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Bohemians 1 Sporting Fingal 0
Friday, 05 March 2010 23:00

Bohemians kicked-off their ‘three-in-a-row’ attempt with a 1-0 win over Sporting Fingal at Dalymount Park.

Champions for the last two seasons, the Gypsies go into the 2010 season attempting to keep the Airtricity League Premier Division trophy in Dublin 7 for the third consecutive season.

Pat Fenlon’s side were handed a difficult opener to the new season, facing FAI Ford Cup holders Sporting Fingal. However, a Killian Brennan penalty kick midway through the second half gave Bohs all three points against a side widely expected to challenge them in the upper half of the league table this season.

Fenlon named three of his new signings in the starting XI, with Barry Murphy, Steven Gray and Mark Quigley all getting home debuts. Gareth McGlynn and Raffaele Cretaro were both introduced as substitutes to bring the number of new names in red and black to five.

Sporting Fingal also had a number of new faces on display. However, ex-Bohs striker Glen Crowe was, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, named on the bench and had to wait until the 78th minute to face his former team-mates.

The first half saw chances at both ends, as Conan Byrne’s free kick caused problems for the home defence, and Paddy Madden’s header was cleared off the line at the other end.

However, it was the 76th minute before the goal-line was finally breached, and the goal was not without controversy. Keith Quinn and Anto Murphy got in a tangle and, despite protests from the visitors, a penalty kick was awarded.

Brennan stepped-up to take the spot kick and duly dispatched the ball into the net from 12 yards.

Crowe was introduced into the action shortly afterwards and the ex-Bohs man almost sensationally struck the equalizing goal in the dying moments but his shot went wide.

Bohemians: Barry Murphy; Heary, Shelley, Gray, Powell; Anto Murphy (McGlynn 90), Keegan, Cronin, Brennan; Madden, Quigley (Cretaro 66)

Subs not used: Rossiter, Higgins, O'Connor

Sporting Fingal: Clarke; O'Brien, Maher, Browne, Fitzgerald; Finn, Williams, McFaul; C. Byrne (Paisley 85), O'Neill, Quinn (Crowe 78).

Subs not used: James, Kirby, Quigley.

Ref: D Tomney.
 
 
 
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