- Brendan Graham
- Fri, Mar 06 2020
Brendan Graham reports from Dalymount Park
First half goals from Andre Wright and Danny Mandroiu ensured Bohs enjoyed a 2-0 Dublin derby victory over Shelbourne in Dalymount Park on Friday night.
It was a real derby atmosphere right from the off with a full house in Dalymount and both sides of fans trying to out sing each other in the stands.
The home side settled quicker into the game passing the ball around well in midfield with the home crowd in full voice.
The early pressure from Bohs allowed Dan Casey the first chance of the game. The defender picked up the loose ball before driving forward and unleashing an effort from distance but it was always rising and never troubled Jack Brady in the goal.
After a composed start to the game the Gypsies almost got caught napping at the back. Ciaran Kilduff’s effort from a looping cross into the box came back into play off the crossbar. Kilduff followed it up but referee Neil Doyle deemed the striker to have fouled McGuinness in the Bohs goal and awarded a free out.
Shels to their credit really grew into the game as the first half progressed with the experience of Karl Sheppard and Gary Deegan telling in midfield.
Lots of midfield action from both sides in the opening half but severely lacking in end product with a litany of misplaced passes after some great build up play and hard work.
A strong start from the Reds in the second half gave Aaron Dobbs the best chance of the game to break the deadlock. Sheppard and Friel played a nice one-two before a perfectly timed through ball from Sheppard allowed Dobbs in on goal. He hesitated slightly though with the shot giving McGuinness the chance to close him down and make the save.
The deadlock was finally broken after 55 minutes with Bohemians taking the lead. Danny Grant showed fantastic awareness to spot Kris Twardek unmarked at the back of the box and swung a quick cross towards the midfielder towards the back post.
He headed the ball into the path of Wright who directed his header past Brady and into the bottom corner.
The goal injected real confidence into the home side and ten minutes later they doubled their lead. Twardek was again involved in the goal with a cross from the right straight to the feet of Danny Mandroiu on the edge of the box. The silky Mandroiu turned inside and lofted a shot towards the top corner of the goal to beat Brady in the goal.
Confusion in the stands as to whose goal it may have been with Danny Grant following the ball into the net to ensure the goal but Mandroiu claimed the credit to the delight of the Jodi Stand faithful.
With the goals secured it was just a case of containing Shels from creating anything going forward for the remainder of the game with the commanding Rob Cornwall limiting the Shelbourne forward line to little or nothing in terms of chances.
Bohs had a glorious opportunity to wrap the game up with minutes remaining with man of the match Twardek threading a perfectly timed through ball into the path of substitute Glen McAuley. One-on-one with the ‘keeper all he had to do was beat him but he somehow flashed his shot wide of the McGuinness’ goalpost.
A deserved win for Keith Long and his side over the 90 minutes with Bohs remaining in third place on nine points. Shels are joined on six points by Waterford and St.Pars in mid table
Bohemians: Stephen McGuiness; Andy Lyons, Dan Casey, Rob Cornwall, Paddy Kirk; Danny Mandroiu, Conor Levingston (Ross Tierney 89), Keith Buckley, Kris Twardek; Andre Wright (Glen McAuley 83), Danny Grant (Keith Ward 70).
Subs not used: Jamie Cleary, Michael Barker, JJ Lunney, Luke Wade-Slater
Booked: Andre Wright (27)
Shelbourne: Jack Brady; Daniel O’Reilly, Lorcan Fitzgerald, Oscar Brennan, Aidan Friel; Dayle Rooney (Denzil Fernandes 83), Ryan Brennan (Georgie Poynton 68), Gary Deegan, Karl Sheppard; Aaron Dobbs (Shane Farrell 68), Ciaran Kilduff
Subs not used: Colin McCabe, Luke Byrne, Karl Moore, Alex O’Hanlon
Booked: Georgie Poynton (86)
Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 3,560
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Kris Twardek
