- Bar OSullivan
- Mon, May 19 2008
Bohemians kept up the pressure on leaders St Pat's with a two one win over Cork City at Dalymount Park. The result means that, with the first series of games completed, Bohs are in second place, two points off the top, and in a great position to challenge for the title over the remaining twenty two games.
Pat Fenlon started with the same eleven that had defeated Cobh last Saturday. Alan Matthews had Danny Murphy available again after suspension, but was without the recently married Colin Healy. George O'Callaghan started in a centre midfield role and Darragh Ryan started his second game of the season - this time on the right hand side of midfield.
Cork started the brighter of the two teams and were on top for the opening twenty five minutes. O'Callaghan hit a free kick over the bar as early as the first minute. He found space in midfield a couple of minutes later and nearly managed to thread a ball through to Dave Mooney - but Bohs keeper Brian Murphy was quick off his line.
John O'Flynn had a chance to open the scoring after he got on the end of a long ball from Danny Murphy - but with Murphy off his line he fluffed his chance. Seconds later Joe Gamble picked out Mooney but once again Murphy was quick off his line to sniff out the danger.
Former Cork player Neale Fenn was beginning to come into the game for Bohs. He spread the play to the right wing where JP Kelly was waiting in space. Kelly had a quick look at the options before standing up a delightful cross to the back post where Glen Crowe was doing his best to get up with the play. Crowe met the cross with a powerful header that Mick Devine did well to save. Neal Horgan then cleared Crowe's rebound.
Fenn kept a hold of possession in an advanced inside right position and drew a challenge from Dan Murray that referee Richie Winter deemed to be a foul. Killian Brennan sent in a deep left footed cross and from just six yards out Fenn headed past Devine. The Cork keeper could have, and probably should have, come and collected the cross.
The half ended with a period of Cork pressure. After three successive corners Murray headed narrowly wide at the back post.
Cork looked cold at the beginning of the second half and Bohs quickly created three openings from which they could have extended their lead from. Conor Powell got free on the left and could have done better. Brennan then intercepted a loose ball from O'Callaghan and advanced down the left wing. He cut inside Horgan and stabbed the ball towards Crowe. Kelly picked up the half cleared cross but Devine saved his weak shot comfortably. Crowe then sent his attempted lob well over the top.
Centre back Pat Sullivan found himself in a right wing position and did well to get to the byline. Mooney met his cross but headed over from a good position. O'Callaghan then had a volley from outside the box blocked by Glen Cronin and Winter awarded a free kick against the former Chester man for handball. O'Callaghan took the free kick himself but once again he failed to hit the target - however it did go mighty close.
Kelly could have done better with two headers and Devine had to be quick to the edge of his box to prevent Crowe from getting a shot a goal. Fenn had made the chance for Crowe - he outsmarted Gamble in midfield and chipped a neat pass to his strike partner that totally took the Cork centre backs out of the equation.
With just under ten minutes left in the contest Cork broke away on the left hand side and Mooney was hauled down by Liam Burns - just a yard or so short of the penalty area. Mooney would have certainly got a shot at goal so it was surprising that Burns only got a yellow card for his indiscretion. O'Callaghan again took the free kick and this time he found the back of the net - albeit with the help of a slight deflection off Owen Heary.
Fenlon made two quick substitutions - with Mark Rossiter, and then Jason Byrne,entering the fray. The two then combined to give Bohs a late winner. With his first touch Byrne found Rossiter and from all of twenty five yards the Sligo native sent an arrow of a shot into the far corner of the net.
After getting back into the game Cork will feel like they deserved a point. Just like in the games against Derry and St Pat's another late goal conceded deprives them of some points. Defeat leaves Cork a massive ten points off the pace.
Bohemians: Brian Murphy; Owen Heary, Ken Oman, Liam Burns, Conor Powell; John Paul Kelly (Mark Rossiter 83), Glenn Cronin, Stephen O'Donnell, Killian Brennan; Neale Fenn (Jason Byrne 86), Glen Crowe (Jason McGuinness 90).
Subs not used: Chris Konopka, Harpal Singh.
Booked: O'Donnell, Burns.
Cork City: Michael Devine; Neal Horgan, Pat Sullivan, Dan Murray, Danny Murphy; Darragh Ryan (Darren Murphy 60), George O'Callaghan, Joe Gamble, Liam Kearney; Dave Mooney, John O'Flynn (Denis Behan 70).
Subs not used: Mark McNulty, Colin O'Brien, Cillian Lordan.
Booked: Horgan, Murphy, Gamble.
Referee: Richie Winter.
Attendance: 1,822
