Momentum is maintained in Dalymount
This wasn’t a flawless performance away to Bohemians but unbeaten Sligo Rovers finished with a flourish
AFTER the slog at home to Finn Harps came a rollercoaster away to Bohemians. Both games were won but in very different circumstances.
Either way, back-to-back wins against contrasting opponents keeps the unbeaten run going and the Bit O’Red at the right end of the Premier Division table and on Shamrock Rovers’ coattails.
Tuesday’s contest at Dalymount Park was frenetic entertainment. Both sides regularly coughed up and regained possession with gusto. Rovers were sharper in front of goal, however – consider the brilliantly taken goals from Jordan Gibson, Mark Byrne and David Cawley.
Gibson’s fine finish put Rovers ahead, a status that their purposeful first-half merited, while Mark Byrne and David Cawley, both Mayo men and both brought on as substitutes here, netted in the last 13 minutes of normal time to decide matters.
There was further defensive authority from centre-backs Garry Buckley and John Mahon. They had to deal with attackers of varying styles – from target man Georgie Kelly (who, with his cropped bonce is a throwback to Glen Crowe, a Bohs goalscorer legend), to the pacy Promise Omochere and, finally, enigmatic playmaker Keith Ward. Remember when diminutive Ward and Dinny Corcoran, also a noted Bohs star (and decent Gaelic footballer it turns out), both played for Rovers in the 2015 season?
In midfield, both Greg Bolger and Niall Morahan were outstanding – although there was a third booking of the campaign for combative leader Bolger.
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of Tuesday’s performance was the increasing vibrancy of the front quartet, who combined much better than in previous games.
Johnny Kenny, who scored his first senior goal for Rovers the previous Saturday against Finn Harps, was restored to the starting line-up.
The teenager had three goalscoring opportunities – a close-range effort foiled in a one-on-one situation with Bohs goalkeeper James Talbot, a goalbound cracker that came off the crossbar and an off-target shot.
Despite this mixed bag, it was his flick that set up Mark Byrne, whose goal put Rovers back in front, and Kenny was also involved in the move for Rovers’ opener from the busy Jordan Gibson.
Romeo Parkes was unplayable – albeit sporadically – and his deft cross was converted with aplomb by the aforementioned Gibson. Walter Figueira, likewise, was involved in Rovers’ better attacking moves.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the visitors. Goalkeeper Ed McGinty was again relied on for several big saves, most notably to deny Georgie Kelly and Anthony Breslin, while full-backs Colm Horgan and Robbie McCourt each probably got their sternest tests to date.
Rovers stalled for a spell in the sec
ond-half and, having gone ahead after half an hour, it was disappointing that this lead was erased just minutes after the restart – even if Liam Burt’s rocket would have beaten most custodians, even those in the Neverland of the proposed European Super League. To have won (against one of the Premier Division’s better sides) and still have room for improvement says a lot about where progressive Rovers are at right now.
With winless Derry City coming to The Showgrounds this Saturday (kickoff 6pm, behind closed doors but live streamed on WATCHLOI), it would be ill-advised to consider this a gimme. Indeed, what is even more preposterous is that Liam Buckley or his crew would take anything for granted.
This is the League of Ireland, after all, where – to paraphrase Frank Sinatra’s That’s Life – you can be riding high in Dalymount, but shot down at The Showgrounds in April, May or June.
Derry may have stuttered in their opening six games but they’ve 30 fixtures left to find an appropriate remedy. Losing four games at the start of last season proved no impediment to Rovers eventually finding their feet and finishing in the top four.
But before any sentiment comes into it and even if Derry’s fairytale renewal in the League of Ireland was the subject of Monday’s powerful BBC documentary, Different League: The Derry City Story, it is vital that Rovers continue their present surge.