FAI Cup Report: Bohemians 1 - 0 Shamrock Rovers

Patrick O’Connor reports from Dalymount Park

Bohemians put their poor league form to one side and replaced it with a five-star performance by beating Shamrock Rovers 1-0 in the Sports Direct FAI Cup second round tie at Dalymount Park on Friday night.

This was a much-improved display after their feeble effort against Sligo Rovers last weekend when they lost 2-0 and it now keeps them in the running a potential third FAI Cup Final appearance in four years for the Gypsies.

While the margin of victory was a single goal, they were the dominant side throughout and were fully deserving of the win against an off-colour Rovers side.

The Hoops for their part were a pale shadow of the side which had that thrilling 2-0 win over Vikingur Reykjavik in the Champions League on Tuesday night and they now know that they won’t be adding to their 25 FAI Cup success in the 2024 season.

The first half of this match was fairly evenly balanced with both sides playing some nice possession-based football at stages without really threatening the opposition goal at any stage. In fact, one of the standout features of the opening 45 minutes was that neither side managed an attempt on goal with keepers Kasper Chorazka and Leon Pohls bystanders for all of that period of the game.

The closest the game came to delivering a goal was in the eight minute when Jack Byrne’s free kick for Rovers hit the post and Dan Cleary then inexplicably headed the rebound over the bar from five meters.

It finished nil all at the break and the intensity levels ratcheted up a lot in the second half as both sides went in search of a goal, knowing that extra time and potentially a penalty shoot out faced them if they failed to find the net.

The home side were very much in control of the game at this stage and Rovers’ manager Stephen Bradley tried to wrestle back control by introducing no less than four attacking players in the 58^th minute.

Trevor Clarke, Neil Farrugia, Darragh Burns and mid-week hero Johnny Kenny all entered the fray but it had no great impact as Bohemians continued to have much more energy and were always the more likely team to break the deadlock.

They did make the breakthrough in the 67^th minute when Dayle Rooney netted from the penalty spot.

Rooney started a move on the left wing and when he threaded the ball through to Ross Tierney in the box, the Bohs midfielder was bundled over by Josh Honohan and referee Rob Hennessy immediately had no hesitation in awarding the penalty kick.

Rooney himself took control of the ball and his spot kick was dispatched with confidence to the delight of the predominantly home support in the 4,431attendance.

There was still plenty of time for the Hoops to respond but they could never replicate their midweek performance levels and in fact it was Bohs who had the more positive reaction to that goal, going on to dominate the rest of the game and emerging well deserved winners.

Bohemians swing back to league activity next week when they are at home again against struggling Dundalk while Rovers have the important matter of a Champions League Qualifier second round tie with Sparta Prague in Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday night.

Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Cian Byrne, Jordan Flores, Leigh Kavanagh, Martin Miller; Dawson Devoy, Adam McDonnell (JamesClarke 85), Ross Tierney; Alex Grieve (Daniel Grant 75), Filip Piszczek (Oluwaseun Akintunde 46), Dayle Rooney (Patrick Kirk 89).

Subs not used: James Talbot, Aboubacar Keita, Jevon Mills, Declan McDaid, Archie Meekison.

Booked: Dawson Devoy (21), Alex Grieve (72), Filip Piszczek (72), James Akintunde (75).

Shamrock Rovers: Léon-Maurice Pöhls; Daniel Cleary, Joshua Honohan, Seán Kavanagh (Trevor Clarke 58), Pico; Jack Byrne(Darragh Burns 58), Conan Noonan (Dylan Watts 75), Darragh Nugent, Gary O'Neill, Richard Towell (Neil Farrugia 58); Aaron Greene (Johnny Kenny 58).

Subs not used: Lee Steacy, Lee Grace, Seán Hoare, Cian Barrett.

Booked: Richie Towell (17),Gary O'Neill (65), Daniel Cleary (72).

Referee: Rob Hennessy

Attendance: 4,431

extratime.com Player of the Match: Ross Tierney ( Bohemians)

FAI Cup Report: Galway United 6 - 0 Longford Town https://t.co/VRpO4OVm0ypic.twitter.com/FjmcAAB4Hz

— extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) July 19, 2024