League Report: Shamrock Rovers 0 - 0 Bohemians

• Gareth O'Reilly
• Fri, May 23 2014




It was a Dublin derby to forget as neither Shamrock Rovers nor Bohemians could breach each others rearguard as Tallaght Stadium witnessed a lacklustre scoreless draw.

 

The first major chance of note of the game fell to the ever present bright spark in the Shamrock Rovers attack this season, Ciaran Kilduff. The striker controlled a through ball from Gary McCabe before smashing it with his weaker left foot. However Dean Delany managed to stretch out a leg and divert the ball away from the danger zone.

 

The next chance fell to the away side and it was one they really should have put away as Craig Walsh lead the break drawing in Robert Cornwall and David O'Connor before using his pace to beat them down the right flank. Walsh then slid the ball across the box to the onrushing Karl Moore who smashed the ball into the side netting when he really should have buried it beyond Barry Murphy.

 

With just under ten minutes to go till half time David O'Connor nearly got his name in the headlines for all the wrong reasons as he was caught in possession by Stephen Beattie who then slipping and sliding could not find hit Barry Murphy's goal.

 

As we approached half time the game finally began to come to life as Eamon Zayed added his name to the list of Rovers players that had been wasteful in front of goal. Zayed received the ball in a beautiful position after some neat link up play from McPhail and Finn on the edge of the Bohemian penalty area. Despite this Zayed sliced his shot across the face of goal much to the frustration of his manager Trevor Croly.

 

Minutes later Luke Byrne drilled a cross into the box that was met by Kilduff but on this occasion the big man was unable to direct his volley on target. Seconds before that Byrne cross, a moment of poor sportsmanship had occurred from a section of the Bohs fans as a number of bottles were thrown at Byrne's back while the former Dalymount Park man attempted to take a throw in.

 


Photo by Eddie Lennon

In added time Jason Byrne should have converted a gilt-edge chance as Stephen Beattie whipped in a cross that was saved by Barry Murphy. The ball rebounded to Moore but the winger found that Murphy had jumped up quicker than expected to smother the ball at his feet.

 

In a slow second half Finn came close just minutes after the interval with a 30 yard effort that went just wide of Delaney's post with the keeper at full stretch. Unfortunately things were not about to improve as a drab second half continued to play out in front of President Michael D Higgins,

 

In a second period in which the home side completely dominated it was understandable that their support was beginning to become increasingly frustrated due to the lack of creative play on show. Trevor Croly brought on Sean O'Connor and Ryan Brennan in an attempt to aid this but his sides’ lacklustre display only worsened.

 

Kilduff and Finn did have snap shots late on but much like most of this game the shots were tame and lacked conviction. Rovers will want to put this one behind them while Owen Heary will feel this could prove to be a valuable point as he attempts to continue his sides push up the league table.

 

 

Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy, Simon Madden, Robert Cornwall, David O'Connor, Luke Byrne; Ronan Finn, Shane Robinson, Stephen McPhail (Ryan Brennan 79), Gary McCabe (Sean O'Connor 73); Ciaran Kilduff, Eamon Zayed (Dean Kelly 83)
Subs Not Used: Craig Hyland (gk), Conor Kenna, Kieran Waters, Karl Sheppard

Booked: Luke Byrne (3)

 

Bohemians: Dean Delaney, Anto Murphy, Daniel Byrne, Aiden Price, Derke Pender; Stephen Beattie, Paddy Kavanagh, Dave Mulcahy (Roberto Lopes 41), Craig Walsh, Karl Moore (Kevin Devaney 76); Jason Byrne
Subs Not Used: Gavin Moores, Stephen Traynor, Jake Hyland, Keith Buckley, Ryan McEvoy

Booked: Roberto Lopes (43), Craig Walsh (91)

 

Referee: Padraigh Sutton

Attendance: 3,733

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Ronan Finn (Shamrock Rovers)