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The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
League of Ireland is becoming the Late Late Show amid dramatic comebacks – fans leaving games early should know better
THE press box at most League of Ireland grounds gives you a good view of those who decide to depart early. They tend to be agents, scouts, rival managers and their staff and the odd pundit. 2 Rhys Brennan of Bohemians celebrates after his side's victory against Shamrock Rovers Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 2 Kitt Nelson of Cork City, second from right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal against Waterford Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile Other than everyone's hatred of traffic , I never understood why you would leave early and miss what is often the best bit. Manchester United had 'Fergie Time' for years. Martin O'Neill's Ireland loved a late goal too. 'Rovers Time' in 2021 saw Hoops boss hallmark . Read More on League of Ireland Dylan Watts' Had they won the league last season, his 84th-minute winner in Drogheda would have been a key moment. Instead, eventual champions Shelbourne looked at some late goals of their own — such as Evan Caffrey's injury-time winner against St Pat's in May, or Last weekend, Saints boss Most read in Football The ex-Ireland gaffer said: 'The good thing about the team this season is we've thrown the kitchen sink at stuff at the end and it's comes off. 'It's important to have that mentality. Cork City fans watch League of Ireland clash against Dundalk in cinema 'It's easy to talk about it but players have to go and do it and ultimately it's the players that have gone and done that and different players are coming up to do it.' Like the long-running chat show, Late Late Shows have become a weekly occurrence in our top tier, with 26 of the 141, or 18 per cent, of goals scored this season coming in the 80th minute or later. So any supporter rushing to get home to watch That was the case on Monday when it seemed one or two Bohemians fans had seen enough after their side fell 2-0 down to But Bohs fans should know better as they produced arguably the greatest comeback in League history to turn 1-4 into 6-4 against Rovers in 2001. They were at it again on Monday, That said, those same fans also saw them lose at Cork City having gone in front, and watched them surrender a two-goal lead at home to Sligo Rovers only to then still win 4-2. John Russell's Sligo felt deja vu that day having also recovered a two-goal deficit against St Pat's only to still lose. And the Saints know what late shows are all about themselves. The Waterford win Kenny mentioned was a game where they were losing 1-0 with 87 minutes on the clock. But no club has a monopoly on comebacks. LATE SHOWS As Bohs fans were still catching their breath and Rovers lovers were recovering from shock four days ago, As mentioned, City also came from behind to beat Bohs earlier this season, but they lost to both Waterford and Derry having taken the lead. Scoring first is normally crucial — Shelbourne dropped just four points from winning positions last season — but this year it has been less decisive. Shels themselves have drawn three games where they led, though they, League leaders Drogheda United's only defeat came against Shamrock Rovers in a game where they led, but they also beat So the question is: Why would you ever leave a
Irish Independent
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I have to win over supporters, that's clear, and it's a fight' – Bohemians boss Alan Reynolds eager to build on derby win
Alan Reynolds says he's up for the fight to win over the Bohemians supporters on a long-term basis after he was temporarily hailed for overseeing a remarkable Dublin derby win away to Shamrock Rovers. The Bohs boss joked that he had managed to unite both sets of supporters at one stage of a derby which was won in added time by a goal from teenager Rhys Brennan. Bohs came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, with Rovers fans singing 'Rennie is a Hoop, he hates Bohs' while the home side were in the ascendency.
