League Report: Bohemians 1 - 1 Shelbourne

Patrick O’ Connor reports from Dalymount Park

Bohemians and Shelbourne played out a 1-1 draw in the Dublin Derby at Dalymount Park on Friday night, an outcome that leaves the ultimate destination of the league title still very much in question with seven games remaining.

Had Shelbourne won the game, and they were leading by a goal with only seven minutes of normal time remaining, they would have held a six-point advantage over Derry City and likely been on course for their first league title since 2006.

The single point they gained still gives them a four-point advantage over the Foylesiders, whose manager Ruadhí Higgins was an interested spectator in the Jodi Stand last night. However, with the two sides set to meet in the final game of the season at the Brandywell, it’s still too close to call after last night’s stalemate.

Bohemians, on the other hand, had an entirely different objective: to pick up points and remove themselves from the relegation conversation, and they certainly succeeded in that aim.

They were by far the better of the two sides, enjoying 70% of the possession, and it would have been an injustice had they not taken a share of the points against a somewhat off-colour Shelbourne side.

The first half was interesting and tense, but lacked the fire and brimstone one associates with a Dublin Derby.

Bohs carried on from their great win over Shamrock Rovers last Sunday morning and were by far the more positive side throughout the opening 45 minutes.

They strung together some lovely flowing passing moves, with man of the match Ross Tierney orchestrating many of them. He almost created the opening goal in the 24th minute, weaving his way past several Shelbourne defenders before playing a square ball to the unmarked Dayle Rooney, but the winger’s shot skimmed the crossbar and went wide.

The Reds did not create any chances of note in the first half and were fortunate to reach the dressing rooms level at half time.

The opening goal of the game, when it did come in the 59th minute, was very much against the run of play. Dawson Devoy fouled Mark Coyle outside the box, and from the resulting free kick, the ball fell kindly for Matty Smith, who blasted it past Kacper Chorążka for an unlikely lead.

It took the Gypsies 24 minutes to get a well-deserved equaliser, but when it came, it was a peach of a goal from Tierney. The ball was played into Rooney in the box, who, with his back to goal, reversed it out to Tierney. The midfielder unleashed a powerful strike that took a deflection off a Shels defender and flew past Conor Kearns to make it 1-1.

The second half was much more intense than the first, with a flurry of yellow cards issued to both players and coaching staff. The home side were probably the more disappointed of the two not to take maximum points, which their display certainly deserved.

Both teams now take a break from league action next weekend and turn their attention to the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup, with Shelbourne facing Derry City and Bohemians taking on UCD.

Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Liam Smith, Cian Byrne, Leigh Kavanagh, Jordan Flores (Paddy Kirk 67); Adam McDonnell (Archie Meekison 55), Dawson Devoy; Danny Grant (Declan McDaid 85), Ross Tierney, Dayle Rooney; James Clarke (James Akintunde 67).

Subs not used: James Talbot, James McManus, Alex Grieve, Jake Carroll, Jevon Mills

Booked: Stephen O’ Donnell (Coach, 39), Adam McDonnell (44), Dawson Devoy (59), Leigh Kavanagh (79), Ross Tierney (89), Archie Meekson (93).

Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett, Shane Griffin, Tyreke Wilson (Kameron Ledwidge 86); Mark Coyle, Evan Caffrey; Ali Coote (John Martin 75), Harry Wood (John O’Sullivan 68), Matty Smith (Liam Burt 68); Aiden O’Brien (Sean Boyd 75).

Subs not used: Lorcan Healy, Sam Bone, Dan Ring, Rayhaan Tullock.

Booked: Tyreke Wilson (26), Shane Griffin (35), Evan Caffrey (38), Joey O’ Brien (Coach,39), Mauro Martins (Coach, 69), Liam Burt (70), Sean Gannon (83), Sean Boyd (89).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).

Attendance: 4,429.

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