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Shamrock Rovers 1 Bohemians 0
Saturday, 03 October 2009 09:48
It’s advantage Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland Premier Division title race after a night of high drama at Tallaght Stadium.

Padraig Amond’s 80th minute winner gave the Hoops a crucial three points that puts them two clear on top of the table but champions Bohemians will rue Jason Byrne’s missed penalty six minutes later.

The match had been relatively quiet until Ken Oman needlessly fouled substitute Amond in the Bohs half and Sean O’Connor’s deep free was nodded down by Craig Sives and the Irish under 21 international hooked home the crucial goal.

But the celebrating home faithful had their hearts in their mouths five minutes later when Pat Sullivan hauled down Glen Crowe in the Rovers area, but Tallaght-native Byrne’s dreadful penalty sailed high and Rovers escaped.

Pat Sullivan saw red for disputing the penalty but despite the lack of numbers, Michael O’Neill’s men held on to go back to the top of the table.

The occasion was one to savour before kick off with both sets of fans lifting the roof in Tallaght.

And after all the hype and expectation, Rovers kicked off into the wind that blew in from the Dublin Mountains roared on by the home faithful.

Unfortunately the occasion got to the players somewhat, and the fare was scrappy throughout a poor first half.

As the midfields neutralised each other and stifled the play chances were few and far between. Rovers settled quicker and after the opening quarter they started to probe with good effect.

The sixteenth minute saw a flurry of activity and the Hoops should really have been in front. First Ross Chisholm’s corner was headed over by a back pedalling Stephen Rice, before Pat Sullivan sent Gary Twigg through on goal.

The ace marksman was odds on to score, but his attempted chip over Brian Murphy just evaded the left hand post and the chance was gone.

Five minutes later and Bohs finally found some room to manoeuvre as Murphy unleashed Mark Rossiter with a throw, he played Glenn Cronin through in space and although his pass to Jason Byrne was well weighted, the Tallaght native couldn’t control it and the ball slipped wide.

Thereafter it was increasingly tight, Bohs owned the possession at times but Byrne and Ndo were frustratingly lax in possession while Rovers’ breaks were often stalled by a poor final ball.

The Gypsies were the better side after the break but they couldn’t make their dominance of possession count with Oman spurning their best chance from Ndo’s corner, while Murphy saved sharply from Sives at the other end.

Rovers lost Twigg to an injury, but Amond deputised brilliantly and they travel to Derry next Friday with the bit between their teeth.

Shamrock Rovers - Mannus; Sullivan, Price, Sives, Cahill; Robinson, Rice, Bradley (Amond 77), Chisholm (O’Connor 55); Twigg (Kavanagh 62), Barrett.

Bohemians: Murphy - Heary, Shelley, Oman, Powell (Fenn 89); Rossiter (Crowe 65), Keegan, Cronin, Ndo; Madden, Byrne.

Ref – Alan Kelly (Cork).
 
 
 
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