RTÉ News
21-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'Unbelievable' - Alan Reynolds toasts Bohemians' derby revival after thrilling comeback turns Shamrock Rovers over
Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds hailed his players for the way in which they resurrected their fortunes in the 3-2 comeback win over Shamrock Rovers on Easter Monday. Bohs trailed by two at the break in the Dublin derby following excellent goals from Josh Honohan and Michael Noonan for the Hoops. But a Dawson Devoy strike gave the north Dublin side hope before Ross Tierney equalised and then 18-year-old Rhys Brennan scored a priceless stoppage-time winner at a packed Tallaght Stadium. "It was unbelievable. Even I thought in the first half we started well for 30 minutes, then (Rovers) showed their quality and got two and we get in at half-time and we changed something," Reynolds told RTÉ Sport's John Kenny. "(We) just tweaked something shape wise but you're hoping the lads will believe. You get one goal and it changes, and I felt after 55 minutes it started to swing. "We started getting control of the game and then obviously scoring at the right time with Dawson, an outstanding goal. "But we looked fit, we looked strong and kept going but had it 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." On the tweak, Reynolds said a switch to a back four was key in getting more Bohs players higher up the pitch than in the first half. "We had to gamble at that stage but you're also worried that you might get hit for three or four, but at that stage we wanted to get ourselves back into it," he said. The victory marks a resurgence for the Gypsies, having endured mixed fortunes in the nine opening games but the win over their derby rivals now means they are on a run of three wins from their last four ahead of their next fixture at home to St Patrick's Athletic on Friday. "Our season has been patchy but it's a new series now and we're two games into it and two wins and the aim is to move on on Friday again." Reynolds' satisfaction was a stark contrast to his Shamrock Rovers counterpart Stephen Bradley who felt his players were unrecognisable in the way that they unravelled in the last 20 minutes. "Second half we made basic defensive errors, defensive decisions, really basic stuff from our point of view - stuff that very rarely do we do," Bradley said. "We gave up silly spaces in dangerous areas and it cost us. It's very unlike us and why? We need to obviously look and review and make sure it doesn't happen again. "But it's very, very unlike us to make them defensive decisions that we did." While disappointment was the primary emotion, upsides for Rovers did include a first SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division goal for 16-year-old Noonan, who had made history in the UEFA Conference League earlier in the year. "There were lots of positives - it's hard to see them now because we've lost the game that we were winning 2-0 - and Michael was one of them," said Bradley, who will now prepare his side to face champions Shelbourne on Friday in what will be a third clash against a fellow Dublin side in succession after the Bohs defeat and last week's 2-2 draw with St Patrick's Athletic. "His goal was excellent. He's been working hard, he's getting better and better and he'll only get better. "Lots of positives but like I said second half from us defensively is miles away from what we have been and what we can be."
The Irish Sun
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Rhys Brennan the hero as Bohemians pull off stunning Dublin derby comeback win over Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght
EVEN taking the unpredictability of derbies into account, this one was bonkers. The Easter Monday Dublin Derby saw 2 Bohemians shocked Rovers after coming back from 2-0 down to win the LOI clash 2 Rhys Brennan netted an injury time winner to shock Tallaght Stadium Dawson Devoy and Ross Tierney drew them level before 18-year-old Rhys Brennan scored in the sixth minute of injury time to earn Bohemians a victory. The first half saw Bohs fans might have agreed - the 'Rennie out' chants have been heard from them this season - and booked their team off at half-time. Reynolds admitted: '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. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL 'But look, 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. 'We have to win supporters...I have to win supporters over, that's clear, and it's a fight. But I suppose I've been fighting all my life so I'll keep fighting with this. 'You can see the celebration at the end 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 we're strong and that will help.' Most read in Football By full-time, it was a role reversal as the Bohs fans remained in Tallaght long after the final whistle cheering players on their warmdown and singing '2-0 and you f**ked it up'. And it was miracle stuff. Ruud Van Nistelrooy speaks after Leicester relegated to the Championship Bohs have not won an away game where they trailed by two goals or more in 24 years. Yes, that was the famous 6-4 against Rovers when they were 4-1 behind at half-time. Reynolds admitted: 'They're in there and they're delighted and we'll let them enjoy the moment, that's the big thing we said. 