who got off to the better overall start, with an excellent touch from James English teeing up Chris Lyons which needed clearing by Philip Gannon, before the midfielder needed to do the same from a Reece McEnteer cross.
An Adam Evans cross made life difficult for ‘keeper Greg Murray who had to scramble to deal with it, but a brief setback for Shels came when Alan Byrne had to be withdrawn after just 19 minutes.
It didn't halt their momentum however and just two minutes later they had the ball in the Bohs net. Rooney brilliantly turning inside Paddy Kirk before expertly curling a left footed effort into the far top corner from 18 yards, giving Murray zero chance of a save.
Just a minute later Evans was through again on the left wing to deliver a good cross that needed clearing by Oscar Brennan as Shels looked to capitalise on their momentum from the opening goal.
The final 15 minutes of the first half saw an improvement from Bohs, with a Keith Ward free kick forcing Quinn to do a bit of work, before a surprise volley from Jamie Doyle required a deflection off Derek Prendergast to send it over.
Their best chance of the opening half came in injury time. A rasping first time effort from 12 yards by Doyle looked destined to nestle in the top left corner of the Shels net before an acrobatic save from Quinn denied the home side an equaliser.
There was almost an instant goal to the start of the second half as Lyons raced forward off the kick-off and drew Murray into a good save low to his left.
After that both sides looked to control proceedings in a cagey encounter, but there was a big penalty shout just before the hours mark for Shelbourne when English was bundled over by Kirk from behind, but referee Derek Tomney did not award the foul.
Another injury concern for Shels came in the 65th minute when Lyons appeared to depart with a hamstring problem after a clash with Kirk, before Jamie Wilson nearly had the ball in the net at the other end, just falling under a brilliant cross from a Keith Ward free kick.
This began a period of quick counter-on-counter play, with English breaking though only to be halted by a fantastic challenge from Wilson. Next a clever ball from Brennan slotted in Casey, and a clever one-two with Daniel Peppard bought the Bohs winger a chance but his shot went into the side netting.
With a quarter of an hour to go Wilson barged into English in the penalty area, making little attempt to win the ball by shoving the Shels striker but referee Tomney turned away calls for what looked to be a stonewall penalty.
No matter for English as five minutes later he had doubled the Drumcondra side's lead. He was played in by Evans and he outmuscled Brennan on the dribble from the right hand side before slotting home under Murray at his front post.
English then put fyurther gloss on the scoreline with a powerful header six minutes from time after meeting a gorgeous cross from Rooney, sending the Shels faithful off on the short journey home happy.
Bohemians: Greg Murray; Dylan Hayes, Jamie Wilson, Oscar Brennan, Patrick Kirk; Jamie Hamilton (Brandon Kavanagh ht), Keith Ward, Eoghan Morgan (Dominic Peppard 71), Philip Gannon, Dean Casey; Jamie Doyle (Steven Nolan 58).
Subs Not Used: Cian Clarke, John Ross Wilson, Andrew Lyons, Cian Fay.
Booked: Dean Casey (39), Eoghan Morgan (45), Daniel Peppard (79).
Shelbourne: Jamie Quinn; Adam O'Connor, Derek Prendergast, Alan Byrne (Jack Tuite 19), Reece McEnteer; Dayle Rooney, David O'Leary, Chris Lyons (Dylan Grimes 65), Mark Hughes, Adam Evans (Lorcan Shannon 83); James English.
Subs Not Used: Dean Delany, Niall Lanigan, Jackson Ryan, Aaron Ashe.
Booked: Reece McEnteer (45), David O'Leary (52)
Referee: Derek Tomney
Attendance: 370 (official).
ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: James English (Shelbourne)