Late Josh Thomas strike sinks Bohemians as Drogheda United edge fiery clash for third 1-0 win this season

The Irish Sun

6 days ago

DROGHEDA UNITED claimed all three points at Dalymount Park thanks to bish, bash, Josh.
Substitute Josh Thomas scored the only goal in the 86th minute in his first game in more than five months.
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Josh Thomas of Drogheda United scored a late winner as Bohs slumped yet again
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Alan Reynolds' side have failed to take points from Drogheda in 2025 - that's after three games between the sides
The decisive moment summed up the sides' contrasting styles when another intricate Bohs' attack broke down when Conor Keely got to the ball ahead of Ross Tierney.
He wasted no time in picking out Thomas who had made a nuisance of himself after being brought on and was lucky to escape a booking for twice catching Rob Cornwall late.
But, when it came to a race between the pair, with Niall Morahan also in pursuit, the on-loan Swansea City striker showed a clean pair of heels before slotting home.
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It was the third successive 1-0 for Drogheda against Bohs this season, with
Douglas James-Taylor was the difference between the sides last time out. He had swapped clubs in the meantime but missed out here through illness.
That saw Colm Whelan lead the line with another ex-Drogheda player, James Clarke, playing just behind him.
But Bohs' main attacking threat came from Dawson Devoy and Ross Tierney with the pair, in their second spells here after a stint cross-channel, both operating on the same wavelength.
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That was never more in evidence when Tierney made a clever run in behind with Devoy producing the sort of pass that few players in the league can to pick him out.
Tiernery looked certain to score but his left-foot shot was kept out by the knee of Drogheda keeper Luke Dennison.
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The roles were twice reversed later on in the half when Tierney pulled the ball back to Devoy who was outside the box but his effort was deflected behind for a corner.
Then, he found Devoy who did well to keep the ball in before laying it off to Connor Parsons who teed up Niall Morahan but his shot was well off-target.
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Whilst Bohs were well on top, Drogheda had their moments, often in second phases from dead-ball situations.
From a Conor Kane throw in, James Bolger headed it back to fellow defender Conor Keeley who connected with the ball brilliantly but his dipping volley was just too high whilst Andrew Quinn gave Kacper Chorazka a moment of concern with a shot from close range.
There was a good bit of niggle in the game too with five yellow cards handed out in the first half, four of them in a two-minute period.
Within six minutes of the restart, both teams had had a penalty appeal waved away.
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First of all, Whelan appeared to be pushed in the back by Bolger but referee Paul Norton was unmoved.
And, when Luke Heeney went down at the other end, all he got for his trouble was a booking.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Bohs having the lion's share of the ball but, whenever it looked as though they might have found a breakthrough, a Drogheda player was there to intervene.
That is exactly what happened when Devoy slid the ball through to Clarke who laid it off to Whelan and went to collect the return pass before Keeley cut across him to make a vital interception.
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The manner in which the centre-half celebrated his contribution underlined its importance.
When Devoy played in Whelan a moment or two later, this time it was Bolger who got his body in the way to block the shot.
Some thought their side had finally made the breakthrough in the 73rd minute.
Devoy played Parsons into space down the left. He checked back and delivered a right-foot cross to beyond the far post where Tierney was unmarked.
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The former Motherwell and Walsall player's volley rippled the net, prompting celebrations in various pockets of the ground but they were short-lived as the realisation spread that his effort had gone the wrong side of the post.
Bohemian FC 0 - 1 Drogheda United
Eventually, Thomas showed the ruthlessness which Bohs lacked.
SUN STAR MAN: Conor Keeley (Drogheda)
BOHEMIANS: Chorazka 7; Byrne 6 (Buckley 71, 5), Cornwall 6 (Strods 90, 3), Flores 7; Rooney 7, Morahan 6, Devoy 8, Parsons 5 (Brennan 80, 5); Tierney 7, Clarke 7; Whelan 6 (McDonnell 80, 5).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison 7; Bolger 7 (Cooper 88, 3), Keeley 8, Quinn7; Lambe 6, Brennan 6 (O'Sullivan 88, 3), Markey 7, Heeney 5 (Farrell 77,5 ), Kane 7; Oluwa 5 (Davis 63, 5), Kareem 5 (Thomas 63, 7).
REFEREE: P Norton (Dublin) 5
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