Europa Conference League Report: Bohemians 3 - 0 F91 Dudelange (Bohs win 4-0 on aggregate)

Dave Donnelly reports from the Aviva Stadium

Bohemians made it Fortress Lansdowne once more as they inflicted a thumping 3-0 defeat on F91  F91 Dudelange to ease into the third round of the Europa Conference League.

A second-half double from the on-fire Georgie Kelly, after Rob Cornwall had broken the deadlock ten minutes before half time, set up a clash with PAOK of Greece at the same venue next Tuesday.

The Gypsies carried a narrow 1-0 lead into the tie from the first leg in Luxembourg but the fully professional visitors would have fancied their chances against the part-timers from Bohs.

A Dudelange side boasting two current international soon had those illusions shattered, however, as Keith Long’s side dominated from the off and were by no means flattered by the scoreline.

Kelly netted twice to set Bohs on the way to a 3-0 win over Stjarnan here two weeks ago, but it was Cornwall, a half-time sub in that game, who opened the scoring just before half time.

The centre-half wriggled free from a superb inswinging Anto Breslin free kick and connected with a diving header that left Jonathan Joubert helpless.

Joubert was the only member of the matchday squad to remain from Dudelange’s last trip to Ireland, when they faced UCD in Belfield just over six years ago in the Europa League.

The keeper has yet to see his side win a game on Irish soil, but this time there can be few excuses that they didn’t take their opponents seriously.

Dudelange have reached the Europa League group stages twice since then, beating the likes of Cluj and Legia Warsaw on the way, but they’ll have learned from the home leg what lay in store.

If they didn’t, the opening minutes were a good indicator of Bohs’ intent as they took firm control of the game, passing the ball with precision and finding holes in the Dudelange rearguard.

A quick free-kick exchange between Ali Coote and Dawson Devoy saw space open up for the former to shoot, and his deflected effort wrong-footed Joubert, who stuck out a desperate leg to clear.

Moments later, the overlapping Andy Lyons chipped in a cross towards the back post, but Kelly could only manage a glancing header and the ball bounced past the post.

Dudelange’s first chance came just past the midway point as Dejvid Sinani shot straight at James Talbot, while there was a let-off moments later as Samir Hadji did likewise from a better position.

Strong work from Kelly out on the right-hand touchline saw him hauled down by Mehdi Kirch and Breslin, chosen ahead of Tyreke Wilson at left-back, delivered the perfect cross.

Dudelange had half-chances after the break, Kirch slicing a volley wide and Vevo twice slashing shots wildly off-target from decent positions, before Kelly made the game safe.

The striker again used his strength to earn a free kick 35 yards from goal. This time Coote delivered, ‘Rockstar’ Rob Cornwall headed back across goal and Kelly nodded in from close range.

Within four minutes, the Donegal man had a second but this was all about the work of Liam Burt, who broke from his own half, skipped through two tackles and squared for Kelly to slot home.

That took whatever remained of the fight from the Luxembourg side and, with Monday’s league game with Harps now postponed, Long’s side have five days to prepare for the visit of PAOK.

Bohemians: James Talbot; Andy Lyons, Rob Cornwall, Ciaran Kelly, Anto Breslin; Keith Buckley (Conor Levingston 75), Dawson Devoy, Ross Tierney; Ali Coote, Liam Burt (Keith Ward 84), Georgie Kelly (James Finnerty 88).

Subs not used: Stephen McGuinness (gk), Enda Minogue, Rory Feely, Tyreke Wilson, Sean Grehan, Robert Mahon, Aaron Doran, Jamie Mullins, Stephen Mallon.

Booked: Keith Buckley (48).

F91 Dudelange: Jonathan Joubert; Ricardo Delgado (Filip Bojic 39), Kobe Cools, Jules Doiuf; Kevin Van Den Kerkhof, Charles Morren (Abdoul Kaboré 80), Vevo, Mehdi Kirch; Adel Bettaieb (FrancisEco Ninte 80), Samir Hadji (Mohcine Hassan Nadir 64), Dejvid Sinani (Edvin Muratovic 64).

Subs not used: Enzo Esposito (gk), Eliot Gashi, Edis Agovic, Magnus Hansen, Ian Fialho Santos, Chris Stumpf, Rayane Madjkoune.

Booked: Charles Morren (26), Vevo (51).

Referee: Gergoe Bogár (Hungary).

Attendance: 8,000 (official).

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Georgie Kelly (Bohemians).

Finn Harps v Bohemians and Sligo Rovers v Dundalk, originally scheduled for Monday, August 2, have been postponed following their progression in the UEFA Europa Conference League this evening.

A new date for the fixtures will be announced in due course.

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) July 29, 2021