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Irish Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
LOI Talking Points: Bohs fall short of another miracle as Derry City fly up to second
Bohs fall short of another miracle One of the hardest parts of League of Ireland football is following up a big win with a routine one. Ruthless efficiency is a trait that, for quite a few years in the league, has only really applied to Shamrock Rovers. Moments away from a defeat at home to Sligo Rovers on Friday night, Bohemians were afforded the consolation prize of a late equaliser, but the prevailing image at full-time was of Dawson Devoy, collapsed in a heap and thumping the Dalymount turf in frustration. With the last kick of the game, Devoy had been inches away from completing another famous comeback – the sort that ignited his side's season in Tallaght on Easter Monday. Setting aside the misfortune of that moment though, this was a game that Bohs should long have had wrapped up. Sam Sargeant was inspired in Sligo's goal, but big early misses from Ross Tierney foreshadowed a wasteful evening for the Gypsies. Gallant in defence, Sligo Rovers had their 19-year-old talisman to thank for the lead. Owen Elding showed just how ferocious his left foot can be with a strike from distance against Shelbourne last month, and his opener on Friday may have been even sweeter. On both occasions, Elding took a heavy final touch to allow himself a second to wind up. Here, the ball never stopped rising. It flew bullet-like off the striker's boot and, in an instant, beyond the swivelling head and planted feet of Kacper Chorazka. READ MORE Despite the late concession, this is a week to build on for the Bit O'Red, who remain four points clear of Cork City. Bohemians slip to third – their mood will still be overwhelmingly positive, but whispered title talk may be premature. Rinse and repeat for Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers' Rory Gaffney scores his sides fourth goal. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho In contrast to the heightened emotions at Dalymount, a season-low home crowd turned out at Tallaght to watch Shamrock Rovers see off Waterford and move 11 points clear without much fuss. As is so often the case for the Hoops, strength in depth was the deciding factor. Rory Gaffney was only on the pitch 10 minutes when Stephen McMullan dropped a speculative Danny Mandroiu effort at his feet inside the six-yard box. There was plenty of good fortune about the goal, but Gaffney's nous is the other side of the coin. He had started the move by drifting wide to receive a throw-in, and by the time Mandroiu began shaping to shoot, he was the heavy favourite to meet any sort of rebound. In isolation, you could argue that Shamrock Rovers got away with one, but nine wins in 11 games is irrefutable. Their next game, away at Sligo on Saturday, will be their last in the league for nearly a month as cup and European commitments take hold. It makes Friday night's business-like win that little bit more significant. Derry City fly up to second Derry City are on a bit of a roll. The Candystripes' two away victories in Dublin last weekend flew slightly under the radar, but their dismantling of a stubborn Drogheda side on Friday night should draw some attention. A clever corner kick routine after half an hour resulted in Sam Todd heading powerfully into the corner, and just moments later Ronan Boyce made it two, turning home a loose ball after Andrew Quinn had scrambled back for a goal line clearance. Danny Mullen's late third put a gloss on the win and moved the home side narrowly ahead of Bohemians on goal difference. After an underwhelming start, Derry have landed on a quiet, steady run of form. Better yet, they may be growing less reliant on the individual brilliance of Michael Duffy, as Tiernan Lynch's attacking unit grows more cohesive. Odubeko shines but leaves Shels wanting more Galway's Jeannot Esua and Mipo Odubeko of Shelbourne. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Joey O'Brien is doing his best to steer Shelbourne's managerial interregnum ahead of their mammoth European ties against Linfield next month. There are early signs of life under the stand-in. In all honesty, Shelbourne should have six points from six since losing their commander-in-chief, Damien Duff, in shocking circumstances last Sunday. Then again, leaving points on the pitch has been a recurring issue for the champions all season. Duff wasn't the only messianic figure absent from Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night. Galway United began life without the league's top scorer, Moses Dyer, who is set to move to Cambodian outfit Phnom Penh Crown after his release clause was activated. John Caulfield started both Malcolm Shaw and Stephen Walsh in Dyer's stead, but neither produced the quality and guile that the New Zealander has shown all season. Mipo Odubeko, leading the line for Shelbourne alongside Sean Boyd, was a microcosm for the vicissitudes that have befallen the away side this year. Electric and perpetually in motion, Odubeko scored one great goal but