- Rónán MacNamara
- Fri, May 05 2023
Ronan MacNamara reporting from Tallaght Stadium
Shamrock Rovers completed the double over Bohemians as they moved to within one point of their bitter rivals at the top of the Premier Division.
The majority of the record 7,864-strong crowd went home happy after second-half strikes from Trevor Clarke and Rory Gaffney wrested the game away from Bohs.
Clarke was on hand to belt home a rebound after James Talbot had done magnificently to deny the excellent Johnny Kenny in the 57th minute, while Gaffney rose from the bench to nod home with eight minutes to go.
Bohemians couldn't have been better placed to inflict a first home Dublin Derby defeat on Rovers, having arrived four points clear in the league.
In this meeting of the top two in Ireland, it was the four-in-a-row hunting Hoops who arrived in top form, after dispatching Derry City on Monday for a fourth successive league win.
On another night, this game might have been over after ten minutes. Kacper Radkowski was given a nightmarish time by Kenny, who dispossessed the center back twice – first setting up Towell before Talbot denied him in the third minute, then repeating the feat in the sixth but flashing an effort wide.
Jack Byrne proved elusive for the Bohs midfield, dropping into pockets and playing an inch-perfect pass for Richie Towell, who was cleaned out by Talbot.
Fortunately for him, the offside flag came to his rescue. That reprieve suddenly gave Bohs a foothold in the game, and they grew into it, finishing the opening half the better. Paddy Kirk came roaring onto a Grant Horton cross, and his low effort was expertly saved by Leon Pohls, who was standing in for the injured Alan Mannus.
Rovers started the second half as they started the first, and this time they were rewarded. Neil Farrugia's cross was met by the head of Kenny, and Talbot produced an outstanding point-blank save, but there was no denying the onrushing Clarke, who plowed home for his third goal in as many games.
The story of the game was that Rovers took their chances, and Bohemians did not. Jonathan Afolabi, who has just two goals this term, spurned a great chance on the hour to drag Bohs level, who had responded well to going behind.
The former Celtic man latched onto Jordan Flores' defense-splitting pass, but Pohls denied him with his legs.
Declan Devine and his side were left aghast when Dan Cleary bundled over Afolabi following a pass back from Gary O'Neill. No penalty and no passback was the verdict from Rob Hennessey.
Five minutes later, the ball was in the net again, and it was Gaffney who was Johnny on the spot to nod home Byrne's deflected effort after some good work from Farrugia.
Shamrock Rovers: Leon Pohls; Trevor Clarke (Ronan Finn 64), Daniel Cleary, Neil Farrugia, Lee Grace, Pico; Gary O'Neill, Markus Poom (Darragh Nugent 88); Jack Byrne (Sean Hoare 88), Johnny Kenny (Rory Gaffney 64), Richie Towell (Graham Burke 78).
Subs not used: Toms Leitis, Simon Power, Conan Noonan, Aaron Greene.
Booked: Gary O'Neill (35).
Bohemians: James Talbot; Grant Horton (Kris Twardek 82), Patrick Kirk (James Clarke 64), Krystian Nowak, Kacper Radkowski; Keith Buckley (Dean Williams 82), Dylan Connolly, Ali Coote (Declan McDaid 46), Jordan Flores, Adam McDonnell; Jonathan Afolabi.
Subs not used: Luke Dennison, Drew Baker, James McManus, John O'Sullivan, Jay Benn.
Booked: Grant Horton (9), Declan McDaid (77).
Referee: Rob Hennessey
Attendance: 7864
extratime.com Player of the Match: Trevor Clarke