'To be beat these at Tallaght, I don't think it's been done since 2019, so to do is great and the way we done it shows the character. "I know there's fans have question marks over a lot of the stuff that I'm doing but the players and the staff, we're in it together, and for me that's the most important thing.' Reynolds admitted that even at 2-2, he would have taken a draw. But he insisted he thought they could get back into the game the way the second half was going. Trailing 2-0 at half time after Josh Honohan and Michael Noonan scored two goals in 150 seconds, he changed formation from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3. He added: 'I felt after 55 minutes, it started to swing. We started to get control of the game and obviously getting the goal at the right time with Dawson.' It started on 70 minutes when Devoy showed quick feet in the area to get a shot away after Tierney had headed a Rovers' clearance back into the box. And Tierney then sealed the comeback on 81 minutes when he burst through onto a Colm Whelan pass and coolly slotted beyond Ed McGinty. Yet there was still time for a winner as both teams pressed forward. But it went to Bohemians when teenager Brennan scored a brilliant goal with the aid of a deflection, after his initial shot had been saved by McGinty. And it ensured a nightmare ending for the Hoops who will have an inquest to understand how all three goals were conceded. Devoy had too much space for the first, Tierney for the second, and quite why Brennan was able to run clear onto a Whelan pass for the third in injury time was bad defending. Rovers' boss Stephen Bradley admitted: 'Really basic defensive errors, stuff we rarely do. We gave up silly spaces and it cost us 'The decisions we made in and out of possession really hurt us in the second half - we were miles away from what we can be. 'Two up with 20 minutes left, the defensive decisions we made cost us.' While Bradley rued how the game ended, he did also stress the positives from the first half when Rovers were in control and Noonan, 16, scored his first League of Ireland goal - and it is one that we will see again and again on television. A run from inside his own half and a shot disappeared into the smoke billowing from the pyro let off moments earlier, before he did too to celebrate. It was a brilliant goal as he picked up the ball from a clearance and raced forward as James McManus chased him and Rovers' Aaron Greene made a decoy run. And that allowed Noonan to run towards the smoke and, with no visiting defender making an effort to tackle him, he coolly slotted the ball just inside Chorazka's left-hand post. Bradley added: 'He is getting better and better. The goal had a bit of everything, pace, power and quality at the end. 'He is working extremely hard behind the scenes he just needs to keep working. Michael's goal was excellent. He is working hard and he will only get better. He is 16. 'There are lots of positives but is hard to f**king see them now as we lost the game.' Noonan's goal just moments after Honohan's opener - the reason why the pyro had been lit - when he cut in from the left, passed Devoy who pulled out of a tackle, and drilled home from 20-yards. With the two goal lead, it looked like a Rovers win. Indeed, they could have had a third as Honohan also crashed a shot from distance against the crossbar. Yet, Bohs produced the type of comeback that will live long in the memory. Shamrock Rovers 2 - 3 Bohemians Sun Star Man - Ross Tierney (Bohemians) Shamrock Rovers: McGinty 6; Cleary 6, Lopes 6, Grace 6; Matthews 6 (Grant 85, 6), Watts 7 (J O'Sullivan 85, 6), Healy 7, Honohan 7; Byrne 7 (Nugent 72, 6); Greene 7 (Burke 72, 6), Noonan 7 (Gaffney 79, 6). Bohemians: Chorazka 7; Grehan 7, Kavanagh 7, Flores 7; Mountney 5 (Whelan 67, 6), McManus 5 (Morahan ht, 6), Devoy 7; Rooney 7; Tierney 8 (McDonnell 89, 6), Parsons 6 (Brennan 52, 6); Clarke 6 (Buckley 67, 6). Referee: R Harvey (Dublin) 6.
Irish Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Bohs' Alan Reynolds addresses relationship with fans after Tallaght triumph
Alan Reynolds says he will fight on as Bohemians boss after watching his side come back from the dead to defeat bitter rivals Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium. And the Gypsies manager dedicated the victory to the club's former player and successful manager Billy Young, who died last Thursday at the age of 87. 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. This time they were 2-0 down after 41 minutes and, after Hoops fans serenaded Reynolds by singing 'you're getting sacked in the morning', there were plenty in the away end who might have agreed with their enemies. The Waterford man found himself under pressure from Bohs supporters after a disappointing first round of games. But had told his players that the second round is a clean slate, and they have responded with two wins - against Cork and Rovers - to start with, with 18-year-old Rhys Brennan grabbing the winner in the final minute of injury time after Dawson Devoy and Ross Tierney's goals had dragged the visitors level. "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 of the reception he received. But look, 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 brought the Bohs and Rovers fans together, yeah! That's a first. Yeah, they joined in on that but look, the main thing is the players. Delighted for them, and for Rhys Brennan. "It's hard for them (the supporters), I get it, but we have to give them something to cheer. When we got the goal back, I thought they were unbelievable. "We have to win supporters...I have to win supporters over, that's clear, and it's a fight. But I suppose I've been fighting all my life so I'll keep fighting with this." Reynolds explained that he spoke to the players before kick-off about Young, who retained his love for the club after his long service in the dug-out. "But look, we lost a great man, the club lost a great man, in Billy Young," said Reynolds. "He's being buried in the morning and it's something we spoke about before the game, that's a legend of the club and we spoke about him and what we wanted to do for him, so that's for him. "I felt after 55 minutes, it started to swing. We started to get control of the game and obviously getting the goal at the right time with Dawson, an outstanding goal. "We looked fit, we looked 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. 'To be beat these at Tallaght, I don't think it's been done since 2019, so to do so is great. Our season has been patchy but it's a new series now and we're two games into it and two wins, and the aim is to win on Friday again."
