Bohs have a new hero as Easter Monday rising is written into Gypsies folklore

Irish Daily Mirror

22-04-2025

An Easter Monday rising saw Rhys Brennan write himself into Bohs folklore as the Gypsies staged a timely resurrection against the old enemy.
Brennan, 18, was sprung from the bench in the 52nd minute as a replacement for Connor Parsons, who had suffered a head injury. Bohs boss Alan Reynolds had quite a headache himself by then having watched his side compete well with Shamrock Rovers but go in at the break 2-0 down.
Another teenager, Michael Noonan, had been given the freedom of Tallaght to score the Hoops' second in the 41st minute - his first ever League goal in a brilliant breakthrough season for the 16-year-old.
That came just two minutes after Josh Honohan opened the scoring and comfortable Rovers looked destined to extend their unbeaten run to eight games - and top the Premier Division table for the first time since winning the title in 2023.
But Dawson Devoy handed Bohs a 70th minute lifeline and, as the Hoops' rearguard went into meltdown, Ross Tierney - who scored the winner when the sides met in the Aviva Stadium in February - dragged the visitors level 11 minutes later.
Then, in the sixth minute of injury time, it was Brennan - whose industry had opened the door for Devoy's goal - who buried the rebound from his first shot to complete a Lazarus-like revival that Reynolds later dedicated to club legend Billy Young, who died last Thursday.
Remarkably, the last time that Bohs came back from at least two goals down in the League to win away from home was against the same opponents in that remarkable 2001 encounter at Morton Stadium, when the Gypsies were 4-1 down at the break. "Unbelievable," said Reynolds later. "You're hoping the lads will believe you, you'll get one goal and it changes."
Bohs reverted to a four-man defence and pushed up, taking the risk that they could concede more. "I felt after 55 minutes, it started to swing," recalled the Bohs boss. "We started to get control and obviously got the outstanding goal at the right time with Dawson.
"We looked fit and strong, when we got to 2-2, you're probably thinking take the draw and get out of here but Rhys Brennan comes up with a great goal at the end. We stuck to it and the rest is history.
"You can see the celebration from all the players and all the staff, we're in this together. We know there is noise outside but it's irrelevant to us. We know we're tight and strong and that will help."
Reynolds has been under pressure from the Bohs faithful and, at 2-0 down and the Rovers fans singing 'You're getting sacked in the morning', there would have been plenty in the away end agreeing with their bitter rivals.
"Ah look, it's not nice, is it? It's something that I suppose both sets of fans joined in on, so it's not nice to get," claimed Reynolds. "I've been around it long enough and as long as they're with me, the players and the staff, I'll get on with it.
"I have to win supporters over, that's clear, and it's a fight. But I've been fighting all my life so I'll keep fighting with this. The main thing is the players. Delighted for them, and for Rhys Brennan. You've got to be brave as a manager as well throwing him in and you could be reluctant at times, but in training he's been outstanding.
"You've got to come into a team that's kind of playing OK and the crowd...I don't want him to come in where it's real hostile and tough going. Now, you could say 'what are you doing putting him on there today' but he's an exciting talent. To beat these at Tallaght, I don't think it's been done since 2019, so to do so is great."
For Rovers boss Stephen Bradley, there was real frustration in giving up winning positions in Dublin derbies in less than 72 hours - taking one point from six, with Shelbourne to come to Tallaght on Friday.
"We need to address it," said Bradley. "On Friday and today, decisions in possession and really basic defensive decisions. We've not made those decisions in really high pressure games. We can't do that. It's not just the defenders. We're all accountable, players and staff. We need to understand why it went wrong, making basic errors.
"The goals were so soft. It can't happen. We've been on a good run. We're all hurting. But these players always move on and refocus really quickly."