Bohemians 1-0 Cork City
- Graeme McQueen
- Fri, Aug 07 2009
A solitary Killian Brennan goal was enough to secure all three points for Bohemians in what was a drab affair against Cork City at Dalymount Park on Friday night.
The winger popped up on the hour mark to head home Paul Keegan's cross and stretch the Gypsies unbeaten run in the League to seven games. With nearest challengers Shamrock Rovers also winning in Drogheda, the victory maintains Bohs' three point lead at the top of the Premier Division.
Bohemians marginally deserved the victory, although both sides were far from their best throughout.
Bohs made three changes from the side which defeated Sligo Rovers in the EA Sports Cup with Jason Byrne, Brian Murphy and Paul Keegan all coming back into the starting lineup.
For the Leesiders, Tim Kiely and Guntars Silagailis both came in, while Joe gamble had to make do with a place on the bench.
Having dominated the back pages all week after settling their off-field problems, Cork were looking to inject some life into their title hopes. Despite some mixed form during the month of July, Paul Doolin's men went into the game just six points behind Bohs, who were themselves looking to maintain some breathing space between themselves and second place Shamrock Rovers.
Anyone turning up expecting a top of the table classic was to be sadly disappointed, however, as the two sides served up an error strewn borefest in the first half. Both teams enjoyed their fair share of possession, but neither was able to create anything of note.
Cork's only half-chance of the opening period came on nine minutes when Bohs' defender Brian Shelley almost let in Guntars Silagailis when he allowed the ball to bounce on the six-yard line. Fortunately for Shelley he was able to hold off Silagailis and Brian Murphy came out to collect.
Bohs' best chance of the half came four minutes later when Jason Byrne beat the offside trap, before blazing the ball narrowly over from 19 yards. Gary Deegan also flashed a drive over the bar on 25 minutes before Jason Byrne failed to hit the target with a header from eight yards six minutes before the interval.
The home side emerged with more urgency after the re-start and Killian Brennan almost caught out Cork 'keeper Dan Connor on 58 minutes when his miscued cross from the right trundled towards the bottom corner, but Connor was alert enough to parry the ball around his left-hand post.
Brennan was not to be denied two minutes later, however, when, with his back to goal, he stooped inside a crowded 18 yard box to head home Keegan's sublime cross from the left.
Jason Byrne passed up a glorious chance to double Bohs'advantage on 70 minutes when he failed to convert Ndo's cross. The Cameroonian midfielder, now operating down the left, delivered a low ball across the six yard box and all the unmarked Byrne had to do was tap it home but the ball came off the back of the striker's heel and was cleared by the Cork defence.
Cork were struggling to get their foot on the ball in the centre of park prompting Doolin to introduce Gamble to the proceedings on 70 minutes. The midfielder - who had opted to put off surgery in order to play in the game and put himself in the shop window - passed up a great chance to pull his side level with ten minutes left when he peeled off inside the box before flashing a powerful half-volley narrowly over the top.
That should have signalled the beginning of an onslaught on the Bohemians goal, but it never materialised as the league leaders saw out the remainder of the game with consumate ease to maintain their advantage over Rovers at the top of the table and all but end any last lingering hopes Cork had of mounting a title challenge.
EXTRATIME.IE MAN OF THE MATCH: Brian Shelley - another very impressive performance in the centre of defence from the Dubliner.
BOHEMIANS: Brian Murphy, Mark Rossiter, Conor Powell, Gary Deegan, Brian Shelley, Ken Oman, Paul Keegan, Joseph Ndo, Neale Fenn (Paddy Madden, 80), Jason Byrne, Killian Brennan
SUBS NOT USED: Matt Gregg, Owen Heary, Glenn Cronin, Glen Crowe
CORK CITY: Dan Connor, Neal Horgan, Danny Murphy, Greg O'Halloran, Dan Murray, Guntars Silagailis (O'Neill, 54), Faz Kudozovic, Billy Dennehy, Cillian Lordan, Tim Kiely (Shane Duggan, 72), Stephen O'Donnell (Joe Gamble, 72)
SUBS NOT USED: Mark McNulty, Kevin Long
REFEREE: D Tomney
Graeme McQueen has yet to write anything about themselves but click on the bio link to view all past work.
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