2022 Season Preview: Bohemians

Bohemians celebrate after beating rivals Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount last season. Credit: Eddie Lennon (ETPhotos)

Manager: Keith Long

Stadium: Dalymount Park

Players in: Jordan Flores (Northampton Town), Max Murphy (Shamrock Rovers), Jordan Doherty (Tampa Bay Rowdies), Kris Twardek (FK Senica), Grant Horton (Cheltenham Town – loan), Ryan Cassidy (Watford – loan), JJ McKiernan (Watford – loan), Tadgh Ryan (Treaty United), Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe (Dundalk).

Players out:  Georgie Kelly (Rotherham United), Stephen McGuinness (Bray Wanderers), Andy Lyons (Shamrock Rovers), Anto Breslin (St Patrick’s Athletic), Jack Moylan (Shelbourne), Rob Cornwall (Northern Colorado Hailstorm), Keith Buckley (free agent), Keith Ward (Dundalk), Ross Tierney (Motherwell), Bastien Hery (Finn Harps), Roland Idowu (Waterford).

Extratime.ie Key Man: Liam Burt

After an impressive debut season at Dalymount last year, Liam Burt’s form will be key if Keith Long’s side are to have a successful 2022.

The former Scotland under-21 international made the move from Celtic twelve months ago and hasn't looked back since.

Burt was vital during Bohemians league campaign last season, during their spectacular European journey and FAI Cup run.

The midfielder started in all but two league games, hit the net nine times and contributed six assists. Burt’s breath-taking half-way line strike away to Drogheda in September went viral on social media.



The 23-year-old also started all six Europa Conference League qualifiers last summer, with a goal and an assist at the Aviva against Stjarnan being the highlight.

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Jamie Mullins

Despite high interest from abroad, Keith Long will be delighted that academy graduate Jamie Mullins has signed for 2022.

The midfielder signed a professional contract with the Dublin 7 side in March 2021 and made his senior debut three months later in a 5-0 win over Drogheda.

Mullins made headlines last July when he became Bohemians youngest ever goal scorer in the League of Ireland (16 years & 72 days), after his equaliser against Longford Town. Mullins followed that up with a goal against College Corinthians in the FAI Cup a week later.

After the recent impacts of young players like Ross Tierney and Andy Lyons, Long will be hopeful that Mullins can help lift his side into the European places by the end of the season.



How they did last season:

Premier Division: 5th

Consistency was Bohemians biggest issue last season. After Derry and Dundalk’s success in the transfer window, coupled with the strength of Sligo and St. Pat’s, Bohs must show more consistency in the league if they are to nick a European place.

The Dublin 7 side began 2021 poorly, winning just two of their opening nine games. A 4-0 thumping of Finn Harps in early May soon kicked them into gear, as they went on to win seven of their next ten games.

With Georgie Kelly soon becoming a fans favourite, Bohs hit five past Dundalk and Drogheda before winning two Dublin Derbies on the bounce versus Shamrock Rovers and St. Patricks Athletic. 

In the summer, their league form suffered somewhat inevitably as a result of their European journey. Bohs suffered a 4-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers and also dropped points against Finn Harps and Waterford.

Having exited Europe at the hands of Greek giants PAOK, Bohs quickly turned their focus back to the league, and endured a mixed end to the season.

It was a case of too many draws for the Phibsboro side, who won three of their remaining twelve matches. Home defeats to Finn Harps and Waterford harmed their European hopes. An entertaining derby victory against Shamrock Rovers was followed by a final day draw to Sligo, as Bohs finished fifth, two points behind Derry in fourth.

Bohs finished the 2021 league campaign with fourteen wins, ten draws and twelve losses. Georgie Kelly won the golden boot, scoring 21 of his side’s 60 league goals.

Bohemians also won four consecutive player of the month awards from June to September. Kelly won it in June and September, while Dawson Devoy and Ali Coote won in July and August respectively

FAI Cup: Runners Up

Bohs began their FAI Cup campaign in July, with a routine 5-0 win over Munster Senior League side College Corinthians.

