Report: Bohemians 2 - 1 Galway United

Bohemians kept up the pressure on leaders St Patrick's Athletic at the top of the eircom Premier League with a hard fought victory over a determined Galway United side at Dalymount Park on Friday night.

Neale Fenn headed the home side in front just before the break with his third goal of the season. Mark Leech pulled Jeff Kenna's men level midway through the second half before Liam Burns struck with just 12 minutes remaining to grab all three points for the Gypsies. The result extends Bohs unbeaten run in all competitions to eleven games but leaves Galway at the bottom of the table.

Bohemians made two changes from the side which defeated Cork City. Mark Rossiter started in place of the injured John Paul Kelly on the right side of midfield while Jason Byrne was preferred to Glen Crowe in attack. Galway United manger Jeff Kenna had the luxury of naming an unchanged side from that which started their first league win of the season against UCD last weekend.

Both sides went close in the opening ten minutes. Bohs midfielder Mark Rossiter, fresh from his long-range winner against Cork, struck the post with a free-kick from all of 30-yards after just five minutes before Galway's Mark McCulloch shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box moments later.

Those anticipating these chances to be the sign of things to come were to be sadly disappointed. Ten places may have seperated these two sides before kick off, but bottom-of-the-table Galway more than held their own in the opening half hour as Bohs looked a far cry from a side with real title aspirations.

The two changes appeared to have unsettled Bohs somewhat, particularly the creative influence of Kelly. Galway, meanwhile, were dictating much of the play but the best they could muster by way of chances were long-range shots from centre back John Fitzgerald and Derek O'Brien - both of which failed to trouble Brian Murphy in the Bohs goal.

With the first half seemingly destined to finish goalless, Bohs snatched the lead on 42 minutes when Killian Brennan's perfectly flighted free-kick found the head of the unmarked Fenn whose header cannoned off the inside of the post before bouncing on the goal line and spinning into the net. It was harsh on the away side who had looked the more determined for much of the first half.

Whatever Pat Fenlon said to his players during the interval appeared to do the trick as Bohs looked much more lively after the break with first Byrne and then Fenn going close. Rossiter really should have doubled their advantage on 56 minutes. Fenn split the Galway defence with a sublime pass but Rossiter's first time shot from the edge of the box was just too close to Rogers who saved low to his right.

Bohs were made to pay for that miss four minutes later when Galway grabbed a deserved equaliser, Leech rising highest in the Bohs area to head home and send the small pocket of travelling fans into raptures.

That goal seemed to jolt the home side into life and with 12 minutes remaining Burns slid in at the back post to turn Killian Brennan's corner into the net. The win for Bohs keeps them within two points of leaders St Patrick's Athletic and sets up perfectly Tuesday's meeting between the two sides at Richmond Park.

Bohemians: Brian Murphy; Owen Heary, Liam Burns, Ken Oman, Conor Powell (Harpal Singh 58); Mark Rossiter, Glenn Cronin (Chris Turner 88), Stephen O'Donnell, Killian Brennan; Jason Byrne (Glen Crowe 67), Neale Fenn.
Subs not used: Chris Konopka, Jason McGuinness.

Booked: None.

Galway United: Gary Rogers; Reggi Nootimeer, Wes Charles, John Fitzgerald, Mark McCulloch; James O'Shea, Gary Deegan, John Russell, Derek O'Brien; Derek Glynn (Jason Molloy 84), Mark Leech.
Subs not used: Alvin Rouse, Vinny Faherty, Johnathan Keane, Paul Sinnott.

Booked: Deegan (5)

Referee: Anthony Buttimer.
Attendance: 
Man of the match: Neale Fenn (Bohemians).