- Dave Donnelly
- Mon, Apr 02 2018
An eventful game ended in a fitting fashion at Dalymount Park as Bohemians edged out UCD on penalties following a hard-fought 2-2 draw.
The Students took a deserved two-goal lead into the break thanks to well-worked goals from Yoyo Mahdy and Gary O'Neill.
Bohs roared back after the break and deservedly took it to extra time thanks to goals from Eoghan Stokes and JJ Lunney, and it was the outstanding Stokes who scored the crucial shootout kick.
Keith Long made ten changes to the side that were beaten 3-0 in Dundalk on Friday, with former UCD men Dylan Watts and Rob Manley both handed starts.
The Students made just the one change from their game on Friday night away to Cobh Ramblers, as striker Yoyo Mahdy replaced Kevin Coffey in a virtually full-strength starting eleven.
It was the home side who had the game's first shot in anger as Eoghan Stokes attempted an ambitious chip when he spotted Conor Kearns off his line but the shot lacked power.
Watts picked the pocket of the unaware O'Connor and sprayed a lovely pass in behind the full back to JJ Lunney, and the former Pats man saw his powerful drive parried away by Kearns.
Another error, this time from Josh Collins, saw him play Manley into a good position and the striker showed a quick set of heels to make a chance for himself but overran the ball and was crowded out.
Watts was pulling the strings impressively in his first game against his former club since he departed for Leicester City in August 2016, and he exchanged passes with Stokes before a lofted pass from Lunney just evaded him at the back post.
Bohs' profligacy would haunt them when the Students took the lead at the midway point of the first half, and they couldn't say it came without warning.
O'Connor had twice come within inches of playing Mahdy in between stand-in left-back Jamie Hamilton and Paddy Kirk, and third time proved the charm.
The midfielder sent a perfectly-weighted ball through for the former Limerick underage striker, and Mahdy finished emphatically into the corner of Colin McCabe's net.
Worse was to come for the hosts ten minutes from the break and the outstanding O'Connor was the creator once again.
The 20-year-old won possession on the halfway line, doing well to maintain his balance and running directly at the defence.
It was a clever disguised ball for the late arriving O'Neill, and the captain took full advantage with a spectacular curling effort that left McCabe grasping at fresh air.
The second half appeared to proceed much as the first began but a judicious switch up front seven minutes in paid immediate dividends.
Ryan Graydon replaced Manley, pushing Stokes up top, and a swift break from a UCD attack ended with Danny Grant playing in the former Leeds United striker to find the bottom corner.
The hosts were benefiting from a more direct game second half, utilising the pace of Grant and Stokes, and the Students began to visibly wilt as Bohs dragged them around the pitch.
The only surprise was that it took until eight minutes from the end of normal for them to draw level, when JJ Lunney scored from the spot after sub Darragh Corcoran had dragged down Grant.
Extra time passed largely without incident, the Students enjoying the better of the play and the chances, but substitute Ben Hanrahan couldn't apply a finish.
So it went to penalties, and the drama continued as Kearns kept out Lunney's effort, but the backspin on the ball took it over the line, before McCabe saved from Paul Doyle.
And it was fitting that the catalyst for Bohs' revival, Stokes, was the man who applied the finishing touch as he fired low past Kearns from the spot in a dramatic shootout to send the home crowd away happy.
Bohemians: Colin McCabe; John Ross Wilson, Paddy Kirk, Dan Casey, Jamie Hamilton; Philip Gannon (Dylan Thornton 19), JJ Lunney, Dylan Watts, Danny Grant, Eoghan Stokes; Rob Manley (Ryan Graydon 52).
Subs not used: Sean Bohan (gk), Andy Lyons, Cian McMullen, Mitch Byrne, Luke Nolan.
Booked: Dylan Thornton (51), Patrick Kirk (76)
UCD: Conor Kearns; Dan Tobin, Maxi Kouogun, Josh Collins, Liam Scales (Darragh Corcoran 72); Gary O'Neill, Daire O'Connor, Jason McClelland; Timmy Molloy, Yoyo Mahdy, Georgie Kelly.
Subs not used: Carl Williams (gk), Sean McDonald, Conor Crowly, Kevin Coffey, Paul Doyle, Ben Hanrahan.
Booked: Josh Collins (116), Yousef Mandy (117)
Referee: Derek Tomney.
Attendance: 314.
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Eoghan Stokes (Bohemians).
