Bohemians 1-1 Sporting Fingal

• Jody Moylan
• Fri, Jul 02 2010


Bohemians could only manage a point against Sporting Fingal at Dalymount in an entertaining game that saw the reigning champions stay one point clear of their Dublin neighbours in second position in the Airtricity Premier Division.

Things started somewhat slowly but after seven minutes Ruaidhri Higgins tested Brendan Clarke with a low drive after a swift forward move when Ken Oman found Mark Quigley on the left. The final shot from Higgins was always Clarkes, who gathered safely.

Mark Quigley was covering good ground in the early stages and in the 16th minute shot over with a vicious drive after Ken Oman had found him on the left of the box with a pinpoint cross- field ball.

With complete domination in the middle and final third Bohemians laid siege on the Sporting defence, drawing errors out of the Fingal back four. After 20 minutes Lorcan Fitzgerald hauled down Mark Rossiter earning a booking for his troubles and the resultant free- kick from Ruaidhri Higgins found Ken Oman arriving at the far post only to head straight at Clarke.

Two minutes later it was Paddy Madden’s turn to test the Fingal keeper ; meeting a flick-on from Gareth McGlynn with a powerful header. Anywhere else but at Clarke and it was in the net. Fingal did have the odd foray up field with Alan Kirby, as always, full of running but their overall wastefulness in the opening third of this game was epitomised in the 24th minute when Kenny Browne launched a ball up field that crossed the end line with its intended target some 20 yards away.

A minute later Bohemian’s dominance had its reward when Owen Heary played a long ball through the middle finding Paddy Madden who in turn found the net with a brilliant finish, flicking the ball with his outstretched leg from 20 yards over the on rushing Clarke. Pat Fenlon has spoken recently about Madden “putting it up to [him],” with his fine performances and the promising Irish U 23 international continues a fine spell for the Gypsies with his 4th goal in 3 games.

He could have been awarded a penalty in the 28th but the referee adjudged that he had not been harshly bundled over, much to the dismay of the Dalymount faithful. Sporting did emerge with a bit more urgency in the second half and seven minutes in Shaun Williams floated a header just wide of Barry Murphy’s goal after connecting with Conan Byrne’s cross.

Byrne got a shot in himself after 64 minutes from eight yards out, only to see Ken Oman deny him the equaliser with a goal-line clearance.

There was drama to follow when in the 73rd minute Madden hit the upright after a classy through ball from substitute Raffaele Cretaro. Bohs were caught napping though as Fingal advanced up field and Ger O’Brien finished off to equalise after Conan Byrne had set him up.

Four minutes from time Byrne’s cross for Eamon Zayed was almost too good and the pace on the ball ended just the wrong side of the substitute. Two minutes later Madden could have wrapped it up for Bohs at the opposite end but somehow Clarke kept it out. The young striker perhaps deserved his second, such was his running and endeavour on the night.

Bohemians: Barry Murphy; Brian Shelley, Owen Heary, Ken Oman, Conor Powell, Mark Rossiter (Raffaele Cretaro 64‘), Paul Keegan, Ruaidhri Higgins (Glen Cronin 81‘), Mark Quigley; Gareth McGlynn ( Killian Brennan 85‘); Paddy Madden.

Sporting Fingal: Brendan Clarke; Colm James, Ger O’Brien (Brian Gannon 85‘), Kenny Browne, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Conan Byrne, Ronan Finn, Shane McFaul, Shaun Williams, Alan Kirby; Glen Crowe (Eamon Zayed 78’)
Booked: Lorcan Fitzgerald (21’)

Referee: Derek Tomney
Attendance: 1,366
Extratime Man of the Match: Conor Powell