Bohs' FAI Cup hopes fade away for another year as Sligo stun Dalymount

Irish Daily Mirror

2 days ago

BOHS fans watched their side's FAI Cup hopes slide away for another year thanks to a missed penalty and Owen Elding's supersonic finish for Rovers.
The hosts hoped passage into the last eight was written in the stars as they wore their Oasis jerseys on the eve of the band's first Croke Park gig, and after the Gallagher brothers' hits had rang out around Dalymount Park before kick-off.
But it was Rovers boss John Russell who had the masterplan in Phibsboro as the visitors - 10th in the Premier Division and 17 points behind their second placed opponents - deserved their victory.
An entertaining first half somehow ended in stalemate - and it was followed by an electric start to the second that ultimately decided it.
Dayle Rooney had the chance to put Bohs ahead from the penalty spot just two minutes after the restart when Paddy McClean knocked Dawson Devoy over, but the midfielder's tame effort was well read by Sam Sargeant.
And the Gypsies were made to pay in the 53rd minute. The excellent William Fitzgerald beat Keith Buckley in midfield and found Elding, and the striker shot across James Talbot into the far corner to open the scoring.
Bohs' best chance of an equaliser came just five minutes later when Rooney's low cross from the left was deflected towards the top corner by Rovers defender Ollie Denham, but Sargeant superbly tipped it over.
The Gypsies' loud appeal for a 58th minute penalty was rightly waved away by ref Kevin O'Sullivan as Rovers sub Edwin Agbaje got a touch ahead of Parsons to concede a corner.
From that point the visitors' defence put up a wonderwall to keep Alan Reynolds' side at bay, with only Rhys Brennan's 90th minute effort that Sargeant dived to keep out causing alarm for Rovers.
The hosts had looked nervy in defence early on as Sligo went to Fitzgerald and the pacy Ryan O'Kane on the flanks in search of joy.
The visitors signalled their intent with a 10th minute Fitzgerald free that McClean just failed to meet with the right connection and his effort went wide.
Soon after, Jad Hakiki Keith Buckley on halfway and had only Talbot to beat, but the Bohs keeper was lightning quick from his area to prevent a goal with a superb tackle.
The Gypsies produced an instant warning of their own via Connor Parsons, but his near post shot was comfortably covered by Rovers netminder Sargeant.
However the hosts should have scored in the 19th minute when Cian Byrne met Dayle Rooney's corner with a header that somehow glided past the near post.
Bohs' mini-purple patch didn't last long. Recent Rovers Seb Quirke prodded wide from a Fitzgerald corner, then McClean met O'Kane's corner with a powerful header that Buckley cleared off the line.
Parsons combined with Devoy before the break, with the former's attempt arrowed wide, but Bohs had work to do at half-time as they had been second best for most of that opening period.
The penalty was their chance to take control but they failed to take it - and after all, it was Elding's effort that propelled Rovers into the last eight.
Their dreams are real of lifting the Cup for the first time since 2013, while Bohs fans left Dalyer looking back in anger at a deserved exit.