- Bar OSullivan
- Tue, Aug 26 2008
Bohemians made light work of Drogheda United last night at Dalymount Park. Pat Fenlons side strolled to a two nil half time lead, and saw out the following forty five with a minimum of fuss. The Phibsboro club are now once again ten points ahead at the top of the eircom Premier Division, and showing no signs that their unbeaten league run is about to end anytime soon.
Defeat leaves reigning champions Drogheda a massive twenty three points off the pace, languishing in fifth place. On the night, apart from a brief ten minute spell in the second half, Paul Doolins side looked disinterested and unmotivated.
Liam Burns returned to the starting line up at centre back alongside Owen Heary. Thomas Heary was moved to midfield in the absence of the suspended Stephen O'Donnell. Joining O'Donnell in the stands was Anto Murphy - also suspended for a red card received last Friday in Galway.
Jamie Ewings returned between the posts for the visitors. The only other change Paul Doolin opted for was the inclusion of the fit again Shane Robinson, at the expense of Eamon Zayed. Doolin's supposed 4-3-3 formation looked more like a lone striker set up than perhaps ever before in the opening twenty minutes, and with Boh's latest import Mindaugus Kalonas dropping very deep, the midfield was pretty congested.
Drogheda had the games first chance when Robinson shot tamely at Brian Murphy from just inside the box. Bohs replied quickly, with two decent half chances. Liam Burns connected with a corner that Killian Brennan had dummied, but his volley was always rising too fast.
Then, from a move taken right off the training ground, Glen Crowe should have done better. Gary Deegan floated a free kick to the back post when Jason Byrne had pulled away from his marker. The ex Cardiff and Shels man, operating on the right wing tonight, headed it back across goal, but Crowe's volley sailed harmlessly over Ewings crossbar.
Bohs opener came from another set piece that Drogheda were very poor from. Midway through the half Brennan's free kick into the box was sent back across the face of goal and Kalonas met it at the back post to smash it into the net from close range.
Bates, still looking a little bit heavy, nearly caught Murphy off guard just before the half hour mark, but the twenty five year old recovered just in time to tip the powerful shot from thirty yards over for a corner. Drogheda then failed to deal with yet another set piece ten minutes before the break. Byrne this time going close with a glanced header.
The Champions elect scored a deserved second goal five minutes before the interval. Kalonas skipped past full back Joe Kendrick as if he wasn't there, and dinked a teasing floated cross into the box for Crowe to head past the helpless Ewings. Crowe was free of a marker, and just five yards from goal.
Kalonas continued to impress after the break. He found space in the box and sent a dangerous ball across the face of the goal, and then a minute later had a shot from eighteen yards saved by Ewings.
Drogheda were to then show some signs that they may have some fight left in them. Just past the hour mark they could have been level. Robinson headed a deep cross back into the danger zone, and from eight yards substitute Declan O'Brien should have at least worked the keeper - instead he headed wide. Two minutes later Owen Heary's backpass looked short - but Murphy claimed it just in time under pressure from O'Brien.
As Bohs continued at their ease for the final twenty five minutes, Doolin decided to leave his under performing eleven as they were, and made no further substitutions other than the half time introduction of O'Brien for Bates.
Bohemians: Brian Murphy; Mark Rossiter, Owen Heary, Liam Burns, Conor Powell; Jason Byrne (John Paul Kelly 87), Gary Deegan, Thomas Heary, Killian Brennan; Mindaugas Kalonas (Neale Fenn 70), Glen Crowe.
Subs not used: Chris Konopka, Sean Byrne, Brendan McGill.
Drogheda United: Jamie Ewings; Stuart Byrne, Brian Shelley, Shaun Maher, Joe Kendrick; Fahrudin Kuduzovic, Shane Robinson, Adam Hughes, Paul Keegan, Ollie Cahill; Guy Bates (Declan O'Brien 46).
Subs not used: Paul Skinner, Graham Gartland, Ibrahim Thiam Iyane, Eamon Zayed.
Referee: Damien Hancock.
Attendance: 1,588
