League Report: Bohemians 0 - 1 Derry City

From Macdara Ferris in Dalymount Park

A first half goal from Barry McNamee was enough to earn Derry City all three points against Bohemians at Dalymount Park on Friday. It was a frantic end to a game that City completed with only ten men for the final six minutes. However City deservedly hung on as the Candystripes moved up into the third place in the Premier Division table.

The visitors took a 1-0 lead into half time thanks to McNamee’s goal six minutes from the break. They should have been a goal up earlier though – they had more of the play and Rory Patterson should have given them the lead. His shot mid-way through the half was foolishly touched by Nathan Boyle as it was heading into the net and it was correctly ruled out for offside.

It was McNamee who had the first chance of the game inside four minutes when he found space on the edge of the area but the ball from his shot just cleared Shane Supple's crossbar. They went close again six minutes later when a Nicky Low corner was allowed bounce by the Bohs defence in the six yard box but Darren Cole couldn’t quite connect at the back post to give the Candystripes the lead.

It was a tough battle at the back for Bohs against the physical Rory Patterson but Dan Byrne at centre-half gave as good as he got for most of the half. However it was only Boyle’s mistake that prevented Patterson from scoring with the rogue touch on the ball costing City as it was travelling into the net on 23 minutes.

Supple was called soon again into action when Aaron McEneff’s free kick beat the Bohs wall but not their netminder. The Gypsy captain caught the ball on the bounce as City really began to get on top.

City deservedly took the lead through McNamee. Supple had done really well to save Ronan Curtis' shot when he cut in off a beautifully lofted pass by Low. However, McNamee was on hand to finish with the rebound.

The best chance of the half for Bohs came in the dying minutes of the first period but Dan Casey's downwards header bounced up nicely for Ger Doherty to catch as it heads towards the top corner.

Bohs were certainly better in the second half, stepping up their pressing on Derry City. Keith Long changed things up after an hour by bringing on Ismahil Akinade for Paddy Kavanagh with Akinade playing in beside Dinny Corcoran.

He got stuck straight in and could have received a red card just four minutes after coming on. He swung an arm at Aaron Barry as the pair were battling for the ball at the corner flag. Bohs fans felt Barry went down very easily and boos rang out around Dalymount Park.

City should have wrapped the match up but they were wasteful in front of a goal; a shot from McEniff off a Boyle centre in particular. At the other end it required a superb tackle from Darren Cole to take the ball off Dinny Corcoran as the striker was about to unleash a shot on City goal.

As tempers frayed, Bohs began to find some space in the midfield and apply some pressure on the visitors. Doherty was called into action on a couple of occasions and his punch under pressure from amongst a coterie of Bohs players was particularly timely as the game entered the final 15 minutes.

Patterson hit the side netting from the free kick after Dan Byrne went in the book in the final ten minutes. Then when Akinade was clean in on goal late in the game outside the box Barry’s desperate tackle couldn’t get the ball and only got him a red card.

Keith Ward lined up the free kick on the edge of the Derry ‘D’ but the City wall stood firm. Bohs continued to pile on the last gasp pressure but couldn’t find the equaliser. That is three losses in a row for Keith Long’s men who travel to Tallaght to take on Shamrock Rovers next week.

For Kenny Shiels’ men, with their third win in the last six games, it meant they leapfrogged both Bray Wanderers and Rovers into the Europa League spot and he will feel it was very much a case of job well done on this trip to Dublin for the Candystripes.

Bohemians: Shane Supple; Dan Casey (Dylan Hayes 55), Dan Byrne, Warren O'Hora, Ian Morris; Paddy Kavanagh (Ismahil Akinade 61), Fuad Sule, Oscar Brennan, Ciaran O'Connor; Keith Ward; Dinny Corcoran.

Subs not used: Greg Murray (gk), Lorcan Fitzgerald, Philip Gannon, Georgie Poynton.

Booked: Ian Morris (42), Ismahil Akinade (65), Oscar Brennan (70), Dan Byrne (82).

Derry City: Ger Doherty; Conor McDermott, Darren Cole, Aaron Barry, Dean Jarvis; Aaron McEneff, Nicky Low; Nathan Boyle (Mark Timlin 80 [Lukas Schubert 88]), Barry McNamee, Ronan Curtis; Rory Patterson. 

Subs not used: Eric Grimes (gk), Eoin Toal, Jamie McIntyre, Rory Holden, Josh Daniels.

Booked: Nathan Boyle (45+1), Nicky Low (90+3).

Sent Off: Aaron Barry (84).

Referee: Robert Hennessy.

Attendance: 1,800 (estimate).

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Nicky Low (Derry City).