should have had at least three. Some of his efforts on goal were better than others. When the chance is gilt-edged, he tends to lose all composure; a shot from distance, unlikely to beat any decent goalkeeper, is usually struck with confidence. Galway hung in long enough for Shels to begin retreating. Eventually, Conor Kearns wasn't strong enough as he came to claim a long ball. Under pressure from Cillian Tollett, the goalkeeper's spill allowed Bobby Burns to poke home. A solid point for the Tribesmen and another wasted opportunity for Shelbourne. Cork City finally keep a clean sheet It took 22 games, but Cork City managed to keep their opposition scoreless for the first time this season on Friday night. Over the last five games, Cork and St Pat's have been the worst performing sides in the league, so there was an understandable sense of gloom around Turners Cross as the two sides met desperate to find a spark. The Leesiders were marginally the better side and should have taken the lead through Kitt Nelson just before half-time. Pat's have been rightly accused of profligacy over the past month, during which time they have scored just one goal. Worryingly, their problems went beyond that here, as they struggled even to threaten the leakiest defence in the league. It was a positive result for Cork, but it will do little to quell growing fan unrest aimed at the club's ownership. As was the case against Drogheda on Monday, banners criticising Dermot Usher were unfurled in the stands.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
James Clarke nets late for Bohemians to limit damage against Sligo Rovers
League of Ireland: Bohemians 1 (Clarke 90+5) Sligo Rovers 1 (Elding 28) James Clarke scored a last-gasp equaliser as Bohemians drew a game they should really have won but might have lost. Trailing to Owen Elding's sublime first-half strike, Bohs huffed and puffed for the whole second half, not finding a way past an inspired Sam Sargeant between the Sligo post until the fifth minute of added time. Dayle Rooney floated over Bohs' 10th corner of the game with Clarke arriving to head to the net, adding to his goal against Shamrock Rovers on Monday. Remarkably, Bohs might then have won it with the last kick of the game in the 100th minute when skipper Dawson Devoy shaved the crossbar from the edge of the area. READ MORE Bohemians slip to third place on goal difference behind Derry City while it's as you were at the bottom, Sligo four points ahead of Cork City. Brim full of confidence following Monday's big win, Bohemians began brightly, if not creating the game's first real chance until 15 minutes. Ross Tierney galloped in behind on to Collie Whelan's flick only to blaze high and wide with just Sargeant to beat. Devoy then found Whelan in space, but he too drilled wide when he should have hit the target before Adam McDonnell brought a fine save from Sargeant as the game somehow remained scoreless. That changed on 28 minutes when the home crowd were stunned into silent admiration as Sligo took the lead against the run of play with a cracking goal. It was worked from the back by Reece Hutchinson and Daire Patton, on his full debut, with Elding picking the ball up on the halfway line. The 19-year-old skipped confidently forward unchallenged before putting the laces of his left boot through the ball to find the roof of Chorazka's net from some 30 yards. The brilliant strike mirrored one Elding scored against Shelbourne last month as he registered his eighth goal of the campaign. Sligo Rovers' Owen Elding celebrates a goal with Daire Patton and Will Fitzgerald. Photograph: Dan Clohessy/Inpho A terrific save by Sargeant 10 minutes later on John Mountney ensured Sligo took their lead into the break. Bohemians certainly had more energy from the restart as they chased the game with Devoy and Dayle Rooney trying their luck from distance early on. Sargeant's safe hands denied Devoy while Rooney put a free kick over the top before Bohs thought they had levelled on 81 minutes. Rhys Brennan chipped a ball in from the left which was met by fellow substitute Smith, whose downward header came back off the post. Sargeant saved again from Brennan before home frustration was finally eased with Clarke's late leveller. Elsewhere, a 75th-minute goal from Rory Gaffney earned Shamrock Rovers a 1-0 win over Waterford at Tallaght Stadium to stretch their lead at the top of the table to 11 points. Derry City move second following a 3-0 home victory over Drogheda United, their third win on the spin. Galway United came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to Shelbourne, while St Patrick's Athletic's struggles continue as they had to settle for a scoreless draw at bottom side Cork City. BOHEMIANS: Chorazka; Morahan (Strods, 85), Cornwall (Kavanagh, 90+1), Flores, Mountney (Smith, h-t); Devoy; Rooney, McDonnell (Buckley, h-t), Clarke, Tierney; Whelan (Brennan, 60). SLIGO ROVERS: Sargeant; McDonagh, Denham (Wolfe, 61), Reynolds (Mallon, 86), Hutchison; Patton (van Hattum, 86), Doyle-Hayes; Elding, Hakiki, Fitzgerald; Waweru (Lomboto, 68). Referee: Declan Toland (Athlone). Attendance: 4,103.
