- Dave Donnelly
- Fri, Aug 14 2015
Goals from Jake Kelly and Ismahil Akinade helped Bohemians cruise to an impressive 3-0 victory over toothless Galway United at Dalymount Park on Friday night.
Galway's Enda Curran – only on as a substitute mid-way through the first half – saw red for a reckless two-footed challenge in a second-half that was marred by an ugly-looking injury to visiting full-back Marc Ludden.
Both sides came into the fixture in need of a boost, with Bohs conceding four in each of their last two games, including a 4-3 loss to bottom-placed Limerick, while Galway also conceded four as they extended their losing streak to three at home to Derry.
Bohemians boss Keith Long brought back Lorcan Fitzgerald and Stephen Best following his side's loss in Limerick, while Galway's Tommy Dunne rewarded the side that were trounced 4-0 at home by naming an unchanged XI.
The home side took the lead with just eight minutes on the clock as a long ball over the top had Galway centre-half Killian Cantwell in all sorts of bother, and his attempt to control had the opposite effect of teeing up Ismahil Akinade, who couldn't miss from 10 yards.
Paddy Kavanagh threatened to make it 2-0 on the quarter-hour, as he drove inside from the right-wing past Colm Horgan and drilled a shot on goal from 20 yards, but it was a couple of feet too high to trouble Galway goalkeeper Ger Hanley.
Galway midfielder Stephen Walsh – who required extensive treatment in the opening minutes after an aerial clash with Stephen Best – eventually had to be substituted, and Bohs almost made it two while the visitors were temporarily down to 10, but Jake Kelly couldn't control the ball eight yards out.
Barely 60 seconds later, Kelly did have the ball in the net. Bohs continued to profit from the confusion as Enda Curran replaced Walsh and, after Akinade had crashed a header back off the post, Kelly was on hand to smash the ball home from 12 yards.
A poor pass from Lopes was all that stood between Kelly and an opportunity to double his tally, before another poor first touch, from an Akinade knock-down, led the winger to chip the ball meekly into Hanley's grasp.
Galway registered their first real chance just before half-time as Bohs failed to adequately deal with a corner, after Shanahan put the ball back into the box, Curran struck from close range, but a combination of defenders and goalkeeper Dean Delany kept the Bohemians goal intact.
Galway began the second half as they finished the first – on top – but they lacked the cutting edge to break down a disciplined and hard-working Bohs side, and the closest they came was the result of a mistake in the Bohs defence, but Dean Delany was out quick to nip the ball off Keegan's toe.
Any chance Galway had of salvaging anything from the match ended with Curran's crazy tackle and when Ludden, who had only been on the field a matter of minutes, required more than six minutes of treatment, any fight they may have had dissolved.
Bohemians had numerous chances to extend their winning margin, with Paddy Kavanagh and Anto Murphy forcing acrobatic saves from Hanley either side of the keeper forcing Akinade's header onto the post.
They did finally manage it when Jake Kelly was felled in the box by Gary Shanahan, and the winger stepped up to convert it himself to put the add a deserved gloss to the scoreline.
Bohemians: Dean Delany; Lorcan Fitzgerald (Jason Caffrey 90), Anto Murphy, Stephen Best, Derek Prendergast; Dave Mulcahy (Eoin Wearen 90+2), Keith Buckley (Jason Byrne 90), Roberto Lopes, Paddy Kavanagh, Jake Kelly; Ismahil Akinade.
Subs not used: Lee Steacy (gk), Dylan Hayes, Adam Evans, Robbie Creevy.
Booked: None.
Galway United: Ger Hanley; Cormac Raftery, Killian Cantwell, Sam Oji, Colm Horgan; Paul Sinnott (Marc Ludden 58 (David O'Leary 72)), Alex Byrne, Stephen Walsh (Enda Curran 24), Gary Shanahan, Jason Molloy; Jake Keegan.
Subs not used: Conor Winn (gk), Conor Melody, Aaron McConnell. Conor Barry.
Booked: Colm Horgan (55).
Sent off: Enda Curran (64).
Referee: James McKell.
Attendance: 1,100 (official)
Man of the match: Jake Kelly (Bohemians)
