But the fact that, drama-wise, this was one of the games of the season will count for little in the league table. Champions Shamrock Rovers were the only side to win across the day and it’s looking more and more likely that we will be denied the drama of a proper title race.
Bohemians’ Harry Vaughan celebrates after scoring a late equaliser against Shelbourne at Dalymount Park. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
LOI Review – Monday, May 4
It says a lot that Bohs, who were 1-0 ahead but needed a late goal from sub Harry Vaughan to rescue a point, are still in third place in the league table despite having not won a single game in their last nine matches. Shels, meanwhile, even with a decent four-point haul from the weekend, remain in the bottom half of the table and both seem to be well off the pace set by the Hoops.
“All the teams bar Rovers had a draw today, it’s tight,” Bohs boss Alan Reynolds said afterwards. “We’re just focusing on ourselves. If we just do that a little bit extra, we’ll win more games. You’ve got to get that belief into the players.
Harry Vaughan wheels away after finding the net for Bohemians. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
“We’re not coming against anyone that’s really dominated but we can be better in certain areas. We could be winning more games, that’s for sure. But we need to tidy up in some areas, we have to work for our goals. I think we’re giving away those goals cheaply.
“Frustration. I have to say [I feel] frustration because I think that’s one we could have won. But then when you go 2-1 behind, giving away a silly goal like that, you’re going ‘right, you take the point’. But overall on the performance, I think it would have been a travesty not to get something out of that.”
Bohs have struggled to keep clean sheets in recent weeks so we expected goals. And sure enough we had two of them in the first 16 minutes. Bohs started well, an early threat from Colm Whelan, but they took the lead on nine minutes from the unlikely source of Adam McDonnell.
It was a well-worked move, defined by patience and skill as Patrick Hickey and Markuss Strods were involved before the ball came to Ross Tierney, he spotted the run of McDonnell who struck for his first goal of the season, though Reds keeper Wessel Speel will be disappointed with his attempt to save.
Shels responded right away. After a good chance was missed by John Martin, when he headed over on 12 minutes, the forward equalised in the 16th minute timing his run well to get his head to Ali Coote’s cross.
The sides traded blows after that, Bohs possibly with more possession but Shels with the better chances, as Rodrigo Freitas and Sam Bone came close while Hickey later troubled Speel.
Bohs had a different complexion for the second half with two changes, with the in-form Strods unable to continue after shipping a knock in first-half injury-time. The pace of the first half was intense so a drop-off was bound to happen, also likely that one of the subs, those with fresh legs, could have a say.
Vaughan came close to scoring on 63 minutes, only for his shot to be kept out by Speel but for all their possession, Bohs didn’t threaten much.
John Martin celebrates after scoring Shels’ first of the night. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
At the other end on 72 minutes, the Reds’ replacements did their magic. Will Jarvis was given too much space as he found Wood and the Englishman positioned himself well to fire in a shot that eluded three Bohs defenders and keeper Kacper Chorazka and went in off Sam Todd.
With another home game slipping away, Bohs looked for a response, from the veterans and from the kids but chances by Douglas James-Taylor and Josh Harpur were wide, while a shot on 86 minutes from captain Dawson Devoy was also off target.
But the subs would play a role for Bohs, as they did for the away side. After a good spell of possession, James-Taylor got the ball, fed Vaughan and the on-loan Ireland U-21 cap calmly fired past Speel on 89 minutes.
Even a six-minute spell of added time could not conjure up another goal from two tired sets of bodies.
Bohemians: Chorazka; Morahan (Harpur 80), Todd, Hickey, Mullen (Kavanagh 46); McDonnell; Strods (Vaughan 46), Tierney, Devoy, Rooney; Whelan (James-Taylor 65)
Shelbourne: Speel; Gannon, Barrett, Bone, Ledwidge; Lunney; Coote (Henry-Francis 67), McInroy (Chapman 92), Caffrey (Jarvis 67); Martin (Boyd 92), Freitas (Wood 55)
Ref: N Doyle