The 42
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
John Martin Shelbourne's hat-trick hero in 3-2 thriller with Sligo Rovers
Shelbourne 3 Sligo Rovers 2 Darryl Geraghty reports from Tolka Park JOHN MARTIN WAS the hat-trick hero as Shelbourne got back to winning ways in a 3-2 thriller at Tolka Park. Gareth McElroy had given Sligo Rovers a surprise lead early on, but Martin hit back with three unanswered strikes to prove the matchwinner, despite star in the making Owen Elding setting up an extremely nervy ending with a sensational long-range effort. The impressive visitors, who made just the one change from the side that brilliantly overcame Galway United last week, got the dream start in the third minute. McElroy easily shrugged off his marker Kameron Ledwidge before confidently heading down past the helpless Lorcan Healy. On his 100th appearance in Red, Evan Caffrey tried desperately to level immediately afterwards but saw his curling effort sail just over. Advertisement Stop whatever you're doing and appreciate this moment of greatness from Owen Elding!😮 Game on in Tolka. Goal of the season? — League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) May 23, 2025 The early goal set the tone for an end-to-end first half with chances aplenty. Irish under-21 International Jad Hakiki looked to get one over on his former side, cutting inside on his right foot and unleashing a thunderous strike that went inches wide. It seemed a matter of time before the next goal was to come and it was the champions who grabbed the equaliser just after the half hour mark. Martin showed great movement in the area to get across Sligo stopper Sam Sargeant and calmly finish Caffrey's low cross from the left. Just six minutes later the hosts were ahead through the same combination that brought about the opener. Caffrey, again, cut inside onto his right and crossed to the back post to find Martin, who gladly headed home unchallenged. The half time break did nothing to slow the relentless pace as both sides continued to go at each other hammer and tongs. Martin must have thought three points were on the way, grabbing his hat-trick 13-minutes after the restart following a chaotic goalmouth scramble. The home side's celebrations were cut short just a minute later when Elding responded with a goal of the season contender, striking beautifully straight into the top corner from almost 30-yards out. Former Sligo man Ellis Chapman began to find some space in the pockets and had a couple of good chances to notch against his old side but was snuffed out on each occasion. John Russell then threw the proverbial kitchen sink for the remaining minutes with a front two of Francely Lomboto and Wilson Waweru proving a handful and looking dangerous from set pieces. But Damien Duff's charges dug deep to repel everything that was thrown at them to hold on for three points in a roller coaster of a game. Shelbourne: Lorcan Healy; Mark Coyle, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson; John O'Sullivan, Kerr McInroy, JJ Lunney, Ellis Chapman, Evan Caffrey; Harry Wood (Mipo Odubeko, 70'), John Martin (Daniel Kelly, 84') Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Harvey Lintott, 46'), Gareth McElroy, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Jad Hakiki, Matthew Wolfe (Francely Lomboto, 70'), Owen Elding, Stephen Mallon (Ronan Manning, 46'), Will Fitzgerald; Cian Kavanagh (Wilson Waweru, 70') Referee: Aaron O'Dowd (Dublin)
