EA Sports Cup Report: Bohemians 2 - 1 Cabinteely

David Wilson reports from Dalymount Park

Bohemians completed a second half turnaround to defeat Cabinteely 2-1 on a showery Monday night in Dalymount Park. Goals from Ryan Graydon and a Sam Byrne penalty ensured Bohs' progression to the quarter-final of the EA Sports Cup. 

Cabo started brightly and began to stamp their mark on the game when Zak O’Neill and Eoin Massey took control of the midfield. Their ability to dictate the play combined with their determination to win the ball back quickly didn’t allow their Bohs’ counterparts of Robbie McCourt and Danny Mandriou to gain a foothold in the game. 

James Woods and Adam Doyle both provided pace and width for the visitors, and the first chance of the game arrived as Luke Clucas was played in down the right. His neat turn spun Aaron Barry in the Bohs defence, with the ball struck across Sean Bohan’s goalmouth.

The Bohs stopper managed to divert the ball around the post with a finger-tip save.

Cabo created a number of half-chances, first from Daniel Blackbyrne who acrobatically volleyed wide after a dangerous wide delivery from Woods and then Oisin McMenamin had an effort from outside the box which drifted just wide. 

The opening goal arrived in the 34thminute as the visitors took the lead. Clucas got on the end of a corner from Woods which was whipped right in under Bohan’s crossbar. Bohan flapped at it and Clucas was on hand to nod it in, a goal which was richly deserved by Pat Devlin’s men. 

Keith Long’s side couldn’t grab any initiative in the opening period and their only real chance in the first half fell to Sam Byrne who scuffed his shot wide after being played in by strike partner Ryan Swan.

Half time saw the introduction of Andy Lyons for Mandriou by Long. Lyons went to play at right-back as Michael Barker slotted into centre-half, whilst Scott Allardice pushed into midfield in attempt by the Bohs management to gain more ball possession. 

The switch made an instant impact as Bohs pressed their First Division opponents deep inside their own half. Allardice and McCourt began to dictate the pace of the game and the tempo more reflected a Premier Division game rather than a First Division one.



Even though the Gypsies started well, a great chance fell to Woods on the right of the Cabo midfield. His shot flashed just by the far post. 

Graydon began to exert his influence down the Bohs left, his dribbling and neat link-up play began to wreak havoc for the Cabo defenders. In the 55thminute Graydon got on the end of a cross to the far post, his header bounced up off the ground and somehow rolled along the Cabo crossbar and went over.

A minute later Graydon’s work was finally rewarded as he nodded in a half-volleyed cross from Swan. The Bohs winger controlled his header well, knocking it back to where Peter Quinlan had come from in the Cabinteely goal leaving him with no chance.

The confidence of this young Bohs team grew. Allardice and McCourt again providing a platform in which to build. Paddy Kirk and Lyons began to fly forward from full-back positions as the game became more expansive. 

On the hour mark, Byrne went close with a free-kick from 28 yards out which just whistled over the bar. Five minutes later Graydon again caused problems for Cabo, who looked to be struggling for fitness at this point as many of the players haven’t had much game time recently.

Graydon cut in from the left, dribbled his away across the box where his right-footed effort hit the but of the post. 



The introduction of Ali Reghba immediately got the home support on the edge of their seats. He began to give Cabo left-back Ronan O’Kelly some problems with his pace and power. 

The Bohs winner came on 77 minutes. A driving run into the box from Lyons resulted in Sean Fitzpatrick scything him down. Referee Stephen Parnell gave the penalty and the away side could have no complaints. Former Dundalk man Byrne stepped up and slotted his effort low to Quinlan’s left leaving him with no chance.

The remaining minutes consisted of Cabinteely pushing forward without creating any clear-cut opportunities. They were nearly caught on the break by Reghba and Graydon but neither could find the killer goal. 

Overall Pat Devlin will be happy with his side’s performance (particularly in the first half), with numerous players gaining more game time and reflecting themselves well against a good Premier Division side. Keith Long will be a lot happier though as his side’s second half performance propelled them into the quarter-final of the EA Sports Cup.

Bohemians: Sean Bohan (GK), Michael Barker Aaron Barry, Scott Allardice (Dylan Thornton 75), Paddy Kirk (c), Danny Mandriou (Andrew Lyons 46), Robbie McCourt, Ryan Graydon, Luke Wade-Slater (Ali Reghba 67), Sam Byrne, Ryan Swan

Subs not used: Jamie Cleary (GK), Ross Tierney, Dawson Devoy, Alex Kelly

Booked: Danny Mandriou (39)

Cabinteely: Peter Quinlan (GK), Daniel Blackbyrne, Sean Fitzpatrick (c), Johnny Carlin, Ronan O’Kelly, James Woods (Nika Kalandarishvili 82), Zak O’Neill, Eoin Massey, Adam Doyle (Ollie Hamzat 82), Oisin McMenamin (Shane Barnes 70), Luke Clucas

Subs not used: Benjamin Clarke (GK), Jack Tuite, Jackson Ryan, Robert Manley

Booked: Eoin Massey (57), Sean Fitzpatrick (60), Adam Doyle (73)

Referee: Stephen Parnell

Attendance: 500 (estimate)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match:Sam Byrne (Bohemians)

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