Brennan hopeful of quick recovery

Bohemians midfielder Killian Brennan says he is hopeful that he will be fit for Friday night's crucial clash with Cork City at Turners Cross.

Brennan opened the scoring in Tuesday night's 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers with a sublime free-kick before having to be replaced at half time with a hamstring injury. Speaking to Extratime.ie after the game, Brennan explained: "It was just precaution more than anything else. My hamstring just felt a bit tight. I think it might be coming from my back as it has been a bit stiff the past couple of weeks. I'll get a scan in the morning on it and hopefully everything will be ok.

Brennan's goal against Rovers - a sublime fifteenth minute free-kick from all of 20 yards - was his tenth strike in the league this season. Mark Rossiter added a second just before half time, and while Eoin Doyle threw his side a lifeline with a 63rd minute header, Bohs hung on to claim all three points.

While Brennan was clearly thrilled with his strike, he maintained that the side winning the game was all that mattered. He said: "It was just a routine free-kick really. It was similar to the one up in Drogheda, and that's me on ten goals now for the season. The most important thing is that the team is winning though. I don't really have a target for goals this season, my main aim was really to try and play week-week out and to stay fit. As long as the team is winning though I'm happy. If I happen to score a goal it's a bonus.

"I thought we had most of the possession. They were flying in with tackles early doors, obviously to let us know they were up for the game. But we settled down and passed the ball really well and getting the second goal was crucial. Overall I thought we played well and even second half, from what I seen of it, we were quite composed on the ball. Obviously it got a bit squeaky-bum time when they got the goal back but we've got players in the squad who have been there and done it and that helped us."

The win restored Bohs four point lead over St Patrick's Athletic at the top of the eircom Premier League and moves them seven points clear of third placed Cork. The Gypsies also have a game in hand over both sides, and with them set to clash with Cork on Friday night, Bohs know that a win will all but eliminate one of their challengers from title race.

"It's a huge game down in Cork now," said Brennan. "If we can get three points down there then we'll be going in the right direction to win the league. It's going to be hard at Turner's Cross. Coming into these three games [Cobh Ramblers, Shamrock Rovers, Cork City] I think we would have taken seven points from nine, but we'll be going there to win the game and to take all three. A point obviously wouldn't be a disaster, but the run we're on at the moment, we'll be going for the win.

"Confidence comes from winning games and that's what we're continuing to do at the moment. Even at the start of the season when we weren't playing so well we were able to do that. But it's coming good for us now. The crowd is getting behind us so we just have to hope that we can keep it going now. But we only look to the next game and that's Cork on Friday," he added.

While Bohs manager Pat Fenlon was delighted with the derby win, he too already had his mind on the game against Cork.

“We created some really good chances and scored a couple of really good goals,” said Fenlon. “I thought we could have had a couple more, but in fairness to Rovers, they pushed us well in the second-half.

“The games are coming thick and fast now. It is a big game for both clubs and Cork will fancy their chances of beating us. We need to get a few guys back before then.”

Meanwhile, his opposite number on Tuesday night, Pat Scully, was critical of his midfield for Bohs two goals. "We hadn’t lost in seven games, so it is disappointing,” said Scully. “In the first-half, we didn’t give any protection to our back four as we lost our discipline in the middle and that is where most of the problems came from. It is very unusual for Barry Murphy to be beaten from that kind of distance twice."

Despite the defeat leaving his side 20 points and five places behind Bohs in the league, Scully said he believes his side aren't as far behind the top teams as the table suggests.

“In the second-half, the reaction was fantastic. I thought the difference was that little bit of experience that they [Bohemians] have, but we’re not that far behind them. With a little bit more experience and a little bit more quality in our team and I think we’ll be right up there with the likes of Bohs.”

Shamrock Rovers face Finn Harps at Tolka Park on Friday night, kick off 8pm. Kick off for Cork versus Bohs is 7.45pm.