A month later, they hosted bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers in the pick of the second-round ties. Ali Coote opened the scoring in the second half before Pico Lopes equalised from close range. Both sides were reduced to ten men a minute later, after Georgie Kelly and Ronan Finn both saw red. The tie looked set for extra-time before a wonder strike by right-back Andy Lyons (now a Hoop) sent Bohs through to the quarter finals.

Much like the first round, Bohs comfortably saw off Leinster Senior League side Maynooth University Town 4-0 in the Quarter Final. Three first half strikes put the tie to bed at Dalymount, as Maynooth finished the game with ten men.

A raucous Dalymount Park was the venue for the semi-final, as Bohs hosted struggling Waterford in front of 3,500 fans. Georgie Kelly missed a first half penalty before Kyle Ferguson saw red for Waterford. Like against Rovers, the hosts needed a late late winner, this time from Kelly, who tapped in from close range to send Bohs to their first cup final since 2008.

Last year’s FAI Cup final against St. Pat’s was a record for the Aviva Stadium, with 37,126 fans making it a spectacular atmosphere throughout. After a cagey ninety minutes with limited chances, the final exploded into life in extra-time.

The Saints’ Chris Forrester ran half the pitch and slotted past James Talbot to put his side ahead just before the break. Bohs hit back almost immediately after through a Rory Feely header, his first goal for the club. Ross Tierney had two golden chances to be the hero late on, before the final went to penalties.

It wasn't to be for Bohs however. Despite Talbot saving Forrester’s spot-kick, subsequent misses by Tyreke Wilson and Keith Ward gave Robbie Benson the deciding penalty, which he confidently dispatched.

Bohs disappointment was compounded by the fact that they would also miss out on European football in 2022, a factor that may have influenced the recent departures of the likes of Kelly, Tierney, and Lyons.

Europa Conference League: Eliminated in third qualifying round.

Bohs earned high praise for their impressive European campaign last summer. In July, a 1-1 draw away to Icelandic side Stjarnan was followed by an emphatic 3-0 victory in front of 6,000 at the Aviva Stadium.

In July, the Dublin 7 side won away to F91 Dudelange in Luxembourg courtesy of a first-half Ross Tierney goal. A week later, Bohs won 3-0 at the Aviva again with goals from Rob Cornwall, Keith Buckley and Kelly seeing them through to the final round of qualifying.

Bohs enjoyed perhaps their most famous European night in August, with a terrific 2-1 victory over Greek giants PAOK, who at the time were 276 places above Bohs in the UEFA rankings. A brace from Ali Coote sent the 8,000 home supporters into delirium, before a late goal from the Greek side put them right back in the tie.

A nightmare start away in the second leg gave Bohs a mountain to climb, as PAOK went 2-0 up in the opening thirty minutes. Keith Ward could have sent the game to extra-time but missed an open goal in injury time as Bohs European journey came to an end.

What to expect this season:

After selling out their three European games at the Aviva last summer, and the record-breaking ticket sales for November’s FAI Cup Final, it is clear that support for the Dublin 7 side is as strong as ever. All the club’ season tickets and membership for 2022 have sold out, while limited general sale tickets will be available at Dalymount.

On the pitch, Keith Long had a challenging transfer window, losing eleven players, including five who started last year’s FAI Cup final. The loss of Georgie Kelly to Rotherham is significant, but Long will hope that the signing Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe from Derry City can make a similar impact, among others.

A league title may be beyond them at the moment, after finishing 26 points behind champions Shamrock Rovers. Cup winners St. Pat’s, a revitalised Dundalk and Derry City with their new owners will all prove stiff competition over the 36 league games.

A European place will be top priority for Bohs, especially after the disappointment of last season. Their lack of European football this summer may give them a slight advantage over the likes of Derry, St. Pat’s and Sligo. Long will know that every point will matter, as Bohs missed out on Europe last year by just two points.

The return of Kris Twardek from FK Senica was welcomed by many supporters, as was Jordan Flores, who’s wonder-strike for Dundalk was nominated for the Puskas award in 2020. 

First game: Bohemians begin their league campaign away at Sligo Rovers on Saturday 19th February.

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