WIN SPILLS OUT OF BOHS’ HANDS
SHAMROCK R 1
BOHEMIANS 1
SHAMROCK Rovers edged a little closer to their 19th League of Ireland title, but they had to avail of a soft equaliser in coming from behind with 10 men against their arch-rivals in a rollercoaster Dublin derby at Tallaght Stadium. The result leaves the champions needing six more to seal the deal. While Rovers started Sean Hoare in defence for Lee Grace, and Rory Gaffney came in up top in place of Aaron Greene from their win over Sligo Rovers on Friday, Bohemians were forced into five changes from their draw with Dundalk on Friday night. Chief among them were the omissions, due to groin and foot injuries respectively, of everpresent strike force of Ross Tierney and 19-goal Georgie Kelly, though Ali Coote and Keith Buckley returned from the start. The Gypsies then suffered a further blow in the warm up when regular goalkeeper James Talbot cried off, also with a groin issue, with Stephen McGuinness coming in for his first action of the league season. Reshaped Bohemians dominated the first half, deservedly a goal to the good at the interval - as Hoops trooped off a man down. Rovers can have few complaints as Bohs’ 38th-minute lead had been coming since Keith Ward cleverly set up Liam Burt to fire wide just past the half hour. Alan Mannus then thwarted a clever Bohs set piece to palm away Dawson Devoy’s shot from Anto Breslin’s free kick. Mannus was then helpless as the Gypsies carved Hoops open to take the lead with a terrific goal.
Promise Omochere and Ward combined on the right with the latter’s cross tapped home by winger Burt for his ninth league strike of the season. Having lost Gary O’Neill to a concussion, it got worse for Rovers three minutes before the break when international defender Roberto Lopes was shown a straight red card for pulling down Omochere. A triple change ignited Rovers and they gratefully accepted a gift equaliser on 69 minutes. There seemed little danger as Chris McCann found Richie Towell some 35 yards out. But the midfielder’s low drive was fumbled by McGuinness to spin up off the goalkeeper’s left hand and loop into the net. As Rovers pressed for a winner, McGuinness redeemed himself with a fine tip-over save from sub Aidomo Emakhu before also saving one-on-one from Rovers’ 17-year-old striker.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Gannon, Lopes, Hoare; Finn, Watts (Farrugia, 66), O’Neill (McCann, 41), Cotter (Kavanagh, 87; Burke, 90)); Towell; Gaffney (Emakhu, 66), Mandroiu (Greene, 66).
Scorer: Towell 69.
BOHEMIANS: McGuinness; Feely (Lyons, 90+1), Cornwall, C. Kelly, Breslin; Buckley, Devoy; Coote (Idowu 80), Ward (Mullins, 74), Burt (Levingston, 90+1); Omochere. Scorer: Burt 38.
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).