Business as usual for Bohs & Fenlon
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Bohemians FC = money problems, tax issues, squad decimation, stadium sale worries, ten years of full time experimentation in some form or other blitzed quicker than Michelle Smith in Atlantan swimming pool and…..six points from their opening two games.
It seems that, after all the turmoil and stress, and following the hugely admirable support given by its followers, the Phibsboro side destined for extinction has emerged slimlined, harrowed, yet true to its recent tradition; that of winning football matches.
Manager and all round hero Pat Fenlon is as pleased as anyone with their start to the season, which saw Dalymount Park witness a solid 1-0 win for Bohs over fellow financial fretters Drogheda United, a week after winning 3-1 in Bray to start the season in superb style.
“One nil is as good as anything else. Three points is the important thing. We were a little bit rusty when it came to our finishing, but like everything else, with a bit more time to work on it, it will come good,” said Fenlon after the game.
The Gypsies don’t look all conquering like their sides of recent seasons, but the assured and dominant display, after such a short time in preparation for this season, puts any obvious flaws into context.
“I think [the players] did well in patches, perhaps we should have scored a few more goals. We started the game well, perhaps we went away for a few minutes, we complicated it by not doing the simple things, but we did better in the second half,” said Fenlon.
The winning goal came courtesy of Anto ‘Bisto’ Flood who, despite bagging the excellent winner, could well have had a hat trick as Bohs’ forwards enjoyed time, space and opportunities galore in a one-sided second half.
“His goal was a great ball in and a great finish. I’m delighted for him, he works very hard. I thought in the first half we dropped off the pace a bit and didn’t work their back four hard enough but they were better in the second half,” said Fenlon.
The win was helped by a dominant display from Bohs’ back four, with Aidan Price, Ger O’Brien, Owen Heary and Ollie Cahill never looking like letting Drogs’ lively striker Dinny Corcoran anywhere near goal to trouble Barry Murphy, while David Freeman, out on the right, barely touched the ball.
Fenlon said he was “delighted” with the clean sheet. “It’s the first clean sheet we have had since the start of the season – with friendlies as well – so we’re happy enough. If we get our back four ready then […] we have plenty of experience. We still have Glen Cronin obviously, and Robert Bayly and Liam Burns to come back. I thought our back four were very good.”
Fenlon was left to laugh at the poor standard of set pieces by Bohs on Friday night, though, as corner after corner, and free after free failed to beat the first man.
“It’s amazing because we did [set pieces] last night and every delivery was perfect. Normally with Killian [Brennan] and Lee [Dixon] the one thing they are very very good at is kicking the ball, but the first four or five barely got off the ground,” said Fenlon, whose side now sit top of the table ahead of Shamrock Rovers’ visit to Sligo tonight.
It seems that, after all the turmoil and stress, and following the hugely admirable support given by its followers, the Phibsboro side destined for extinction has emerged slimlined, harrowed, yet true to its recent tradition; that of winning football matches.
Manager and all round hero Pat Fenlon is as pleased as anyone with their start to the season, which saw Dalymount Park witness a solid 1-0 win for Bohs over fellow financial fretters Drogheda United, a week after winning 3-1 in Bray to start the season in superb style.
“One nil is as good as anything else. Three points is the important thing. We were a little bit rusty when it came to our finishing, but like everything else, with a bit more time to work on it, it will come good,” said Fenlon after the game.
The Gypsies don’t look all conquering like their sides of recent seasons, but the assured and dominant display, after such a short time in preparation for this season, puts any obvious flaws into context.
“I think [the players] did well in patches, perhaps we should have scored a few more goals. We started the game well, perhaps we went away for a few minutes, we complicated it by not doing the simple things, but we did better in the second half,” said Fenlon.
The winning goal came courtesy of Anto ‘Bisto’ Flood who, despite bagging the excellent winner, could well have had a hat trick as Bohs’ forwards enjoyed time, space and opportunities galore in a one-sided second half.
“His goal was a great ball in and a great finish. I’m delighted for him, he works very hard. I thought in the first half we dropped off the pace a bit and didn’t work their back four hard enough but they were better in the second half,” said Fenlon.
The win was helped by a dominant display from Bohs’ back four, with Aidan Price, Ger O’Brien, Owen Heary and Ollie Cahill never looking like letting Drogs’ lively striker Dinny Corcoran anywhere near goal to trouble Barry Murphy, while David Freeman, out on the right, barely touched the ball.
Fenlon said he was “delighted” with the clean sheet. “It’s the first clean sheet we have had since the start of the season – with friendlies as well – so we’re happy enough. If we get our back four ready then […] we have plenty of experience. We still have Glen Cronin obviously, and Robert Bayly and Liam Burns to come back. I thought our back four were very good.”
Fenlon was left to laugh at the poor standard of set pieces by Bohs on Friday night, though, as corner after corner, and free after free failed to beat the first man.
“It’s amazing because we did [set pieces] last night and every delivery was perfect. Normally with Killian [Brennan] and Lee [Dixon] the one thing they are very very good at is kicking the ball, but the first four or five barely got off the ground,” said Fenlon, whose side now sit top of the table ahead of Shamrock Rovers’ visit to Sligo tonight.
About Gordon Hunt
Gordon Hunt is one of extratime's Dublin based reporters. Having worked with the site since it's inception, Gordon's name is carved into the foundations of extratime's tower block. View Full Profile